Doc Talk with Monument Health

In this episode of Doc Talk, Chaston Ellis, D.O., Psychiatrist at Behavioral Health in Rapid City, speaks on Monument Health’s efforts to increase access to psychiatric treatment and mental health care in the Black Hills. Dr. Ellis shares a bit about his background and motivations for pursuing psychiatry and gives perspective on how social media might be complicating anxiety disorders, while simultaneously helping to destigmatize mental health care. The most important message Dr. Ellis would like to share is that mental health care is now more accessible in the area than it has ever been before and that simply showing up and staying optimistic is one of the biggest steps you can take toward improvement.

“Palliative care is always available,” says Jennifer Eitingon, M.D., fellowship-trained Palliative Care Physician at Home Health and Hospice in Rapid City. Dr. Eitingon joins host Mark Houston to explain how palliative care is a specialty and not just a part of hospice care. In treating patients experiencing life-limiting conditions, Dr. Eitingon helps to improve quality of life through pain management, psychosocial support and advanced directives. Dr. Eitingon details why she switched her medical focus from surgery to palliative care and how patients’ spiritual and ethical beliefs must be considered in her work.

Alan Langnas, D.O., Chief, Division of Transplant Surgery at Nebraska Medicine, discusses how his transplant team serves patients across a multi-state region that includes the Black Hills. Major medical advances like improvements in organ‑preservation technology and First-Person legislation have helped make organ donation safer and more reliable. However, there remains a need for organ donation.Dr. Langnas describes the Nebraska Medicine/Monument Health partnership and how it improves access by allowing patients in the Black Hills to receive advanced transplant care close to home. He emphasizes the program’s focus on personalized, state‑of‑the‑art care, strong communication and a compassionate patient experience throughout the transplant journey.

Some Primary Care Physicians are trained specifically in Pediatrics to treat babies and kids; some are trained in Family Medicine to treat adolescents and adults. Med-Peds doctors like Marissa Copas Weaver, M.D., an Internal Medicine - Pediatrics Physician and Eammon Grosek, M.D., a Primary Care and Internal Medicine Physician, both of Rapid City Clinic, Flormann Street, have specific training to care for all ages, including babies.  In this episode, the doctors explain their specific training and why being a Med-Peds physician is slightly different than the typical Family Medicine provider. They touch on the few things that are outside of their scope of practice and the importance of trust between a Med-Peds doctor and the families that they treat. Tune in to learn more about this rare and interesting combination of skills and find out why Dr. Copas Weaver or Dr. Grosek might be the right fit for your family.

Did you know that there are around 100 different surgeries for bunions? In this informative, interactive episode, recorded live at the Matthews Art Center in Spearfish, Colin Zdenek, DPM, FACFAS, fellowship-trained Foot and Ankle Surgeon and Podiatrist at Spearfish Clinic, North 10th Street, discusses why bunions happen and how finding the right kind of shoe can be one of the most helpful treatments.Ankle instability and arthritis, which can be caused by a history of sprained ankles, are treatable with physical therapy and sometimes with steroid injections. However, the solution for older patients may be a total ankle-replacement (implant or fusion) procedure, called arthroscopy. Dr. Zdenek talks through what the procedure entails and how long the recovery takes. “The time to get surgery is when you stop doing the things you enjoy doing,” says Dr. Zdenek.Dr. Zdenek also covers flat feet and how to identify it in kids, who are usually unaware that they have it and so, overcompensate for it. Since it is a deformity, basic treatments are usually orthotics and management strategies. If pain persists, however, surgery is an option. Other topics include plantar fasciitis, fibroma and the best way to keep your feet free of pain and healthy.

Joint longevity is important. Fortunately, there are things we can do to keep our joints healthy well into the late stages of life. In this episode, recorded live at Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo, David Woodard, M.D., Orthopedic Surgeon at Orthopedic & Specialty Hospital in Rapid City, says that good cartilage health and preservation usually mean maintaining a healthy weight and consistent physical activity, such as daily walks or swims. Dr. Woodard discusses the effectiveness of supplements and braces and gives insight on how long to wait before making an appointment when you suspect an injury. An important piece of advice he offers is to seek help to make big changes, especially when it comes to trying to lose weight or increase your exercise frequency and intensity.

Spider veins and varicose veins are common. However, they can be problematic and cause pain or discomfort. Recorded live in front of an audience at Matthews Opera House in Spearfish, Nicholas Czosnyka, M.D., General Surgeon at Spearfish Clinic, North Avenue, explains poor vein outflow, or venous insufficiency and how that relates to varicose veins. He gives tips on when to seek treatment and clarifies the pros and cons of the different kinds of interventions, such as compression stockings or procedures, like sclerotherapy, phlebectomy and vein ablation.Dr. Czosnyka details how the procedures work and the goal of having them done. For example, symptoms and appearance of varicose veins can be improved, especially in severe cases. However, the issue cannot usually be entirely prevented or removed; improved blood flow is the priority. Dr. Czosnyka also relates expectations for healing, success rates and recurrence of varicose veins after a procedure.

A special, interactive Doc Talk event recorded live in front of an audience at The Monument in Rapid City in honor of Valve Disease Awareness Day. Joseph Tuma, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, Interventional Cardiologist at Heart and Vascular Institute leads a discussion in which guests and audience members alike share stories of their Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedures.Don’t miss out on one of our most unique and informative Doc Talks yet. 

Recorded live at a special Heart Month Event at Rapid City Hospital, Luis Hernandez, M.D., FACC, Cardiologist atthe Heart and Vascular Institute and Medical Director of the Advanced Heart Failure program speaks with Renea, a patient who received a heart and kidney transplant just under a year ago.  Renee recounts what led up to Dr. Hernandez’s recommendation for a heart transplant and what happened between that time and when she underwent the procedure. She also explains how her family helped to convince her to undergo the transplant and what she experienced during recovery.Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear from a patient who has experienced a life-saving procedure and is grateful for the results.