North Valley Hospital announces new medical leaders

Registered Nurse Amy Vanterpool will serve as the role of Chief Clinical Officer at North Valley Hospital and Dr. Michael Henson will take over the title of Chief of Staff, the hospital announced last week.

Vanterpool, who is a registered nurse and holds a bachelor of science in nursing, comes to North Valley Hospital from her role as a Clinical Manager at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Vanterpool has 20 years of experience in nursing leadership roles, and has spent the last 17 years of her career in the Flathead Valley.

As Chief Clinical Officer, she will integrate her extensive clinical experience with her skills in nursing leadership to provide direction that aligns with the North Valley culture.

“I’m excited about this opportunity,” Vanterpool said in a prepared release. “I have worked in the Kalispell Regional Healthcare System for almost two decades, and as a Whitefish resident, I am glad to come to North Valley Hospital and work directly with the Whitefish community.”

“I look forward to learning more about the Planetree philosophy at North Valley Hospital, and integrating into the culture here,” she added.

Vanterpool is also a Certified Emergency Nurse and a Certified Flight Registered Nurse, in addition to a variety of credentials earned throughout her more than 25-year career in nursing. She earned her bachelor of science in nursing from Montana State University–Northern.

She enjoys living in the Whitefish area, and stated that she is “looking forward to further serving the local community” by working in a leadership role as a patient advocate to offer the highest quality patient-centered care.

Henson will take on the position of Chief of Staff at North Valley Hospital. Henson is certified as a radiologist by the American Board of Radiology, and is currently on staff with Northwest Imaging. He has worked at Northwest Imaging since 2004, and he earned his medical degree at Albany Medical College in New York followed by radiology residency at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

He was nominated for the one-year position of Chief of Staff by the hospital medical staff. The Chief of Staff works as an advocate for the medical staff at the board level. The position is focused on personnel and building staff and board relationships, in addition to facilitating physician meetings.

Henson will work as a liaison for physicians to the board and alternatively will also discuss board decisions with medical staff.

Henson succeeds Dr. Ryan Gunlikson, whose term ended on July 1.