McKenzie Health Featured Nationally for Pioneering Rural Ultrasound Access

October 19, 2026

Rural Monitor Features McKenzie Health’s Exceptional Care Close to Home

When urgent medical decisions must be made in a rural emergency room or clinic, every second counts—and waiting on distant specialists, on-call sonographers, or emergency transfers can cost precious time. In a featured report by the Rural Health Information Hub’s Rural Monitor, McKenzie Health took center stage as a real-world example of how modern bedside diagnostics are closing that gap. Through a transformative $803,545 grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, we secured nine point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) devices, directly empowering clinicians to evaluate critical cardiac, pulmonary, and acute conditions immediately at the patient’s side.

The feature details the direct community impact of this investment across western North Dakota and eastern Montana, highlighting how rapid imaging eliminates unnecessary delays, costly appointments, and burdensome travel for rural families. As Lynn Welker-Fevold, Chief of Innovation and Strategy and President of the Benefit Fund at McKenzie Health, notes in the piece, putting immediate diagnostic answers into the hands of local care teams ensures patients receive precise care close to home while significantly reducing the strain of navigating multiple off-site appointments.

Central to the story is McKenzie Health pediatrician Dr. Waco Goodnight, highlighted as a physician champion demonstrating how bedside ultrasound translates into life-saving care. From conducting critical congenital heart screenings that prevent costly, stressful air ambulance transports to rapidly pinpointing hidden pediatric infections and guiding newborn resuscitation, Dr. Goodnight’s experience shows how POCUS functions like a modern-day stethoscope. Together, McKenzie Health and its partners illustrate how targeted philanthropic funding and dedicated provider training are rewriting the standard of emergency and pediatric care across rural America.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

Use the link to find the full Rural Monitor article, “Philanthropic Funding Helps Rural Providers Access Ultrasound Equipment and Training” published by the Rural Health Information Hub.

MCKENZIE HEALTH MEDIA CONTACT
Lynn Welker-Fevold, MMHC, ACHE
307-399-4145
lwelker@mchsnd.org