During its annual membership meeting last week, the Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts approved new statewide officers, with Coulee Medical Center’s top executive leading the list.

CMC’s Chief Executive Officer J. Scott Graham was unanimously approved as the new president of the association. Graham is also the superintendent of Public Hospital District 6, which operates the hospital.

“Scott is looked to as a leader by the state’s public hospital districts,” said association Executive Director Jeff Mero. “He was selected because of his keen understanding of the fiscal realities facing the health care system today and the need for innovative solutions to continue to meet the health care needs of our communities.”

In Washington state, 58 public hospital districts operate 43 hospitals — representing almost half of the acute care hospitals in the state. Public hospital districts play a vital role in rural Washington, allowing many rural communities to maintain local access to health care services, Mero said.

Also elected were: Immediate Past President Julie Petersen, CEO of PMH Medical Center; Vice President Debbie Glass, CEO of Whitman County Public Hospital District1; Member-At-Large John White, CEO and Superintendent, Klickitat County PHD 1; Member-At-Large, Eric Jensen, CEO, Snohomish County PHD 1; and Member-At-Large Andrew Craigie, CEO, Garfield County PHD.

The association provides education and advocacy for the state’s public hospital districts.