Doc Talk with Monument Health

Luis Hernandez, M.D., FACC, fellowship-trained Cardiologist and Medical Director of the Advanced Heart Failure Program at Monument Health Heart and Vascular Institute, gives insight on how devices like defibrillators, pacemakers and pulmonary pressure sensors manage heart failure and help prevent hospital readmissions. He also outlines the importance of medication and patient monitoring in improvi...

In this Best Of from 2025, Mark sits down with Kenneth Milligan, M.D., Orthopedic Surgeon, and Eric Krohn, D.O., Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon at Monument Health Orthopedic & Specialty Hospital in Rapid City while they share their vision in starting the Hip Preservation Institute. Typically only available in larger metropolitan areas, the Hip Preservation Institutes team brings much needed and...

The holidays can make healthy habits feel impossible. Between packed schedules, comfort food, and family pressure, it’s easy to feel like staying on track just isn’t realistic. In this live Doc Talk episode, the Weight Management Clinic team in Spearfish shares practical, judgment-free advice for navigating the holiday season without guilt or perfectionism. They talk honestly about food pressure,...

Welcome to Doc Talk, I'm your host, Mark Houston. This month, we’re celebrating the Best of 2025 and revisiting some of our most informative and popular episodes from the past year. This week it's Episode 151 with Dr. Leslie Van Dyne. As a Trauma Surgeon and Critical Care Specialist at Rapid City Hospital, Leslie Van Dyne, M.D. shares her unique perspective on caring for patients in a rural area k...

Welcome to Doc Talk, I'm your host, Mark Houston. This month, we’re celebrating the Best of 2025 and revisiting some of our most informative and popular episodes from the past year. This week it’s Episode 152: Finding Talent with Sarah Blenner and Joanna Wiseman of the Monument Health Talent Acquisition Team Sarah and Joanna are responsible for filling all of the non-Physician jobs at Monument Hea...

Many people go into the holiday season feeling a heaviness they can't quite explain. Lead-Deadwood Hospital and Clinic’s Erin Adkins, CSW, QMHP-PIP, Mental Health Counselor, and Mandi Leiti, PMHNP-BC, a Nurse Practitioner who specializes in psychiatric and mental health, return to discuss winter mental health. They explain why January often brings the biggest wave of people seeking help, how to na...

Non-Invasive Cardiologist Stephen Wasemiller, M.D., at the Heart and Vascular Institute in Rapid City defines the six pillars of lifestyle medicine and the roles they play in keeping your heart healthy. He also explores the connection between mental health, social isolation and the role of spiritual well-being and advocates for compassionate care and open communication to improve heart health and...

Joining host Mark Houston is Chad Storch, M.D., MPH, Occupational Medicine at Rapid City Clinic, Mount Rushmore Road. Dr. Storch shares his experiences of caring for sailors and marines aboard the USS Oak Hill and overseeing the health of over 1,500 aviators and air traffic controllers as Aviation Medicine Department Head at Naval Air Station Whiting Field. He also breaks down the importance of FA...

When you've spent years caring for the men and women who serve our country, you learn a thing or two about trust and community. Joshua Larson, M.D., Family Medicine Physician at Box Elder Clinic, joins host Mark Houston to discuss life as a military doctor, what drew him to Family Medicine and how his journey from the military to Monument Health has helped shape care in Box Elder and the...

Mandi Leite, a Nurse Practitioner who specializes in psychiatric and mental health at Lead-Deadwood Hospital and Erin Adkins a Certified Social Worker at Lead-Deadwood Clinic join Mark Houston to talk about providing mental health and counseling services to the area. They discuss their individual approaches to treatment and how they collaborate together. Much like Lead and Deadwood themselves...

When athletes take the field, there's more happening behind the scenes than most fans realize. In this episode recorded live at a South Dakota Mines football pregame, Joseph Humpherys, D.O., FAAOS, Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine and Joint Preservation at Orthopedic & Specialty Hospital in Rapid City shares what it takes to keep college athletes healthy and performing at the...

Popping an antacid might work for occasional heartburn. For many people though, acid reflux is a daily battle that affects sleep, diet and quality of life. Ali Zakaria, M.D., Gastroenterologist and Pial Hope, D.O., General Surgeon, both of Rapid City Hospital, discuss why gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may require more than over-the-counter solutions. The duo explains the cause of chronic...

In this episode of Doc Talk Live! at The Matthews Art Center, Wesley Badger, M.D., general surgeon at Spearfish Clinic, North Avenue, discusses two very different cancers and why early detection matters. Dr. Badger explains why colon cancer screening now starts at 45 years old and why colonoscopy remains the standard for prevention. He also addresses the rising rates of colorectal cancer in younge...

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, and diagnoses are happening at younger ages than ever before. In this episode, Ashlea Semmens, M.D., General Surgeon, Breast Surgical Oncologist and Medical Director of the Breast Surgery program at Rapid City Hospital, sits down to discuss what every woman needs to know about breast cancer awareness, detection and treatmen...

There's no magic pill for heart health, but there is something almost as simple: walking. In this special episode recorded on location at American Heart Association Black Hills Heart Walk on Sept. 6, Stephen Wasemiller, M.D., Non-invasive Cardiologist at Heart and Vascular Institute in Rapid City, joins host Mark Houston for a conversation on the move. Dr. Wasemiller explains how walking protects...

Living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) means encountering life-changing challenges, but it doesn't have to define your future. Jannine Purcell, CNP, Gastroenterology, discusses how IBD affects young adults in their 20s and 30s, often disrupting major life milestones. Jannine explains the difference between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and why team-based care is essential. She share...

Eating should be simple. However, for people with Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EOE), swallowing can feel difficult or even scary. In this episode, Issam Turk, M.D., Gastroenterologist at Monument Health Gastroenterology, returns to discuss this increasingly common condition that many people don't even realize they have. Dr. Turk explains why difficulty swallowing should never be considered normal and...

Your liver works around the clock, but chances are you rarely think about this vital organ until something goes wrong. In this episode of Doc Talk, Chantel Holz, CNP from Monument Health Gastroenterology, breaks down what you need to know about liver health and why it should be on your radar. She discusses the rise in metabolic associated liver disease and how symptoms of this condition can be mis...

Hans Nelson, Director of the Monument Health Foundation, and Patrick Tibbles, M.D., Vice Chair of Emergency Medicine and Medical Director of the Foundation, discuss how philanthropic support helps elevate health care in the Black Hills. From events like the Golden Guitars Gala to critical projects in cancer care, hospice and pediatric services, they explore how donor contributions directly impact...

Misinformation can spread quickly, especially when it comes to health care. Lately, some cancer patients have been asking about the use of Ivermectin, a drug designed to treat parasites, as a potential cancer treatment. Bayan Al-Share, M.D., Oncologist at Monument Health Cancer Care Institute, joins host Mark Houston to address where this idea came from, what the science actually says and how to e...

This week we share the second in an ongoing series of Doc Talk Live! episodes recorded in front of an audience at the Matthews Opera House and Art Center in Spearfish. Loren Jones, M.D., Ear, Nose and Throat surgeon at Spearfish Clinic, North Avenue, discusses sleep apnea and answers questions from the crowd. Dr. Jones shares his expertise on treatments for sleep apnea, focusing on Inspire Therapy...

What goes into staffing all of the many roles at a hospital? Sarah Blenner, Director of Talent Resourcing and Joanna Wiseman, Talent Acquisition and Marketing Specialist are responsible for filling all of the non-Physician jobs at Monument Health. Find out how they approach the tall task of keeping over 1,200 spots filled while still remaining selective in an extremely competitive industry. ...

As a Trauma Surgeon and Critical Care Specialist at Rapid City Hospital, Leslie Van Dyne, M.D. shares her unique perspective on caring for patients in a rural area known for outdoor adventure and seasonal risks. Dr. Van Dyne explains the differences between trauma surgery and emergency medicine, discusses caring for critical patients in the ICU and relates how activities like ATV riding, horseback...

In this episode of Vital Conversations: A Doc Talk Community Series, the host becomes the subject. Stephen Tamang, M.D., reflects on his conversations with local leaders and what he took away from their discussions about homelessness, mental health and housing in the Black Hills. He shares behind-the-scenes insights from the series, what surprised him most and how the experience shaped his run for...

As a born and raised local and, now a Physician, Joy Mueller, M.D., Family Medicine and Primary Care Monument Health Sturgis Clinic, has seen more than a few Sturgis Motorcycle Rallies. In this episode of Doc Talk, Dr. Mueller describes the different ways the staff in Sturgis prepares in advance for the influx of cases at their Emergency Department, Same Day Clinic and Hospital. She reveals some c...