Brookings Banter

Avera's partnership with SDSU, along with Sanford Health's investment in USD will spark controversy surrounding increasing health care costs while these types of investments are made.  I think it is important to look at these partnerships as investments in our communities and the future of our health care.  I'm not referring to marketing investments such as naming rights to parades and athletic facilities only pure investments to education and research. 

Health care is more than the care you received today.  These large systems have a responsibility to insure that good care is available for generations to come.  This is an investment in people and ideas for the future.  Our city owned hospital gave money to help fund a nursing simulation laboratory at SDSU.  The board of trustees understood that nurses are critical to health care and an investment was needed.

Avera's investment in a Health and Science Complex is not only about nurses, pharmacists, and medical research.  Students from every college will pass through that building for science classes resulting in better engineers, agricultural professionals, artist, and anyone who takes a chemistry class. 

One way or another we need to increase our spending on education and research.  Thank you Sanford, Avera, and the Brookings Health System for stepping up and investing in our future.