LCCHC CEO Steve Patonai to retire in September of this year

CHELAN – Lake Chelan Community Hospital and Clinics Chief Executive Officer Steve Patonai will be retiring in September. In a letter addressed to the LCCHC Board of Commissioners, which was read by Board Chair Phyllis Gleasman at the June 18 meeting, Patonai notified the Board on his intent to retire from his position as CEO. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve in both the interim and permanent CEO capacities but it is time to pass the reins to someone else as I enter the next phase of my life,” read Gleasman.

As Gleasman mentioned after reading the letter, “LCCH will be going through another transition.” Gleasman reported that a CEO search committee will be formalized to begin looking for a new CEO. “We will be putting together a plan and moving forward ,” she added. Commissioners thanked Patonai and he said, “there’s a lot of opportunity here … the light at the end of the tunnel is there.” Patonai was hired as Interim CEO in March of 2018 after Kevin Abel’s departure. After a long hunt, the LCCHC Board of Commissioners appointed Patonai as Permanent CEO last December.

In a press release by the LCCHC Board, Gleasman said, ‘‘while we have know all along that Steve would be with us for only a short time, his excellent service and vision for our Hospital District, patients, community and employees, have been so respected and appreciated. We are glad he has chosen to live in Chelan and wish him the very best in his retirement. We are glad he has chosen to live in Chelan and wish him the very best in his retirement.’’

A new hospital block diagram was presented to the Board. Keith Null described the diagram and answered questions via phone call. The diagram illustrates the principal functions of the new hospital in block form. It also included dotted blocks which represent the space for future development and expansion of the hospital. Included in the future expansion list are the clinic building location and parking, EMS building, Med/Sur expansion and business office space. With the approval of the plan from the Board, Null will move onto the next step of the design process. Previous to this, the design was presented to the Facilities Committee.

Starting June 24, the Lake Chelan Clinic will be transitioning into having same day appointments as opposed to walk-ins. Chief Nursing Officer Kris Hassl explained that with the walk-in clinic model, “people tend to have the idea that is an urgent care and it is not,” she said. Furthermore, Hassl reported that there will be the need to educate the public about what a same day appointment is. “Even though it says same day, if the urgency is not there they can be scheduled in the next day,” said Hassl.

The Board met again on Thursday, June 20 in Executive Session and they discussed CEO qualifications and had a lease discussion. No action was taken afterwards. The next regular meeting will be held on July 23 beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the board room at the hospital.