Tribal clinic nearing completion

Grand opening on October 6

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The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe will host a grand opening for its new clinic on October 6.

This new tribal clinic will feature medical, dental, behavioral and vision services to members of the tribe.

The new facility will cost around $13 million, under an agreement with the federal government that allows the tribe to manage its own health care services and bypass some authority from the Indian Health Service.

Currently, furniture and equipment are still being brought into the building and landscape work is being done.

The new clinic will expand in size from 10,000 square feet to around 41,000 square. This includes moving from four exam rooms to nine, with two pediatric exam rooms.

The facility will also grow from three dental suites to seven. Clinic administrator Leah Fyten said they hope to open the new dental clinic to the Flandreau community.

A full-time facilities manager is currently going through training and will be on-site to keep the clinic running smoothly. Security officers will also be added round-the-clock to keep the clinic as secure as possible.

Fyten said the new clinic will add up to 50 jobs in town, including positions in physical and occupational therapy and telemedicine.

Once work on the facility is complete, they will hire a moving company and try to make the transition within a few days, avoiding as much shutdown time as possible.

“It’s very exciting, I’m so happy to be a part of it,” Fyten said.