CEO's Notes

First it was just a large hole in the ground. Then it was a structure, with steel studs and concrete footings.

Still, it was hard to imagine what it would look like when it was done.

Now our new hospital addition is getting its final skin, outside and inside. Wallpaper and paint, tiles and carpeting; it looks like a hospital. And it’s beautiful.

There are a few things left to do. There are painters. There are workmen laying floor tiles. There is the sound of chatter and radios. It is still a construction site.

But it is so close to being a working facility. In mid February we will be inviting you to come see the new hospital construction in a Grand Opening ceremony. You will be able to tour the new patient rooms, information management area, atrium and surgical suites. I hope you can join us and see the true state-of-the art technology that we will be using, as well as some of the extra welcoming touches that we have included.

Then the second phase of the construction will begin. The old building will be completely remodeled into an expanded physical therapy area, including a public use fitness center, a new retail pharmacy and easily accessible administrative areas. The project will be done in the middle of 2006.

You can certainly tell that I am proud of our facility at Bigfork Valley. But I am even prouder of the people that make it a smoothly working facility.

I often hear that visitors are surprised and pleased by the friendliness and competency of our staff. We are putting together a list of values that we think are important for us to share as employees of Bigfork Valley, and words like “respect,” “integrity” and “education” are on that list. It’s a list that we both aspire to and which reflects those things we value as community members and health care professionals.

You could say that we have the best of both worlds: the technology and equipment of a big city hospital with the hometown feel and the concern for your wellbeing that you would expect from your next door neighbor.

That’s why we say: “Bigfork Valley: Where skill meets compassion.”