The first thing Dr. Anna Knisely brought to her new office at Logan Health was a frame containing a heart-shaped piece of paper lightly colored pink with a highlighter.  

“Thank you for being my surgeon, Dr. Knisely,” reads the paper given by Madison, a young girl in Seattle who had her tonsils and adenoids removed.  

That’s one of the best parts about being an otolaryngologist, or an ear, nose and throat doctor, Knisely said, whether through a simple or complex procedure, she can improve her patient’s quality of life. 

Born and raised in Libby, Knisely moved back to Northwest Montana this month to help start Logan Health’s first ear, nose, throat and lung clinic. She is the hospital’s first otolaryngologist. 

Growing up, Knisely wanted to be a marine biologist. Health care was not on her radar, but while earning her undergraduate degree in fisheries, she watched a video in class showing someone hearing for the first time after receiving a cochlear implant.  

“It was one of those heart tugging moments where you’re like, oh my gosh, what a gift to give the ability to hear to a patient... I want to do that,” she said. 

She changed courses. After finishing her undergraduate at Willamette University in Oregon, she graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine in 2009. Though she kept an open mind in medical school, she was always drawn back to otolaryngology.  

“I wanted to be a surgeon. I wanted to affect people’s senses, because one of the cool things about ENT or otolaryngology is that you affect people’s hearing, you affect their sense of smell. In turn, you affect their quality of life,” she said. 

After graduation, she moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to complete her otolaryngology residency, followed by a stint in Australia to complete a rhinology and skull base fellowship, a specialized field that focuses on issues affecting the skull and sinuses.  

She spent the next decade in Washington, practicing at hospitals in the greater Seattle area.  

Being able to help start the first ear, nose and throat clinic at Logan Health is the opportunity of a lifetime, Knisely said. While in Washington, Knisely traveled to Juneau, Alaska multiple times to help start an ear, nose and throat clinic there. She looks forward to building something at an integrated hospital like Logan Health. 

“This was like an opportunity for me to build something, which was really exciting. And hopefully we’ll build a team of other great physicians to serve the greater Flathead Valley,” she said. 

Logan Health is always looking to expand specialty services, said Chris Leopold, senior marketing coordinator at the hospital, and Knisely is a great fit for the clinic, which also brings together specialists in pulmonology and sleep medicine.  

Growing up in Libby, coming back to expand services for people here is a full circle moment. Knisely remembers growing up and seeing gaps in access to health care, especially in rural communities.  

“One of the things that I care very much about is that I think that rural people deserve really good health care. I believe that to my core,” she said.  

Moving forward, Knisely would love to incorporate educational components into the clinic, potentially through the WWAMI Region Family Medicine Residency Network based at the University of Washington.  

The program allows students from Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho to complete their first year of medical school in their home state and then receive in-state tuition to attend the University of Washington’s School of Medicine.  

In the meantime, Knisely hopes to see a busy, thriving clinic at Logan Health.  

The Logan Health Ear, Nose, Throat and Lung clinic is at 350 Heritage Way in Kalispell.  

Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or [email protected].