Argus Leader - Johnsons Hosts Health Care Roundtable

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Argus Leader - Johnsons Hosts Health Care Roundtable

More work needs to be done by the state and the federal government to prevent possible worker shortages in South Dakota, health care professionals told Sen. Tim Johnson on Wednesday.

While almost all health care professions in South Dakota are projected to show double-digit percentage growth during the next decade, worker shortages are expected across the spectrum of professions. That includes dentists to nurses to home health care workers.

It's a problem, especially in rural areas, because fewer workers could mean decreased access to health services for people.

"I want to use my second chance at life to improve access to quality health care," Johnson told people gathered at a health care roundtable meeting.

Mel Thaler, a pediatric dentist at Children's Dental Center in Sioux Falls, said South Dakota is facing a crisis in not enough dentists, particularly in rural parts of the state. The state and federal government can help by increasing programs that reimburse dentists' student loan bills in exchange for service, Thaler said.

The state also could benefit from a pediatric dentist training program, he said.

"As hard as we work, just a little over one-third (of children) are getting dental care," Thaler said.

Part of the worker shortage problem is an aging work force, said registered nurse Anna Attebury.

The average age of a nurse in South Dakota is in his or her mid-40s. And the state's nursing schools are graduating about 280 too few nurses annually to keep up with demand, Attebury said.

"That doesn't sound like much, but when you compound it ..." she said.

Paula Johnson of Sioux Falls shared her experiences finding a qualified person to help care for her elderly mother.

"I had to find someone who I trusted in my home," Johnson said. "That kind of person is irreplaceable."

The Johnson health care roundtable was the second discussion this week between health care professionals and South Dakota's Congressional delegation.

On Tuesday, Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin toured the Dougherty Hospice House on the Avera Prince of Peace retirement community campus in Sioux Falls. Herseth Sandlin this month voted to pass legislation delaying the implementation of Medicare reimbursement cuts for hospices.

"We need to do what we can to ensure that health care facilities like Dougherty Hospice House have the resources they need to operate smoothly and continue providing access to care," Herseth Sandlin said in a statement.

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