June 5, 2026

The President’s Message is published in the MHA Weekly News Report, a member-only publication of the Montana Hospital Association. To subscribe, click here.

Caring for patients and serving communities 24/7/365 takes dedication and hard work of many. In Montana, this collective effort leaves us with much to recognize and celebrate.

The MHA is proud to offer a chance to uplift the individuals and organizations dedicated to advancing health across the state through innovation, quality, and service with its annual Montana Healthcare Awards.

Nominations are being accepted now for two of these awards: the 2026 Healthcare Trustee of the Year award and 2026 Innovation in Healthcare award. Please consider submitting a nomination before the nomination period closes on June 22. Winners will be announced at the 2026 Montana Healthcare Conference, Oct. 5-8, in Billings.

The Innovation in Healthcare Award was established to celebrate innovations being developed by Montana’s hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare providers. Last year’s winning Innovation award project – the Robotics Hub Project at Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital, Billings – was recognized for improving both quality and access to cutting-edge care for patients across the state.

The Healthcare Trustee of the Year Award honors an individual who demonstrated noteworthy contributions to their institution and/or the Montana healthcare community. Bill Upthegrove was the 2025 Trustee award winner. He was honored for his strategic leadership that included more than 13 years of service as a Billings Clinic Broadwater, Townsend, board member.

Despite many challenges, I continue to be impressed at the capacity of our members to navigate change, engage, and move forward with a shared mission to provide quality healthcare for the communities they serve. I have little doubt that as you read this there’s more than one innovative project or particularly valued trustee serving at your own facility that quickly comes to mind – I hope this can be the inspiration you need to submit a nomination and help MHA recognize that important impact.

The submission period closes June 22 for both awards. To learn more about each award and submit a nomination, click here.