Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribal Health Center Health Management IT Modernization - The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe Health Center (FSST HC) is seeking federal assistance through the Tribal Management Program’s Project Type Four: Health Management Structure funding opportunity for a 12-month period. The requested federal assistance amount is $150,000. Health Management Structure is essential to FSST HC’s ability to deliver high-quality, sustainable care for the tribal community and surrounding rural populations in South Dakota. FSST HC has already made the strategic decision to transition away from the Indian Health Service’s (IHS) Resource and Patient Management System (RPMS) and D1 network, and is preparing to fully implement the OCHIN Epic Electronic Health Record (EHR) system through a sponsor agreement with OCHIN. This project represents the second phase of a multi-year modernization effort, following the successful 2024 TMG award which funded a comprehensive IT infrastructure assessment, vendor selection, and readiness planning. The primary project objective is to enhance FSST HC’s technical, operational, and cybersecurity readiness to ensure a successful December 2, 2025 go-live for the Epic EHR. FSST HC will implement mission-critical systems including a Purchased and Referred Care (PRC) platform, Single Sign-On (SSO) authentication, PACS imaging upgrades, and Laboratory Information System (LIS) integration, while also performing HIPAA-compliant security testing. These improvements will directly support workflow efficiency, provider usability, and long-term scalability of FSST HC’s health IT environment. This year’s project will also focus on internal capacity building. A newly hired Epic Project Manager will lead coordination efforts, supported by FSST HC’s clinical and administrative staff, OCHIN implementation teams, and Maner Consulting, FSST HC’s retained strategic advisor. Role-specific training will be delivered to frontline users to ensure a confident and well prepared staff base leading into go-live. Deliverables will include finalized governance structures, testing documentation, cybersecurity assessments, and workflow training materials. The expected outcome of this Health Management Structure project is to operationalize a robust and self-sustaining EHR solution that supports tribal sovereignty, improves patient care delivery, and increases FSST HC’s capacity to generate third-party billing revenue. Tribal leadership and FSST HC administrators are aligned in the goal of securing a future-ready health system that addresses current access barriers, prepares for facility expansion in Sioux Falls, and elevates the health outcomes of Native patients across the Great Plains Area. This funding request will position FSST HC to not only sustain its modernization efforts but also share best practices and tools with other Tribal health facilities navigating similar EHR transitions.
