Intermountain Health Names New President of St. James Hospital
Intermountain Health announced that Karen Costello has been named President of Intermountain Health St. James Hospital. She will assume her new role on April 1, 2024.
Costello has been with the organization for more than 45 years and most recently served as the president of Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City, Montana. Under her leadership, Holy Rosary has achieved significant improvements in patient satisfaction, employee engagement, clinical quality, and financial performance. She was also instrumental in the development of the new Holy Rosary Cancer Center set to open later this summer to meet the needs of rural, eastern Montana. Costello will continue to support Holy Rosary throughout the next several months as the team works through a succession plan.
“Karen is a visionary leader with a passion for improving healthcare quality, safety, and access for the communities we serve. She has a proven track record of building strong relationships with providers, caregivers, and community partners, as well as implementing strategic initiatives that enhance our performance and reputation,” said Lee Boyles, president of the Intermountain Health Montana | Wyoming Market. “I am confident that Karen will lead St. James Hospital to new heights of excellence and innovation.”
Costello has also served at St. Vincent Regional Hospital in Billings, in various leadership roles including Senior Director of Oncology and Palliative Care for the Montana region and head of operations for St. Vincent Cancer Centers of Montana. Costello holds a BSA in Radiological Sciences and a master's in health administration.
“I am honored and excited to join the amazing team at St. James Hospital and to serve the Butte community,” said Costello. “I have loved working with our Intermountain Health providers, caregivers, and community partners on the eastern side of the state, and I look forward to continuing that same dedication as I work to advance our mission of caring for communities across southwest Montana, especially the poor and vulnerable, while helping people live the healthiest lives possible.”
Costello is an avid runner and enjoys reading and spending time on “any tropical beach.” She and her family also enjoy spending summer weekends at Flathead Lake. Costello and her husband, Jim, have two grown children and two grandchildren.
About St. James Healthcare and Intermountain Healthcare
Intermountain Health St. James Hospital has served the people of Southwestern Montana for nearly 145 years and is the largest and only acute care healthcare facility in the region. St. James Hospital is a 67-bed facility located in Butte, Montana, with more than 450 caregivers, alongside 100 physicians and advanced care professionals, offering 24-hour care and dozens of progressive specialty services. St. James Hospital is part of the Intermountain Healthcare system. Based in Utah with locations in seven states (Montana, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming) and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Healthcare is a nonprofit healthcare system comprised of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical groups with some 3,800 employed physicians and advanced practice providers. To help people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. To learn more about St. James Hospital, visit sjh-mt.org.