SOUTH DAKOTA STRAIGHT TALK

Saturday’s Daily Planet (Argus Leader) reports that Sanford Children’s Hospital may be going global.

The Argus Ed Board interviewed Sanford major domo Kelby Krabbenhoft this past week and he disclosed that satellite clinics might be established in Europe.

The newspapers report should have emphasized Sanford is just going global sooner than the Sanford Initiative envisioned. The initial plan clearly stated an International intention - “ In time, this model may be expanded internationally.”

That’s why Krabbenhoft’s disclosure is significant. The disclosure speaks to the excitement and synergism of the Sanford Children’s Project. Over a longer period of time Sioux Falls can become a mecca for children’s health, both as a finding new paradigms for treatments and research of children’s diseases.

Background – The satellite clinics are integral to the plan. The simple fact is that children are basically healthy and compared to the adult population do not have a great deal of disabilities or life threatening diseases. Consequently Sanford Children’s both as a hospital and a research center must draw from a much larger population base than the Midwest. Having other Sanford facilities extends the Sanford brand nationally and internationally.

Whenever Sanford Children’s is talked about Sioux Falls and South Dakota will also be mentioned. The results of this activity will be the curing of various childhood diseases and a transforming economic development engine for the entire region.

Enter Newt – Newt Gingrich, the former Republican leader (Newt is foremost a great thinker) visited Sioux Falls in June to consult with the Sanford Project. After leaving the government, Gingrich founded the Center for Health Transformation “a collaboration of public and private sector leaders dedicated to the creation of a 21st Century Intelligent Health System that saves lives and saves money.” Sanford Health System has joined Newt’s “Center.”

During Newt’s (like Rudy and Hillary – America is on a first name base with him. Check out Newt.org) visit he stressed "There aren't many times in your career somebody walks in and says we've been given this enormous opportunity to think through the future of the health system," said Gingrich.

Additionally Newt stated (and this is the genesis and the reason for the early excitement about going global so quickly) “One of my recommendations to Sanford was they look at how to scan worldwide, not just inside the U S for new knowledge.”

The scuttlebutt is that teams from Sanford have fanned out looking at best practices in the finest research hospitals in the nation. I understand there was a team at CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) one of America’s premier children’s hospitals.

Excitement - Sanford Children’s recently received 25 responses to their request for proposals from Communities and Organizations wanting to be a site for one of the initial five clinics. As noted by K Krabbenhoft in the “Argus Leader” story “ Krabbenhoft said he anticipates more money coming from Sanford and also from other benefactors in the areas in which the children's clinics will be built”

Thus the proposals were not from potential partners just looking for some Sanford cash. Rather in many cases they were from recognized institutions wanting to be part of the Sanford team and in some cases, prospects want to bring their own equity and their own donors to the Project.

Mitchell native Mike Miller may have set the stage. There was initial thought that the Mega T. Denny Sanford donation might have dissuaded other large contributions from generous benefactors. When the Mike Miller Foundation made their $1 million contribution at the Children’s Hospital groundbreaking, it sent the strong signal that this Project was important enough to allow many people to be a part of.

                 Mike & Jennifer Miller