Monument Health's Recruitment Surge Expands Subspecialty Care in Western South Dakota
Monument Health's recruitment surge expands subspecialty care in Western South Dakota, marking an aggressive expansion that brought 107 new providers over 27 months. For patients in western South Dakota, the implications are potentially huge - especially for those fighting heart and lung diseases or cancer. Between July 1 and October 1 last year, Monument Health added 31 new physicians representing 15 specialties.
Expanded Subspecialty Services in the Black Hills
Among those joining the team are three bringing subspecialty services previously unavailable or inconsistently available in the Black Hills. In addition to Keely Ulmer, MD, in gynecologic oncology, they include dual-trained cardiothoracic/vascular surgeon Tommaso Cambiaghi, MD, and colorectal surgeon Steven Donahue, MD. These additions are part of a strategy where physicians with unconventional paths have recently chosen Rapid City as a destination rather than a stepping stone.
Cardiothoracic and Vascular Innovation
Tommaso Cambiaghi, MD, had his pick of locations after completing dual fellowships in vascular surgery and cardiothoracic surgery. The Italian-born physician earned his medical degree at the Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan and later completed training at McGovern Medical School and Houston Methodist Hospital. The fact that I am trained in both cardiothoracic and vascular surgery means that I can customize the treatment for each patient—whether it is minimally or maximally invasive or a combination, he explains.
His expertise allows Monument Health to offer new and potentially safer ways of doing older procedures, such as endovascular treatment of complex abdominal aortic aneurysm. Furthermore, Monument Health recently became the first facility in the world to perform the Thoracoabdominal Branch Endoprosthesis (TAMBE) procedure through a vein instead of an artery, further minimizing surgical risk.
A Local Return to Gynecologic Oncology
For Keely Ulmer, MD, the decision to return to western South Dakota was never really in question. I always planned to come back here, she says simply. Now a gynecologic oncologist at Monument Health's Cancer Care Institute, her path into medicine was unique. Keely Ulmer was loading cattle trucks in Winner, South Dakota, when her parents called to say that the letter she’d been waiting for from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine had arrived. Before starting medical school, she had spent time as a forest firefighter and worked as a livestock manager at a sale barn.
Recruitment and Care Highlights
The following data points summarize the recent expansion efforts at Monument Health:
- New Physicians: 31 (Added between July 1 and October 1 last year)
- Specialties Represented: 15
- Total New Providers: 107 (Over a 27-month period)
- Key New Subspecialties: Gynecologic oncology, dual-trained cardiothoracic/vascular surgery, and colorectal surgery.
Advanced Procedures Now Available
With the arrival of specialized surgeons, patients can access advanced care plans without having to see multiple surgeons. This includes:
- Endovascular treatment of complex abdominal aortic aneurysm.
- Thoracoabdominal Branch Endoprosthesis (TAMBE) via vein access.
- Comprehensive gynecologic oncology services.