RAPID CITY, S.D. – The federal government says it is temporarily shutting down the emergency room at its Indian Health Services hospital in Rapid City.
IHS officials say the emergency department at Sioux San Hospital will be closed on Sept. 20 due to the age of the facility.
The hospital will continue to offer urgent care services around-the-clock for needs that are not complicated or life-threatening. The statement didn't say when emergency services would resume.
The Unified Tribal Health Board for the Sioux San Hospital, which consists of the Oglala Sioux, Rosebud Sioux and Cheyenne River, opposes the decision.
O.J. Semans, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Health Board, says the move will strain area hospitals that will have to take over emergency care.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
