Ron Gleason added another role to his position as Chief Executive Officer for Mineral Community Hospital. In August, he was appointed to the Montana Hospital Association comprised of 17 trustees, delegates, and officers from Montana.

Only one trustee based in each of the five regions and are made up of hospital CEOs. Gleason was chosen from a pool of applicants for Region One. He is expected to complete the term of Whitefish North Valley Hospital’s CEO, Jason Spring.

Spring stepped down as CEO when the Whitefish hospital merged with Kalispell Regional Healthcare System.

Gleason, however, has in the past served with the association before, when he was CEO in Chester, Mont. He will be joining other Trustees from White Sulphur Springs, Glendive, Dillon, and Livingston. The mission of the Association is to “advocate for the interests of members in their efforts to improve the health status of the communities they serve.”

This mission includes all aspects of health care services, including inpatient and outpatient, nursing facilities, home health, hospice, physician, assisted living, senior housing and insurance services. Ranging from rural communities to the largest hospitals in the state. The group is an advocate for members’ interests with state and federal agencies, legislative bodies, regulations, health related data, educational programs and communications.

“This gives me the opportunity to work with the upcoming legislative session on rural healthcare and the importance of small hospitals in these areas,” Gleason said. “The mission of the Montana Hospital Association is similar to our own. Which is to improve the health of local communities.”

Gleason’s first meeting was with the Finance Committee, in Helena in August. One focus point for the Association this year is on seatbelt safety. Gleason said seatbelt safety his affected his life personally when he was save in a car accident by wearing one. He also had a friend’s daughter killed in an auto accident because she wasn’t wearing one. The importance of seatbelt safety can also be seen often at the hospital because of the number of car accidents on I-90.

The committee will continue to meet periodically throughout the year, with Gleason’s term ending in January 2017. That’s when elections will be held for the next three-year terms. In keeping with their mission, upcoming projects for Mineral Community Hospital include “Think Pink” breast cancer awareness in October and food drives in November and December.