The Saint Luke’s Health System announced Monday that William “Pat” Patton will oversee day-to-day operations at the Iola hospital, as well as Anderson County Hospital in Garnett. Both hospitals are managed by Saint Luke’s.
“We are excited to have Pat coming on board as the new administrator for our Kansas critical access hospitals,” said Darren Bass, Saint Luke’s North and Critical Access Region CEO. “He brings a wealth of experience in leading operations for multiple facilities, including an in-depth understanding of and demonstrated success with critical access hospitals.”
Patton most recently served as president of Valir Rehabilitation Hospital, an inpatient rehabilitation facility in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Previously, he served as CEO of Patterson Health Center in Harper County, Kansas, which resulted from the merger of two critical access hospitals into a centrally located critical access hospital. He also worked as a market CEO for Kindred Healthcare, a post-acute health care services company.
Patton said he is impressed with the hospitals in Iola and Garnett for their “dedication not only to their patients but to one another.
“The level of engagement among board members and their investment in their community hospitals is a bonus,” he said. “I’ve been working in health care in rural communities for over 20 years, and this is right where I want to be.”
Patton earned a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration from Wichita State University and his master of health services administration degree from the University of Kansas. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has lent his expertise by serving on several boards, including the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative, Sunflower Health Network, and Wheatland Health Network, along with various committees within the Kansas Hospital Association.
Patton enjoys camping, hiking, and fishing in Colorado in his free time. He is also an avid photographer and looks forward to exploring the local trail system.
