1. Monty, in your new position as president and CEO of Walla Walla General Hospital (WWGH), what are your hopes and dreams for this organization?
I'm really proud to be here to carry on the great tradition of Adventist health care in the Walla Walla area. In the future, I want us to continue to minister to the needs of our patients with the compassion and great care that is the foundation of our reputation in the community. I also want us to grow in terms of the services we provide and the health care professionals who offer those services.
2. There are challenges in running a small hospital. What are some of the biggest ones facing WWGH, and how do you hope to address those?
In smaller hospitals expenses are tight and employees carry multiple responsibilities. Hiring strong, mission-driven people is key to helping us manage the challenges we face.
3. WWGH has a history of embracing the spiritual aspect of health care. How do you hope to build on that legacy?
We receive many positive comments in this area and will continue to invest time and effort in supporting the spiritual needs of our patients, regardless of their religious background.
I want us to continue to be known as a hospital that does more than just treat illness. One way this is accomplished is through our community wellness education program. Last year, more than 20,000 people attended classes on everything from coping mechanisms for grief recovery to childbirth to back pain to stress management to smoking cessation.
4. In your health care experience, what things contribute most to a workplace in which the healing ministry of Christ is more than words, but is lived out in real ways every day?
I believe our ministry is most effective when every person on our team treats every person they interact with as a child of God.
5. Do you see opportunities for our churches and schools to partner with our hospitals?
Absolutely. We are all part of a larger community and we will all benefit by working together.
A great example is our Parish Nurse program. The hospital provides resources and education for a number of area churches interested in enhancing their ministry to the health care needs of their parishioners.
6. If you could wish for one thing from the Adventist community in regards to WWGH, what would it be?
I believe that Adventist health care makes a significant and unique contribution to the communities we serve. In addition to understanding the importance of that contribution, we need your prayers and support.
In these days of staffing shortages, it's also helpful when the Adventist community helps us identify experienced and qualified candidates for careers in our hospital.
7. Finally, what might you hope for WWGH to bring to its community at-large?
The heritage of Adventist health care is focused on a core belief in caring for the whole person—physical, mental and spiritual. I want us to be recognized as an organization that does more than just treat the immediate physical need.
