FMDH Faculty Awarded Dr. Newman Rural Health Awards

Every year health providers around the state are nominated for the Dr. Frank Newman Rural Health Award and this year, amidst a global pandemic that has asked a lot of healthcare providers, was no different. In honor of National Rural Health Day, held Nov. 19, the Montana Office of Rural Health/AHEC and Montana Rural Health Association requested nominations for the award and this year, Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital’s very own Dr. Anne Millard and Dr. Gordon Bell were recognized for their commitment to rural health.

Dr. Millard was one of three providers who was awarded in the Rural Clinician Leadership category, along with Dr. James Upchurch, of the Crow/Northern Cheyenne Hospital, Bighorn Valley Health Center in Hardin, Mont, and Dr. Mike Sura, of the Central Montana Medical Center, of Lewistown, Mont. Her nomination was submitted by Dr. Jay Erickson, University of Washington School of Medicine – Montana WWAMI, which is a partnership with the University of Washington School of Medicine and the states of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. The recommendation stated since 2003, Dr. Millard has been practicing as a family physician in Glasgow at FMDH, doing everything from setting limbs, stitching wounds, delivering babies and even sitting with families during life’s final stages. In addition to assisting patients, Dr. Millard is also the lead clinical faculty in Glasgow for the Montana WWAMI Targeted Rural Underserved Truck (TRUST), teaching students who have a passion for rural or underserved medicine. “Dr. Millard is well-aware of the qualities and attributes students need for success in medical school and to be able to return as physicians to the region,” Erickson stated in his nomination.

The nomination continued to praise Dr. Millard for her work with WWAMI students, including being appointed to the University of Washington School of Medicine Montana WWAMI Admissions Committee, working with the committee to seat the E-21 class in Jan. 2021. It also highlighted how in addition to addressing the medical needs of the community and teaching new students, she also has a commitment to the overall health of Valley County. In 2017, she began her Master’s Degree in Public Health at the University of Montana, which has assisted her in her role as the County’s Public Health Officer during the global pandemic of COVID-19.

The nomination concluded with Dr. Erickson stating “In summary, I believe Dr. Frank Newman would be delighted to know Dr. Anne Millard and would agree that she truly represents what it means to be a rural clinician, providing leadership in her community now and in the future by way of medical student training.”

Being awarded in the Rural Clinician Leadership category was a surprise to Dr. Millard as she didn’t even know she had been given it until a colleague congratulated her. “I didn’t realize Dr. Jay Erickson nominated me until the award winners were published. He knows how passionate I am about bringing physicians to our area of northeast Montana so that our people have healthcare locally. I never thought it was anything special, just what is needed to take care of our community,” she told the Courier. “There are some amazing rural healthcare leaders in Montana and I’m very proud to be given this award. [I’m] hopeful it will inspire more healthcare providers to participate in and advocate for their communities.”

Dr. Gordon Bell was one of two providers to be awarded in the Rural Health Leadership category, with the other recipient being Executive Director Maria Clemons, of Northwest Community Health Center in Libby, Mont. Dr. Bell’s nomination was submitted by Dr. Michael Bush, MD, Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians (FACEP) – St. Vincent Healthcare who highlighted Dr. Bell’s 39 years of service to Glasgow and accomplishments, including establishing the Montana Family Medicine Residence in Billings with the Rural Training Track in Glasgow. “He was committed to educating all varieties of students. He was inspirational to many young people in his community seeking a career in medicine,” stated Dr. Bush in his nomination.

The nomination also explained how Dr. Bell provided equability to the most critical situations, expressing concern for the well-being of the staff he worked with making them feel supported. He also committed his own personal financial resources to maintaining his ability to perform Cesarean sections in order to allow the only obstetrician in town to take vacations. “His steadfast demeanor in the midst of even the most critical medical situations brought a calming effect to all other support personnel involved,” explained Dr. Bush in the nomination.

In addition to addressing the health care needs of the area, Dr. Bell was a key physician leader for FMDH, serving as the hospital’s Medical Staff President and as its medical director. He also spent time working with the Montana Medical Licensing Board serving the entire state development, curating many relationships with hospital leadership, and bringing value in providing the physician perspective to future changes and developments within the hospital.

Dr. Bush ended his nomination stating, “I always valued working with Dr. Bell in my many years of working alongside him in Glasgow. He was truly inspiring in the dedication he brought to his career. He was invariably kind and compassionate to all he worked beside and cared for. Dr. Bell was gracious with his praise of his coworkers inspiring them to perform even better.”

Both nominators stressed how both Dr. Bell and Dr. Millard represent all that Dr. Frank Newman represented in his rural healthcare leadership and how deserving they were of the award. Dr. Newman was instrumental in founding the Montana WWAMI Medical School Program, the Montana Office of Rural Health, the Montana AHEC, the Montana Family Medicine Residency Program and many others. In addition to serving in the Marine Corps and founding the Wind Drinkers running club, he counseled hundreds of young people interested in a career in medicine and other health professions.

“Thank you both for your commitment to practicing high quality medicine and patient care. Your dedication to serving our community well for so many years has not gone unnoticed and this recognition is well deserved,” stressed FMDH marketing and HR assistant Taylor Zerbe.