Saint Alphonsus Planning for the Future of Health Education and Patient Care for Idaho

Preparing for the future healthcare needs of the Treasure Valley and Idaho, Saint Alphonsus Health System President and CEO Odette Bolano has begun discussions with the Boise State University College of Health Sciences on developing an innovative new model for healthcare education and patient care delivery.

She has initiated talks with Tim Dunnagan, Ed.D., Dean of the College of Health Sciences, and Ann Hubert, Ph.D., RN, CTN-A, Divisional Dean, School of Nursing, at Boise State.

The long-standing relationship between Saint Alphonsus and the College of Health Sciences has a rich legacy that blends the strengths of both organizations - educational and research resources with exceptional clinical capabilities in the acute and post-acute care environment.

The goal is to focus on areas of greatest future healthcare needs for the region, including Nursing, Imaging, Respiratory Technology and Social Work programs.

“Our community’s health will not be determined by the current state, but rather will be re-defined and shaped by the innovative, visionary thinking of our institutions coming together for the common good,” said Odette Bolano, Saint Alphonsus President and CEO. “This is not only vital for our region’s recovery from COVID-19 but necessary for the training of our future healthcare providers and leaders.”

Saint Alphonsus providers currently train and mentor more than 150 graduate and undergraduate students a year from the School of Nursing and the Departments of Respiratory Therapy and Radiologic Sciences (Medical Imaging), plus a variety of internships from other degree programs. Projects range from building a pipeline of nursing students to meet growing community need, to providing adjunct faculty to educate and teach clinical rotations in the hospital setting. This has a dual benefit of providing patient care while also ensuring a strong, hands-on, learning experience for the students.