Long-time Bison provider to transfer to Plankinton

The transition of Dan Kvale, PA-C, to the Aurora County Community Health Center in Plankinton, South Dakota, marks the end of an era for his Bison patients. It will not mark the end of quality care for the Bison Community. 

His last day at the Bison Community Clinic is August 10. The community is invited to attend an open house in his honor on Aug. 3 from 1-3 p.m., at the clinic. 

Kvale said it has been a profound honor and privilege to serve the Bison community. 

“Raising my family in such a warm, caring environment has allowed them to grow into good, young adults that will hopefully carry the values and morals learned in the Bison community,” he said. 

Kvale provided medical care to the Bison community for 19 years, using his family medicine specialization. He did his undergraduate work at Pima Community College and the University of Arizona. He attended graduate school at the Arizona School of Health Sciences and holds certificates in Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation. 

While in Bison, he served on the school board, was active with Scouts, participated in church and other committees through the years. 

Working in a community the size of Bison allowed Kvale to practice medicine in a way that put patients’ needs first and provided him with a wide variety of medical experiences. 

“I have been able to go on house calls for the disabled, my nurse and I have always been allowed to form relationships with the patients to better meet their needs, and sometimes come in after hours to see a sick child or sew up a farming/ranching accident,” he said. 

Horizon Health Care is in the process of recruiting a new provider to serve the Bison area. The community health organization is committed to providing continued affordable, accessible, and quality care to the Bison community. In the interim, Kvale’s patients can contact the Bison Community Clinic as usual to make appointments at 605-244-5206. 

For over 40 years, Horizon Health Care, Inc. has been providing personalized, affordable, high-quality medical, dental and mental health care through a rural, community-based network in South Dakota. Horizon is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that serves the medical, dental and mental health care needs of South Dakotans in rural, medically underserved areas through 110,000 patient visits annually in 32 community health centers in: Aberdeen, Alcester, Bison, Bryant, De Smet, Eagle Butte, Elk Point, Faith, Fort Thompson, Howard, Huron, Isabel, La Plant, Lake Preston, Martin, McIntosh, Mission, Plankinton, Wessington Springs, White River, Woonsocket, and Yankton. For more information, please visit www.horizonhealthcare.org.