HAMILTON — Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital leaders say a plan to change the hospital's name this fall is an effort to better explain expanding healthcare services to a larger area. But at the same time, steps are being taken to preserve the legacy of the hospital and the Daly family.
It was June of 1929 when Margaret Daly and a handful of Ravalli County residents gathered to form what would become Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital. What started as a small, rural hospital has rapidly grown in recent years to not include new services on a larger hospital campus, but associated medical facilities stretching from Darby to Stevensville.
With more facilities coming, hospital leaders felt it was time for a change to the new "unifying" name of "Bitterroot Health", with the hospital being known as "Bitterroot Health-Daly Hospital". CEO John Bishop says the hospital "felt the need to reflect" the growth in services outside Hamilton, "with a new name that shows our broader reach."
"It's not coming away from our history and legacy with Hamilton and the Daly Family. So, because of that, we're keeping the name for the hospital. It will be Bitterroot Health-Daly Hospital. And we're keeping the name for our foundation, Bitterroot Health-Daly Foundation," said Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital Marketing Director Christina Voyles.
"Because we're proud of that legacy. We know we stand on it. And we think that Margaret would actually be really proud of the expansion. And so we want something that just signifies that we're here for everyone in the Bitterroot Valley, which is want Margaret herself wanted, and envisioned."
The transition to Bitterroot Health's new titles won't be complete until this fall and we should be reporting more details on the new facilities in Darby and Stevensville shortly.
