New personnel introduced at LCCHC meeting

CHELAN - Lake Chelan Community Hospital and Clinics Board of Commissioners approved the hiring of Dick Bratton as new hospital project manager and of Jerry Boyce as the owner’s representative at the May 28 regular meeting.

The recommendation of hiring both individuals came from the Facilities Steering Committee whose members met on May 6 and interviewed the candidates. LCCHC CEO Steve Patonai explained that both interviewed very well and have strong experience. “Both had special skills and each had advantages over the other,” said Patonai. On May, 28 the committee met early morning and made the decision to move forward with hiring them both. Bratton will oversee the entire project and coordinate it while Boyce will be onsite during the construction. This made the most sense to the committee, since, Bratton lives in the West side of the Cascades and Boyce lives in town and will be more “cost effective.” Both contracts came under the budgeted $400,000 originally set aside for a project manager. With the approval of the board, Bratton and Boyce will begin working on June 1.

New LCCHC Chief Financial Officer Mike Ellis and Chief Human Resources Officer Kate Pina were introduced and welcomed by Board chair Phyllis Gleasman. In the last five years Ellis has been working with small critical access hospitals and has an administrative experience of 15 years. Pina brings to LCCHC 25 years of human resources experience, both have Executive MBAs and are excited to be in a small environment. Dr. Megan Guffey was reintroduced as Chief Medical Officer; she will be involved with the medical operation of the hospital as well as the clinic.

Commissioners shared their thoughts on the public forum on May 8. “I thought we got really good feedback from it ... I feel good about it,” said commissioner Mary Signorelli. Commissioner Mary Murphy thought it was a good first start, “afterward I got quite a bit of feedback from all parts of the community,” she added.

Murphy mentioned that LCCHC received numerous calls the days following the meeting which is a positive outcome. “It means we are reaching the population and they are engaging with us,” said Murphy.  Gleasman shared with the rest of the commissioners that she also received various calls. “People got in a comfort zone to ask ... they got the message that it was okay to contact us,” Gleasman clarified.The plan is to hold the next public forum sometime in November depending on the flow of things.

Prevention Fair
On June 20, LCCHC will be hosting a Prevention Fair from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Chelan Fire and Rescue Station 71. There will be booths, prizes and a giant walkthrough colon.