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Dakota

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Pulmonary

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About Us

Company Overview

Dakota Pulmonary, in collaboration with Avera St. Luke’s Hospital, is changing the landscape in regards to lung care with our new robotic bronchoscopy program. This innovative program allows for minimally invasive, robotic-assisted procedures that significantly improves early detection and treatment of lung conditions.  

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Our Background

Deptmer Ashley, MD, is the founder of Dakota Pulmonary and a highly skilled interventional pulmonologist. He trained at The University of Texas and honed his expertise at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Since establishing Dakota Pulmonary, Dr. Ashley has excelled in the early detection and staging of lung cancers, achieving a diagnostic yield exceeding 94%, and significantly improving patients’ chances of successful treatment. Beyond cancer care, he is also known for his rapid and effective diagnosis and treatment of major lung conditions such as emphysema and COPD, setting new standards in patient care.

Our Technology

Dakota Pulmonary is the absolute forefront of interventional pulmonology technology. We use the Ion system developed by Intuitive, pioneers in robotic-assisted surgery. This equipment allows us to access remote lung tissue that conventional bronchoscopy cannot reach, ensuring accurate and early diagnosis that was not previously possible. Many of the technologies we use were formerly available only in major medical centers. By incorporating these advanced tools, we bring cutting-edge treatment options directly to our patients.
 

Our Mission
Lung cancer remains a significant public health concern, with a new diagnosis every 2.5 minutes in the United States. Nearly half of these cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Working with Avera St. Luke’s, our mission is to change this statistic through:

  • Early Detection: Encouraging low-dose CT screening for lung cancer, for individuals aged 50-80 with a history of smoking.

  • Prompt Treatment: Reducing the average detection-to-treatment timeframe from seven months to seven to 10 days, and in some cases, as little as 18 hours.

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