Jesse Batson

It was just a year ago that the only trace of Sioux Valley in Brookings was an obstetrics clinic. Now, Sioux Valley is an anchor in the Brookings Mall, right next to Lewis Drug, and the new clinic has experienced an increase in patients.

“The graph is heading in the right direction,” Cindy Mydland, clinic director, said.

Renovations on the 24, 000 square foot location began in last May. After serving a few select customers in mid-October, the doors finally opened on Nov. 1.

The new clinic features digital x-rays, a lab, an ultra sound mammography room and other services.

It also houses six suites (three exam rooms and a physician’s ofice) and offers three providers: E.W. Filler, Julie A. Cameron and Stephanie Kreie.

“Providers can mean a lot of different things,” Mydland said, “but it’s basically someone you can make an appointment with, so it might be a physician or it might be a mid-level.”

A mid-level is either a nurse practitioner, like Cameron, or a physician’s assistant, like Kreie.

There is room for expansion, Mydland says.

Jennifer Tan, a women’s physician, will join the clinic later this summer. Tan is currently finishing her residency at the University of Michigan.

Mydland would like to fill the fifth suite with another physician and then leave the sixth suite permanently open.

The partnership with Lewis is one that saves time for the clinic, she said. Instead of waiting for supplies from a courier, staff just walk next door.

“Lewis Drug is a partnership that we’ve done with several Sioux Valley clinics,” Mydland said.

The clinic has hopes in forming partnerships with the SDSU nursing program.

Although the clinic is new to town, the process of brining in an expanded Sioux Valley facility started a long time ago.

Customers at the obstetrics clinic would write letters, send e-mails and phone in their requests for expanded medical services at the clinic.

Sioux Valley then held focus groups and a series of studies to determine whether there was even need for an expanded clinic.

“It’s a big price tag and it’s a big financial commitment,” Mydland said. Sioux Valley wanted to make sure building a clinic would pay off in the end and it does, she said.

“We know for a fact that there’s a lot of medical expense dollars leaving Brookings County. A lot of them were already Sioux Valley patients, quite honestly, and they were driving to Sioux Falls,” Mydland said.

#1.884787:3688586136.jpg:siouxvalley_aa.jpg:The new Sioux Valley Clinic, located in the University Mall, opened its doors last November. Staff hope to add a women’s physician later this summer.:Amber Armstrong