Growth in Sioux Falls: A great problem to have

July 11, 2018

This paid piece is sponsored by Avera.

All business leaders have challenges to overcome: Keeping up with climbing expenses, recruiting and retaining quality employees in a competitive labor market or expanding services to meet growing demand.

“Growth is a great problem to have,” said Dave Flicek, president and CEO of Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center.

Sioux Falls is expected to grow by more than 40,000 in 10 years.

“Having an additional 40,000 people join our city is like adding a good-sized community to our population. There will be 40,000 more people who will buy basic necessities such as food, clothing and housing, people who will need services such as education and health care,” Flicek said. “We know that if we sat back and waited a few years, building would only be more expensive and we’d be playing catch-up.”

Avera is working on ways to help keep health care affordable by finding greater efficiencies and promoting innovation.

“But we also must make health care accessible in all sectors of the city. That’s why Avera is revisioning what care we deliver where,” Flicek said.

At 69th and Louise, the structure of Avera’s new surgical hospital and medical office building is taking shape. The Avera on Louise Health Campus will specialize in orthopedics and gastroenterology – two specialties in which Avera is seeing growth.

Major construction projects stay on schedule thanks to lean techniques

Baby boomers comprise a significant portion of thepopulation, and as they age they are in need of both of these specialties. By 2025, well over one-third of the area’s population will be 45 or older.

This first phase of the Avera on Louise Health Campus is a $133 million project. The economic impact is significant. Over two years, 600 workers will be involved in construction, with an estimated payroll of $28 million. Using U.S. Department of Commerce economic multipliers, that will create a ripple effect contributing to 1,200 total jobs and $118 million in earnings.

Also soon to be constructed at Avera on Louise is the Avera Addiction Center. It’s estimated that 10 percent to 15 percent of people in the population deal with chemical dependency at some level.

avera addiction care

“There are those who need residential treatment, and we wanted to provide a world-class place for people who want to get better,” Flicek said.

“With our 60-year history as the regional leader in mental health care, this is an important piece in our continuum of care. This center will be a comfortable, home-like environment in a serene and peaceful setting. We’ll be using proven, evidence-based programs, supported by the depth and strength of the Avera system. We are proud to be able to offer this needed service in our community. Individuals and families whose lives are torn by addiction deserve no less.”

On the Avera McKennan main campus, several updates are underway that together total $41 million. This includes a new inpatient rehab unit on the fifth floor of the Prairie Center. This unit has 24 private rooms situated around the perimeter – all with great views of the city. At the center of the unit is a therapy gym featuring the latest in rehab equipment.

Avera McKennan opens inpatient rehab unit

“Recovery after a stroke or spinal cord injury is not easy, so we hope we’ve created a comfortable environment that is encouraging to these patients,” Flicek said.

Rehab’s move to the Prairie Center created space on the second floor of the main hospital to expand and enhance Avera McKennan’s intensive care unit. This project expands ICU capacity by six beds with 28 large patient rooms that accommodate the latest technology for the complex care needs of today’s critical care patients.

When the new ICU is completed in January 2019, the hospital will begin expanding surgical space in the ICU’s former location, also on the second floor. This expansion will accommodate a busy surgical schedule with numerous surgeons and advancing technology.

“Avera’s mission is to make a positive impact in the lives and health of persons and communities by providing quality services guided by Christian values. Fulfilling this mission means thoughtfully planning for the future,” Flicek said. “We must think strategically and invest in ways that will fulfill our mission and best serve our growing city in the years to come.”

New Avera McKennan CEO: Deal-maker, servant-leader  

Want to stay in the know?

Get our free business news delivered to your inbox.



Growth in Sioux Falls: A great problem to have

Sioux Falls is expected to grow by more than 40,000 people in 10 years. Here’s how Avera is planning — and building — today to support the population’s needs.

News Tip

Have a business news item to share with us?

Scroll to top