‘What in the world is going on at Panhandle Health’

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

Panhandle Health District Board of Health Chair Thomas Fletcher gave an update to the Bonner County board of commissioners Aug. 26, introducing incoming PHD Medical Director Gregory Pennock and making broad accusations that the district’s administration and legal counsel have “thwarted him.”

Members of the Board of Health are chosen by local county commissioners, then appointed by a majority vote of commissioners from across the health district. Its purpose is to govern and tailor PHD’s policies to suit the counties’ needs.

“The bad news is I cannot account for how your tax dollars are being spent,” Fletcher said. “And why is that? Well, I was appointed to the Panhandle Health Board in 2022 by a previous set of commissioners, and the mission from the outset was, ‘What are you guys [PHD] doing?’ I have attempted to answer that question for three years, unsuccessfully. I have been thwarted by legal, thwarted by administration, undermined, ambushed and been unable to uncover what in the world is going on at Panhandle Health.”

The BOCC has been in dialogue with Fletcher and PHD Director Erik Ketner throughout the budget season to better understand how money paid into the health district directly benefits Bonner County. Though PHD is headquartered in Kootenai County and only opens its Sandpoint clinic once a week, Bonner County will pay $472,317 into the district during Fiscal Year 2026.

BOCC Chair Asia Williams requested that Pennock and Fletcher give quarterly updates focused on Bonner County that demonstrate how they’re working to improve local services.

“Our county contributes a significant amount of money towards Panhandle Health with an overwhelming discussion that we don’t feel that we receive that level of services in our county,” she said.

Fletcher went on to say that he has attempted to audit PHD, asking to attend directors’ meetings and access clinical data, but Ketner and the administration have “undermined” his efforts. 

“I have been told by legal [counsel], ‘Sit down and shut up.’ This is how serious it is, folks,” said Fletcher, later asking the commissioners to “tell the law firm to stand aside and stop doing the bidding of the administration and start doing the bidding of the board.”

According to Pennock, his job as PHD medical director will involve a “deep dive” into the district’s clinical services — or, in Fletcher’s words, an “audit.”

“What are they doing? How efficient is it? How many people are they seeing? Are they fitting the needs of the community?” said Pennock, adding that “an important part of the equation” will be “trying to match the needs of the public” with what PHD can support.

Pennock is an Idaho-licensed medical doctor with board certifications in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and echocardiography. He has worked for the University of Arizona, Kootenai Health and in private practice, and was chief of cardiology at Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello. He will take over for Kootenai County representative Duke Johnson, who held the position for about eight months. 

“I find Dr. Fletcher’s comments puzzling as we’ve had extensive conversations about Panhandle Health District programs, in particular on clinical services,” Ketner told the Reader, citing meetings on April 17, May 10 and Aug. 21 when he gave in-depth presentations on clinical services and funding. Meeting recordings are available on the YouTube pages for PHD, Bonner County and Kootenai County, depending on the meeting location.

Ketner provided the Reader with an information packet given to all board members at the Aug. 21 meeting, which includes a monthly financial report with a year-to-date breakdown of revenue and expenses, as well as a series of division reports, which provide accounts of PHD’s clinical services, home visitations, environmental health updates and emergency preparedness programs, among others.

“It is our hope and expectation that board members take the time to read through their board packets and familiarize themselves with services we offer in order to make informed decisions,” Ketner said. “I welcome interest in Panhandle Health District programs and operations and look forward to resolving this matter with Dr. Fletcher and the Bonner County commissioners.”