Kara Besst and Carol Moehrle will present The COVID-19 Pandemic: Gritman Hospital’s Response and The Future of Local Public Health at the League of Women Voters of Moscow Speaker Forum on Wed., March 2. 

The outbreak of the omicron variant of COVID-19 produced a surge of cases in Latah County in late 2021 and January of this year.  Although the numbers began to drop precipitously at the end of January, the threat of new variants, and an only partially vaccinated population suggest continued challenges to health care in the region. The speakers will address two questions: How have our two primary local health institutions dealt with COVID-19 so far, and what preparations have they been making to address an unknown future with this virus?

Kara Besst is the President and CEO of Gritman Medical Center, where she has worked for nearly 29 years. Originally from Idaho Falls, Kara graduated from the University of Idaho with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Prior to graduating, Kara began at Gritman Medical Center as an Intern and was hired as an Accountant in Gritman’s Fiscal Services Department after earning her degree. She became Gritman’s Chief Financial Officer in November 2000 and assumed the role of President and CEO in February 2011.  She lives in Moscow with her family.

Carol Moehrle has served as the District Director of Public Health – Idaho North Central District, comprised of Latah, Idaho, Lewis, Clearwater and Nez Perce Counties for the past 30 years. Carol serves on the Board of the National Association of Counties (NACo) where she holds leadership positions in Public Health, Healthy Counties and Resilient Counties subcommittees. She has been active in the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) since 1991 and served as President of NACCHO from 2010-2011. She served as Past Chair of the Public Health Accreditation Board and her Public Health District has been accredited since 2016. She shares her passion with numerous public, private and nonprofit organizations.

Join via Zoom: https://bit.ly/LWVMSpF.