Author: Natalie Slack

Chronic Viral Hepatitis

Written by Natalie Slack on December 30, 2024. Posted in Conditions. No Comments on Chronic Viral Hepatitis

Inflammation of the liver is called hepatitis. The inflammation usually produces swelling, tenderness and, sometimes, permanent damage. Alcohol, drugs, chemicals, and viral infections are all common influencers of hepatitis. What Constitutes Viral Hepatitis? If the inflammation of the liver lasts 6 months or longer, it is considered chronic hepatitis. There are five types of viruses that cause viral hepatitis: Viral hepatitis A: Often referred to as “Infectious Hepatitis”. It is spread by eating food or drinking water contaminated with human feces. This form is rarely...

Celiac Disease

Written by Natalie Slack on December 30, 2024. Posted in Conditions. No Comments on Celiac Disease

Celiac disease, also known as sprue, nontropical sprue, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is a digestive disorder triggered by the immune response of the small intestine when ingesting food containing gluten. This immune reaction creates inflammation in the small intestine, which may damage its lining over time and prevent the absorption of a variety of nutrients. A common disease affecting over two million people in the United States alone, celiac disease is traditionally diagnosed in those with higher gluten sensitivity and is oftentimes passed down generations genetically.

Erik Raborn, DO

Written by Natalie Slack on December 28, 2024. Posted in Providers. No Comments on Erik Raborn, DO

Dr. Erik Raborn is a board-certified Internist who graduated Gastroenterology fellowship in 2023, who has been practicing medicine for 6 years. He received his medical degree from LECOM Bradenton and completed his internal medicine and gastroenterology residency and fellowship at Elmira, NY. He is currently affiliated with the Rapid City Medical Center and Monument Heath. Dr. Raborn has been married for 12 years to Kelly and has two children. He and his wife moved to Rapid City summer of 2023, and they love the area so much that they even moved his in-laws to town. Dr. Raborn enjoys...

Andrew Kelts, DO

Written by Natalie Slack on December 28, 2024. Posted in Providers. No Comments on Andrew Kelts, DO

Born and raised in Rapid City, Dr. Andrew Kelts was a Central Cobbler before completing undergraduate training at St. Olaf College in Minnesota. While at St. Olaf, he met his wife, Dr. Kay Kelts, before moving to Colorado to complete medical school at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He then completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Chicago, IL. While in residency, Dr. Kelts gained a love for gastrointestinal medicine, realizing the great impact he could have on the lives of many people through the treatment of their...

Blake Jones, MD

Written by Natalie Slack on December 28, 2024. Posted in Providers. No Comments on Blake Jones, MD

Blake A. Jones is a native of St. Paul, MN, and grew up in Canada. He attended the University of Western Ontario where he studied chemistry before enrolling at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. He obtained his M.D. degree in 1990. After completing his medical internship at the Toronto General Hospital in 1991, Dr. Jones subsequently entered medical residency at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine. After practicing with the U.S. Public Health Service-Indian Health Service for one year, he returned to Mayo for a National Institutes of Health fellowship in...

Nathan Jaqua, MD

Written by Natalie Slack on December 28, 2024. Posted in Providers. No Comments on Nathan Jaqua, MD

Dr. Nathan T. Jaqua is a native of Sioux Falls, SD. He received his B.S. in Chemistry with a minor in Psychology from South Dakota State University. After completing some graduate-level work in Chemistry at SDSU, he attended the University of South Dakota for medical school where he received his M.D. in 2010. Dr. Jaqua completed both his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. This was followed by his fellowship in Gastroenterology at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. While in the fellowship he...

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