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hospitals join Northwest Hospital Alliance
On Friday September 27, three new hospitals joined the Northwest Hospital Alliance. Syringa Hospital and Clinics in Grangeville, Clearwater Valley Hospital in Orofino, and St. Mary’s Hospital in Cottonwood, are the newest members of the Alliance. “For the past 28 years we have built relationships and a mutual trust between the five northern hospitals. We have improved the health in our individual communities by working together,” said Sheryl Rickard, CEO of Bonner General Health in Sandpoint. “As the new board chairperson, I am excited to welcome three new hospital members to the Hospital Alliance. We recognize the importance of strong, respectful relationships with the hospitals in our area and expanding that to three additional hospitals is exciting. All of us recognize the wisdom of partnering with other hospitals to improve quality of care and reduce health care costs in Idaho. We believe that we are stronger together.” The Northwest Hospital Alliance serves as a collaborative network to assist our members in offering high quality, cost effective health care in our communities. The Alliance is organized to ensure each hospital’s autonomy, while providing support to address changes in the healthcare environment. The cornerstone of the network relationship is the preservation of community hospital sustainability and economic strength. Each member hospital maintains its organizational structure and the identity and image that has made it visible in the local community. Each member is represented on the board. “We like each other, and know how important it is for the people who live in our region for us to work together,” said Jon Ness, CEO of Kootenai Health. With the additional three members, the Northwest Hospital Alliance now includes eight hospitals, with room to grow in the future. This network of hospitals is devoted to improving the health status of our communities by providing a collaborative approach to regional health care delivery and preserving the economic strength of local providers. Healthcare in rural communities is absolutely essential component of quality of life for rural residents. The Northwest Hospital Alliance role is to facilitate and coordinate strategies, synergies, relationships, products and services that will improve delivery, access and quality, while controlling the cost of healthcare in our member communities. The Northwest Hospital Alliance also welcomes Preston Becker, as the new CEO for member hospital, Boundary Community Hospital in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. He takes the helm as Craig Johnson retires. You can learn more about the Northwest Hospital Alliance at northwesthospitalalliance.org. |
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