MRHC physician assistant prepares to leave area

SUPERIOR – Mineral Community Health Center personnel were described as shocked last week when a letter announcing the departure of Physician Assistant Wade Holden was sent around.

While the news may have come as a surprise to his coworkers and community, Holden first considered his decision some time ago. He said he began to think about leaving MRHC approximately six months ago.

“Me and my wife are ready for a change,” Holden said. “We’re ready for something different.”

Holden emphasized how there was no single reason or event that led to the decision. It was also stressed that nobody had said or done anything to cause his decision. One of the main reasons was the expiration of Holden’s contract with MRHC. As the three-year contract ran out, Holden began to consider his options and what the future held.

“At the end of your contract, you start thinking ‘am I going to stay or am I going to go?’” said Holden. “We felt like we would rather go.”

Another factor, which led to the decision has been the upcoming changes in the MRHC staff. While Holden has no problems with the leadership or direction of Interim CEO Cindy Stergar, the changes told him it was a good time to make the decision.

Holden said it is rarely heavily broadcast when an employee begins to consider leaving the company. When the official announcement is made, it often seems to come out of the blue.

“I didn’t really tell anybody I was thinking about leaving,” said Holden. “Just my wife knew, some family and a couple friends.”

Holden said he and his wife would miss Mineral County. The couple had settled in, bought a house and loved living in Superior. While a longer stay in the area was on the table, the plans for the future did not allow it. However, Holden said it would be hard for him to leave the community he has helped stay healthy for so long.

Holden will also miss the patients in Mineral County. With the high turnover in the medical field, it can be hard for a doctor or physician’s assistant to build relationships with patients. However, once those relationships have been made, it becomes harder to leave. This has made it hard for Holden to announce his departure as he has come to love the community under his care.

“I’ve had some wonderful patients,” Holden said. “It’s hard to tell them you’re leaving.”

The community itself has been understanding of Holden’s reasons for leaving. He said the most common response has been an understanding of his need to do what is best for his family. However, there have also been some unhappy reactions.

“Some people are disappointed, you can tell, because they just are,” said Holden. “But most people are understanding of it.”

Holden is not certain when his last day will be. However, his contract with MRHC expires at the start of the year. He said most of the places he had interviewed were in Montana and it was likely they would stay in the state. The most likely plan will be to go to a larger community, while still living in a rural area smaller than Kalispell or Billings.

At the time of press, it was unknown whether MRHC had begun to search for a replacement for Holden. In the mean time, his patients will likely be divided amongst the rest of the MRHC staff.