St. Patrick Hospital (MO) CEO discusses expansions, healthcare reform

Missoula's health-care industry is in the midst of significant change, with Community Medical Center coming under new, for-profit ownership and the nonprofit Providence St. Patrick Hospital across town working quickly to react in an evolving marketplace. St. Pat's draws patients from dozens of counties and is also one of the largest employers in western Montana, so its ambitions will have implications for both the local economy and the future of health-care delivery in Montana. Jeff Fee, regional chief executive for Providence Health and Services, Montana – which encompasses St. Pat's, St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson and many other clinics in the region – is overseeing some of the most ambitious projects since he came on board nine years ago.