RAPID CITY –The Oyate Health Center is continuing to make improvements to help protect the health of our staff and patients. It is important to us that we continue to provide the highest standards of care for our patients while reducing their possible exposure to covid-19.

We are continuing to track the spread of covid-19 and we are being proactive in our efforts to prepare for the expected rise in cases.

We have made multiple changes to our policies so that we can continue to provide services while doing our part to slow the spread of this virus.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through these difficult times.

Telehealth Provider Visits

Visit Your Provider Without Leaving Your Home

In response to calls for flexibility and broadening access to telemedicine services during the COVID-19 public health emergency, certain federal privacy regulations have been relaxed by the Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). As a result, Oyate Health Center patients can now consult with their medical provider from the comforts of their home. 

We strongly encourage our patients to utilize the telemedicine visit to communicate with your healthcare provider. Staying home and practicing social distancing is currently our best defense against spreading covid-19. If you absolutely feel you must be seen in person, please call (605)355-2500 to consult with your healthcare provider and arrange an appointment at the Oyate Health Center.

You can use telehealth for:

• Chronic disease management
• Post hospitalization management
• Behavioral health
• Medication questions
• New onset conditions
• Any questions regarding COVID 19

Once an appointment is scheduled, we will send you a link to your email that will connect you with your provider. Please inform our staff of your technological capabilities.  

*The difference between a telehealth visit and a telephone visit is that telehealth uses video interaction (face-to-face) and the telephone visit is audio conversation only.

Curbside Pharmacy Pick-up Available

The Oyate Health Center has created a curbside prescription service for our relatives. This will make it easier for patients to refill their prescriptions without having to enter the facility.

We also have a pharmacy by-mail service that has been utilized by many of our relatives. For more information about the pharmacy by-mail program please call (605) 355-2211.

OHC Pharmacy’s Curbside Rx pickup service will be as follows:

1. The patient or someone sent on their behalf will call in the prescription refill(s) to the Pharmacy Refill Line (355-2240), just as they normally do.  At that time the patient will be told by the automated telephone refill system when their refills will be ready for pick-up.
2. The Pharmacy will process the refill request(s).
3. The patient or proxy will pull into one of the 6 designated Rx pickup spaces.
4. The patient or proxy will be instructed (by the signage) to call 355-2211 upon arrival to speak to a pharmacy staff member.
5. The Pharmacy will ask for the patient’s name and birthdate, and which numbered space they are parked in.
6. The Pharmacy will verify that the patient does have Rx’s to pick-up and will let the patient/proxy know which Rx’s they are.
7. The Pharmacy will bag up the Rx’s and staple the bag shut.
8. The patient’s medications will then be delivered to the patient or their proxy.
9. For any controlled substance Rx’s, the patient’s photo ID will be required upon delivery.

The pharmacy’s curbside service is available 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

*Parking for curbside pharmacy pick-ups is located behind the Oyate Health Center on the southside of the building. The parking spots are marked by blue signs and are located between the Oyate Health Center and the Lakota Lodge.

Urgent Care Continues to See Patients

The Oyate Health Center’s Urgent Care is still seeing patients from 7:00 AM-7:00 PM each day. The Urgent Care is a wonderful resource for our relatives to utilize on the weekends. Please do not hesitate to give us a call.

Southwest Screening Clinic Prepared for Rise in Covid-19 Cases

The Southwest Screening Clinic is still available for those who have symptoms associated with covid-19. If you have fever, coughing, or difficulty breathing we are asking that you first call (605) 787-8904 prior to visiting campus. This is to help stop the spread of the covid-19 and to help protect our relatives from exposure to other illnesses. You will be given further advice and will be directed to the appropriate entrance should you need to come in.

The Southwest Screening Clinic is open 7 days a week on the first floor to any member of any Tribe from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

Dental Update

OHC dental will be temporarily moved to Urgent Care where they can better assist other caregivers in the battle against COVID-19.  At this time, we will only be able to treat absolute dental emergencies (abscess, pain, swelling, etc) in Urgent Care.

Optometry Changes

Due to our response to the Coronavirus pandemic and in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and the American Optometric Association recommendations, the following changes will be effective immediately and until further notice:

We will only be providing urgent and emergent care for patients. These conditions include a sudden decrease in vision or loss of vision, flashes of light in vision, sudden onset floaters, distortions in vision, eye pain, redness, double vision, discharge, swelling of the eye, or eye injury. However, we will not be able to provide any routine eye care, glasses ordering, or glasses repairs until further notice. We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.

If you are seen in the Eye Clinic, you are asked to come by yourself if possible. You will be asked screening questions as you enter the eye clinic. 

Until further notice, our hours of operation for urgent and emergent conditions will be:

• Monday: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
• Tuesday: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
• Wednesday: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
• Thursday: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
• Friday: On-Call Availability

Should you have any further questions, you can call the Oyate Eye Clinic at 605-355-2213.