Kara Besst,
President and CEO
At Gritman Medical Center,
we are focused on making Gritman
the best place for our sta to work, for our physicians to practice
medicine and for our patients to heal.
Welcome.
Please help me welcome two new important leaders
to the Gritman leadership team: Preston Becker, Chief Financial
O cer (CFO), and Sheryl Washburn, Chief Nursing O cer (CNO).
Preston joins us from Kewanee, Ill., where he served as CFO for
Kewanee Hospital. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business
with a major in nance from the University of Idaho and his
master’s degree in business administration in hospital administra-
tion from American InterContinental University. While in Moscow,
Preston worked as a scal services representative at Gritman Medical Center. Sheryl has
extensive experience in administrative and nursing leadership positions in rural acute
care hospitals, including in critical access hospital settings. Most recently, she was vice
president of patient care services for North Country Hospital in Newport, Vt. Sheryl
previously served as Gritman Medical Center’s CNO from 2005 to 2008.
We hear you.
We measure how we are doing in a number of ways. We pay very close
attention to quality measures and the feedback we get from patients. The results drive
our strategic priorities and show where we are doing well and where we can improve,
because we want to be responsive to your needs.
Safety rst.
I’m proud to report that our hospital has done an outstanding job with
patient safety. At Gritman, we are committed to preventing our patients from getting
infections.
Helping hands.
One of the best ways to prevent infections is also the simplest: wash-
ing or disinfecting our hands before and after caring for patients. Gritman does much
better than the national hospital benchmark of 3.5 percent when it comes to infection
prevention, with Gritman’s hospital-acquired infection rate of 0.2 percent so far for 2013.
Kendrick Clinic update.
Gritman has provided access to healthcare for residents of
Kendrick and the surrounding area since 1999 with Kendrick Family Care. In June, the
board approved the purchase of a building at 606 E. Main St., Kendrick, just a few doors
down from the current location, which we had leased. The new Kendrick space is about
2,900 square feet and will provide more space than the current clinic. Remodeling has
begun. The work includes new utilities,
water, sewer and electrical service. The
new Kendrick Family Care will open by
the end of the year. We look forward to
seeing you at the new location.
Above and beyond.
Finally, I want
to say thank you to our employees and
medical sta . Together we have the privi-
lege of serving our community when
most needed. We have strong relation-
ships with local and regional healthcare
organizations, and those partnerships
help to create a thriving medical center
on the Palouse.
Have a wonderful fall!
GRITMANLEADERS
GritmanMedical Center Board of Directors
B.J. Swanson, Chair
Janie Nirk, Vice Chair
Robin Woods, Secretary/Treasurer
Terry Armstrong
Dick Heimsch
Charles Jacobson, MD
Greg Kimberling
Greg Mann
Wayne Ruby, MD
Barbara Wells
GritmanMedical Center General Members
Jimmy Anderson
Rula Awwad-Ra erty
Jessica Bearman
Sandra Billings
Kenny Cada
Connie Esser
Sharon Harris
Raymond Ireland
Elaine Johnson
Carole Jones
Je Jones
Chris Kowrach
Nancy Lyle
John McCabe
Jane Peterson Goetschel
Aaron Ranisate
Rachel Rausch
Lori Stinson
Don Strong
Todd Taruscio
Tom Trail
Dave Uberuaga
Roger Wallins
Becky Witt
Gritman Medical Center Foundation
Michelle Spain, President
Pam Hays, Vice President
Jane Peterson Goetschel, Secretary
Aaron Ranisate, Treasurer
Terry Armstrong
Donald Berry
Barbara Bull
Connie Esser
JoAnn Evans
Brian Frei
Greg Kimberling
Nancy Lyle
Justin Minden
B.J. Swanson
Ex o cio:
Kara Besst, Gritman President and CEO
2
q
connections
Kara Besst, President and CEO,
Gritman Medical Center
A M E S S A G E F R O M O U R P R E S I D E N T A N D C E O
c
onnections
News
Bosom Buddies
FREE
SCREENING
MAMMOGRAM
FORWOMEN
IN NEED
TheBosomBuddiesprogram ismadepossible throughgenerousfinancialgiftsby individualsandbusinesses inourcommunities.
For women unable to cover the
screening cost on their own
Available to women receiving
medical care in Latah County
Screenings at the Women's Imaging
Center at Gritman Medical Center
Physician referral required
For more information contact
your physician or call the
Women's Imaging Center
208-882-5377
