Hospital hires new CEO

Special to the Inter Lake

Bill Patten has been named new chief executive officer at St. John's Lutheran Hospital to replace Rick Palagi, who left the hospital in October.

Patten will begin working at St. John's in early February, according to hospital board chairman Connie Welter.

"We are extremely excited to have Bill join our team," Welter said. "He has a wealth of experience as a hospital CEO, and we feel strongly that he will be an asset to our community and be a great leader for St. John's."

Patten is currently CEO of the community hospital in Sitka, Alaska, where he has worked the past four years. Prior to his move to Sitka, Patten was the CEO of a hospital and nursing home in Julesburg, Colo. Both facilities were similar in size to St. John's.

"Bill has an excellent track record at significantly improving the hospitals he has led," Welter said. "Not only did he help them operate in the black financially, he was able to drastically change the quality of care and their approach to customer service."

Patten began his career in health care as a medical laboratory technician and worked directly with patients for a number of years before moving into management.

"His background as a caregiver helps him relate well to patients," Welter said. "And, because he has been on the front line of health care, he can also understand our staff, our physicians, and our business in a unique and personal way."

Patten's wife, Cindy, is an elementary school teacher with more than 20 years of experience. She hopes to find a teaching position in Libby.

They have two sons, Bill and Steven, attending Walla Walla College in Washington state.

Patten is an avid skier and golfer and he likes tinkering with cars and computers.

Palagi left Libby to take a position as CEO of a hospital in Wisconsin. He had been at St. John's for 10 years.