Community Health hires new chief executive
After nine months with an interim chief executive, Community Health Center of the Black Hills has hired a new leader.
Tim Trithart, former director of customer service and patient relations at Rapid City Regional Hospital, began as Community Health chief executive officer on July 1. Trithart worked as chief operating officer of Community Health for a few months prior to help with the transition.
Trithart’s hire is another step toward stabilizing a community health system that faced negative public scrutiny in 2009.
Community Health’s former chief executive officer left the organization late last year after public and internal outcry over doctor turnover and allegations of a hostile work environment.
Regional Hospital vice president Heather Smith, a board member, was appointed to serve as interim chief executive officer until Trithart was hired following a nationwide search. Smith returns to her position at Regional Hospital and to her spot on the board.
Roy Dishman, president of the Community Health Center board, said Trithart is a good fit for the organization.
“He has a lot of experience in working with people, resolving problems and managing forward,” he said. “We’re really looking forward to working with him.”
Trithart said despite the uproar surrounding the former chief executive officer’s departure, the center was in good shape when he arrived, largely thanks to Smith.
“It’s a very stable organization,” he said. “The providers have welcomed me wonderfully. It’s a very good time to come aboard.”
Trithart sees the role of community health organizations as especially important during a rocky economy, a time when many people lose their jobs and health insurance.
Community Health was established in the 1980s to provide care for the underinsured and uninsured in Rapid City. The health care system has a main clinic, dental offices, an outreach clinic and the recently opened clinic at the General Beadle Community School.
The clinics within the organization provide care to about 12,000 patients a year. Trithart said the center has about 190 patient visits each day.
The center operates a $6 million budget, receiving $80,000 from Pennington County in 2009 and about $20,000 from the city of Rapid City. It also receives money from the South Dakota Department of Health as well as federal dollars, and stimulus money.
Perhaps the biggest issue for Community Health continues to be space. Dishman said the board hopes to build or purchase a larger facility within the next two years.
“We’re trying to seek financial support and line up financing,” he said.
Contact Lynn Taylor Rick at 394-8414 or lynn.taylorrick@rapidcityjournal.com.