The Sanford Project
Finding a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes
Facts & History
In 1894, the first hospital in Sioux Falls opened its doors. Sioux Falls Hospital, now known as Sanford Health, has been providing excellence in healthcare to the Sioux Falls community and to the region for more than a century.History
1898 - Sioux Valley Hospital School of Nursing, South Dakota’s first school of nursing accepts its first students.
1931 - Sioux Valley Hospital opens its doors to the region’s first orthopedic unit.
1934 - The first crippled children’s school in South Dakota begins at Sioux Valley Hospital.
1971 - The first Intensive Care Nursery opens at Sioux Valley Hospital.
1977 - Sioux Valley Hospital begins the areas first air ambulance service.
1978 - First open heart surgery is performed in the region at Sioux Valley Hospital.
1979 - First cardiac catheterization procedure is performed in the region at Sioux Valley Hospital.
1982 - Sioux Valley Hospital offers the area’s first mammograms.
1985 - First mobile mammography services are offered through Sioux Valley Hospital.
1985 - Mobile fluoroscopy services become available for the first time through Sioux Valley Hospital.
1986 - Sioux Valley Hospital offers areas first mobile cardiovascular services.
1993 - Sioux Valley Hospital develops patient-focused care, a concept new to the region.
1993 - Sioux Valley Hospital teleradiology offers radiology services to Canton, Vermillion and Viborg.
1993 - Sioux Valley Hospital is the first facility in the region where the excimer laser is used in the correction of nearsightedness.
1993-1994 - Sioux Valley Hospital named to the Top 100 Hospitals in America in 1993 and 1994 (only one of 25 hospitals in the nation to be recognized two years in a row) from an HCIA survey
1994 - The first pediatric open-heart surgery in South Dakota is performed at Sioux Valley Hospital.
1996 - Sioux Valley Hospital ranked as the region's best performing hospital in U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Hospitals" in 1996
1998 - Sioux Valley Hospital performs area’s first permanent prostate seed implant procedure.
1999 - Sioux Valley Hospital introduces the first open MRI to region.
2000 - Sioux Valley Hospital becomes a University Medical Center.
2000 - Sioux Valley Hospital receives a five-star rating for the hip and knee replacement orthopedic program from Healthgrades.com.
2000 - Sioux Valley Hospital named a Top 100 Hospital for orthopedics and stroke by HCIA/Mercer.
2000 - Sioux Valley introduces Trauma 5 – specializing in Trauma, Heart, Children’s, Fast Track and Orthopedics.
2000 - Sioux Valley Hospital is one of the first hospitals in the nation to place the smallest heart defibrillator in a patient just days after FDA approval.
2001 - Sioux Valley Hospital USD Medical Center brings first HeartScore CT to the region to help in the fight against heart disease.
2001 - Sioux Valley Hospital named a Top 100 Hospital for cardiovascular by HCIA/Mercer.
2001 - The merger of Sioux Valley Physician Group and Central Plains Clinic creates the largest physician group in the region.
2001 - Opened "The Birth Place," a fully secure unit with 27 family suites, a bistro and nursery.
2002 - Opened the NORTH Center – bringing together ortho/neuro services including rehab, diagnostics and DME.
2003 - Sioux Valley Cancer Center opens. The Cancer Center houses leading-edge technology in the Novalis and PET/CT.
2003 - Magnet Status for Nursing Excellence.
2003 - J.D. Power and Associates names Sioux Valley Hospital a Distinguished Hospital.
2004 - Robotic Assisted Surgery introduced to the region.
2004 - T. Denny Sanford pledged $16 million toward a new Children's Hospital - Sanford Children's Hospital.
2004 - T. Denny Sanford pledged $20 million earmarked for the medical school. The school was renamed Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota.
2004 - Argus Leader Best in Business-Business of the Year.
2004 - Solucient Top 100 Hospital.
2004 - US News & World Report - One of America's Best Hospitals.
2005 - $15 million gift to Mayo Clinic and endows collaboration between the pediatric specialists of Mayo Clinic and Sanford Children's Hospital at Sioux Valley Hospital.
2005 - J.D. Power and Associates names Sioux Valley Hospital a Distinguished Hospital.
2006 - Solucient Top 100 Hospital.
2006 - Sioux Valley Surgical Tower opens with state-of-the art technology including 16 minimally invasive surgical suites.
2006 - Boekelheide NICU opens featuring 47 private rooms and state-of-the-art lifesaving technology for the smallest of newborns.
2006 - US News & World Report - One of America's Best Hospitals.
2007 - February 3, Sioux Valley Hospitals & Health System receives a Gift of $400 million from T. Denny Sanford and is renamed Sanford Health.
2008 - Groundbreaking occurs for Sanford Children Duncan in Duncan, Oklahoma; the first Sanford Children's World Clinic to be built.
2008 - Type 1 diabetes is the focus of The Project, with a goal to cure type 1 diabetes within the lifetime of Denny Sanford.
Facts
Sanford Health system statistics for the year ended April 30| Utilization | 2008 | 2007 |
| Inpatient Admissions (1,2) | 31,695 | 30,986 |
| Outpatient Visits (1,2) | 529,615 | 458,577 |
| Emergency Visits (1,2) | 62,730 | 51,197 |
| Births (1,2) | 3,900 | 3,761 |
| Surgeries (1,2) | 39,768 | 37,110 |
| Physician Clinic Visits (2,3) | 1,325,753 | 1,229,039 |
| Long Term Care Days (3) | 101,325 | 103,055 |
1 - Includes Sanford USD Medical Center
2 - Includes Sanford Health member facilities in Adrian, Canby, Jackson, Luverne, Tracy and Westbrook, MN, Chamberlain, Clear Lake, Vermillion and Webster, SD and Rock Rapids and Sheldon, IA
3 - Includes Sanford Clinic
Members of the Sanford Health system
| Hospitals | 23 |
| Clinics/Satellite Clinics | 128 |
| Nursing Homes | 13 |
| Congregate Housing | 12 |
| Assisted Living Centers | 6 |
| Pharmacies | 18 |
| Home Health | 12 |
| Home Medical Equipment | 22 |
| Hospice | 11 |
| Sanford Clinic Providers | 443 |
| Employees (total) | 9,289 |
| Employee Full-time Equivalents | 7,627 |