About Avera St. Mary's Hospital

In 1899, the Benedictine Sisters saw the need for health care in the Pierre community and opened Pierre’s first hospital in a former hotel. Today, Avera St. Mary’s Hospital is the only hospital of its size located within a 100-mile radius.

Our teams provide a comprehensive array of medical and health services and care in a wide range of specialties including primary care, specialty services, Avera Cancer Institute, outpatient procedures, inpatient care, dialysis services, a sleep diagnostic lab and much more. Near the hospital campus, you can also find Avera long-term care and senior living facilities.

From Our Regional President & CEO

Doug Ekeren, President and CEO, Avera Sacred Heart HospitalWelcome to Avera St. Mary’s. As Regional President and CEO, I’m proud to lead a team that is deeply committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate care. We’re honored to serve the people of central South Dakota with both primary and specialty services — right here close to home.

We believe health care should be personal, accessible and grounded in trust. Whether you're visiting us for preventive care, managing a chronic condition or facing a medical challenge, we will walk alongside you with compassion and expertise. Our goal is to help guide your health care journey by being a dependable source of support, information and thoughtful care every step of the way.

Avera St. Mary’s has a strong legacy of faith-based, mission-driven care, and that spirit continues to guide everything we do. We are more than a hospital. We are your neighbors, your friends, and your partners in wellness. Thank you for trusting us with your care. We’re here for you, today and every day.

With gratitude,

Shantel Krebs
Regional President and CEO
Avera St. Mary’s Hospital

Avera St. Mary’s History

Avera St. Mary’s history dates back to the early 1880s, when Dr. D.W. Robinson was heading to the West Coast but found himself in Pierre at the end of the railroad. He began caring for patients, laying the foundation for future health care services in Pierre.

  • 1890s: Five Benedictine Sisters began cleaning up the abandoned Park Hotel for use as a school.
  • 1899: When health care was identified as an even greater need, they turned the former hotel into a hospital.
  • 1920s: St. Mary’s was among the first hospitals in South Dakota to become accredited.
  • 1930s: A new hospital was constructed.
  • 1953: The Maryhouse long-term care facility was added.
  • 1988: The Parkwood senior apartments facility was built near the long-term care facility.
  • 1999: A $12 million hospital expansion improved patient care, parking, and privacy. The project included an emergency room, ambulatory care unit, a new lobby and waiting rooms, surgery and recovery, and more. The Women’s Center featured labor, delivery and recovery rooms designed to feel like home.
  • 2004: An addition to the north building was finished; respiratory care, pharmacy and dialysis were moved to the third floor and transitional care and rehabilitation services were placed on the fourth floor.
  • 2013: St. Mary’s Healthcare Center transitioned from Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) to join Avera Health, sponsored by the Benedictine and Presentation Sisters. The hospital was renamed Avera St. Mary’s Hospital, and it serves as one of six regional centers in the Avera system.