Chelsea Moore’s family knows the benefits of living close to a small-town clinic. Their move from Missouri to Mission, South Dakota, 10 years ago brought them into close contact with Horizon Health Mission.
Chelsea Moore and her family are active in their Mission community. Her local clinic is there when they need it most.
As soon as they walked into the clinic they felt at home.
“It almost feels like family,” Chelsea said. “Especially since we live in such a tight-knit community.”
Chelsea grew up living the rural lifestyle and is giving her children the same experience.
“We are so thankful to have a clinic right in our community,” Chelsea said. “They’ve been with us through the little minor ear infections and strep throats through heat exhaustion and second-degree burns.”
Chelsea has high praise for the entire staff but highlighted the welcoming, professional environment created by the front desk staff. Provider Alyssa Hicks, CNP, is a favorite of the family.
“We love the sense of community,” Chelsea said of the home they’ve found in Mission. “We are on the (Rosebud Indian) reservation – our children are tribal members – we love the family we have in this community.”
Moore has seven children ranging in age from almost 18 to nearly 8. Two of those children are 16-year-old twin boys, one of whom recently sustained second-degree burns when he tripped and fell in the ash of a family bonfire. He developed a viral infection causing him to lose weight and his lab test results were low in some areas.
“They were so attentive to what was going on with him and following up,” Chelsea said.
Nurses at the clinic were able to thoroughly answer questions about her child’s care and were attentive to his needs. Chelsea said they were conscious of his pain levels and stemmed his anxiety about having his blood drawn. He grew up with allergy issues that required frequent blood samples. Lab and X-Ray Technologist Kayla O’Dell’s expertise helped alleviate those concerns.
“She did a phenomenal job with him,” Chelsea said.
Without access to the Mission clinic, Chelsea and her family would drive either 30 or 45 minutes to clinics in Valentine, Nebraska, and Winner, South Dakota, respectively. They’re a busy family. Moore’s list of activities includes homeschooling all seven children, maintaining an EMT’s license, serving as a volunteer firefighter and helping organize Mission’s Welcome Neighbor Day. Her husband Joe is chief of the Mission Volunteer Fire and Rescue.
Driving at least a half-hour would make it more difficult and time-consuming for her family to receive quick, accessible care when they need it most. Both she and her husband needed to use the clinic’s walk-in hours for emergency injuries. He needed treatment for heat exhaustion, and she broke her arm fighting a fire.
“It was right before closing time and they were able to get me in,” Chelsea said.
She appreciates being able to talk about her children’s health issues on a parent-to-parent basis with provider Alyssa Hicks.
“They are attentive, they listen to you, they hear your concerns,” Chelsea said. “Our reservation has 20 communities – we have people come from 25-30 minutes away to be seen at Mission Medical. It is a much-needed resource here in Mission,” Chelsea said.