After being put on hold during the pandemic, the South Dakota Department of Health has recently revitalized its State Health Improvement Plan. This effort is aimed at better informing the state health system and addressing health issues more effectively. The newly published comprehensive State Health Assessment includes data and insights from priority health indicator assessments, community conversations, and key informant interviews.
Mariah Pokorny, the deputy division director at the Department of Health, emphasized the importance of collaborating and working together to address health issues by implementing strategies based on priorities identified in the assessment. She also highlighted the importance of gathering input from healthcare providers on the ground to identify successful approaches that could be implemented in other communities.
The assessment serves as a backbone to inform and identify areas such as capacity and training needs. Individuals interested in accessing the assessment documents can find a link on the Department of Health’s website. By working together and leveraging insights from healthcare providers, South Dakota hopes to make strides in improving public health outcomes across the state.