Montana Hospital Association Names Patti Mitchell Healthcare Trustee Of The Year

The Montana Hospital Association announced the winners of its top honors for 2022. Patti Mitchell of Barrett Hospital & HealthCare was named Healthcare Trustee of the Year. The MHA established the Healthcare Trustee of the Year Award to honor individuals who have demonstrated noteworthy contributions to their institution and/or the Montana healthcare community.

“The Montana Hospital Association and its members rely on the dedication and hard work of trustees around the state who commit their time, talents and resources to improving the healthcare of their neighbors,” said Rich Rasmussen, Montana Hospital Association CEO. “We’re grateful for all of Patti’s contributions and are proud to award her with this well-earned recognition.”

In 1994, Patti Mitchell joined the Barrett Hospital & HealthCare Board, serving as President since 2009. Additionally, she served eighteen years on the Barrett Hospital Foundation Board.

Mitchell has a longstanding commitment to community service. Born and raised in Beaverhead County, she comes from a long line of family pharmacists. In addition to having a doctorate in pharmacy, Mitchell enjoys a rewarding career in retail pharmacy and is a member of the Barrett Hospital & HealthCare pharmacy team. As a pharmacist, Mitchell plays an important role in improving patient outcomes as medication adherence and compliance are some of the many patient outcomes pharmacists impact.

During her tenure at Barrett Hospital & HealthCare, Mitchell led the development of the first strategic plan that transformed Barrett Hospital & HealthCare from a community hospital focused solely on Dillon into a regional medical center serving southwest Montana.

As a result of Mitchell’s effective and insightful leadership, Barrett Hospital & HealthCare has been named one of the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) for the eleventh time and one of the Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) for the fifth time. A Top 20 CAH is an incredible accomplishment achieved by less than 1.5% percent of hospitals nationwide each year, which means that Barrett Hospital & HealthCare’s system is stronger than ever, and that Barrett continues to provide outstanding health care to southwest Montana residents and visitors.

“I am humbled by the honor of being named Healthcare Trustee of the Year by the Montana Hospital Association,” said Patti Mitchell, Barrett Hospital & HealthCare Board President. “This award would not be possible without my fellow board members: Nate Finch, Shane Puyear, Lawrence Morrisroe and Susan Davis Briggs, who work together to keep Barrett Hospital & HealthCare at the forefront; the outstanding leadership, providers, and staff at the hospital and clinic embracing the strategic plan; and my family who have always supported and encouraged me as a hospital trustee to better serve the community we live in.”

About Barrett Hospital & HealthCare: Established in 1922, Barrett Hospital & HealthCare is a non-profit Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and medical clinic provider in Dillon, Montana. Based on The Chartis Center’s Rural Hospital Performance Index, the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) has recognized Barrett Hospital & HealthCare as a Top 20 CAH five times, including in 2022. For more information, visit www.barretthospital.org

About Montana Hospital Association: The Montana Hospital Association (MHA) is the principal advocate for the interests of members in their efforts to improve the health status of the communities they serve. MHA, in partnership with our communities, will make Montana a “Top 10 Healthy State.”