Cabinet Peaks Medical Center

When Carrie Schikora submitted the winning name to St. John’s Lutheran Hospital, Cabinet Peaks Medical Center was just one of four that came to mind.

What did she think her chances were of winning?

“Nil,” Schikora said Friday from her office at the McGrade Center. “I really didn’t think that much of it again.”

Oddly, Schikora thought better of the chance she had to win a position at St. John’s, having applied for a job there the same week.

“I actually applied for a job there in April,” Schikora said. “I think they stopped accepting applications on May 3. I submitted the names on about May 7.”

Kate Stephens, St. John’s marketing manager, said the hospital board was given a narrowed list of 55 names from the 170 that were submitted. 

“We were very careful,” Stephens said. “When the final names appeared before the board, there were just the (medical center) names. No one on the board knew who submitted what name.”

Upon learning the coincidence, Stephens couldn’t help comment.

“It was kind of going around as a joke: ‘Name the hospital, and we give you a job,’” Stephens mused. “Even (CEO Whitfield) Bruce was joking about it.”

Whitfield said the selection process was not an an easy one.

“There were many fantastic names to choose from,” said Whitfield. “It was hard for the senior leadership team to narrow them down to take to the Board of Trustees for a final decision. Originally, we said that we would take three to five names to the board meeting, and we ended up taking 55. That’s a true testament to the creativity and imagination of the people who live in our service area.”

Although 55 names were taken to the board as “top choices,” the SJLH Board of Trustees was able to review all of the submissions, and in just one week’s time, come to a conclusion on the new name.  

Schikora, who works part-time at Kootenai Valley Christian School, said she wanted a unique name that represented all of this area.

“When you come out of the hospital, there they are, the Cabinet peaks,” Schikora said. “I wanted a name for the hospital to reflect the beauty of our area.  When I came up with it, my goal was to connect the hospital with our local environment.”

A life-long resident of Libby, Schikora said it feels good to have been the one to name the new hospital.

For her selection Schikora will receive naming rights and $250 of Libby bucks.

Stephens said the hospital is in the process of working with a consultant who is helping to ensure a smooth transition. The board is expected to approve a new logo at its July meeting, Stephens said.

The other three names submitted by Schikora were Kootenai River Health Systems, Northern Rockies Health Systems and Shoeshoe Medical Center.

St. John’s Lutheran Hospital will remain the name of the current facility until the new medical facility is occupied  about a year from now.