A year ago, as the Good Shepherd family was dealing with yet another surge of COVID, 

all of us were asking, “Will we ever get back to normal?” With all of the exciting 
projects happening now at Good Shepherd, I believe our new normal is filled with 

great potential. 

During my tenure as a Board of Trustees member, I’ve often reflected on how much, 

and how fast, health care has changed over the years.

Being told by a physician, “you need an operation” used to mean a lot of pain and 

a long recovery. The da Vinci Surgical System at Good Shepherd allows certain 

procedures to be done with minimally invasive incisions. The risk of infection and 

the amount of blood loss are greatly reduced, and it allows our patients to resume 

their normal activities sooner.

X-rays were discovered in the 1890s. Before then, a problem within the body was
found and diagnosed by cutting the patient open. MRI and CT scanners now detect

issues that can cause future problems, well before we are aware of them ourselves. 
The example that hits closest to home for me are the advances made in orthopedics. During the Great Depression, 
my grandfather was seriously injured in a mining accident in Baker County. He suffered numerous broken bones. 
The only treatment available at the time, in a remote rural area, was bed rest, with the bones healing however 
they could. He never walked properly again. My grandfather’s experience would be so different today. Our new 
Mako surgical robot has unprecedented ability to measure and shape tiny areas of bone for a joint replacement 
procedure, allowing our patients to return to an active life. 
I appreciate my colleagues on the Board of Trustees, and their ability to look into the future and imagine where 
health care is going. When discussing a project, someone usually asks, “Will this meet our needs in 5 years?  
10 years? Is this a good investment now, or will something better be available soon? Is this need even going to 
exist in the future?” The old normal, when hospitals had a pretty good idea of what would be needed in the near 
future, is long gone.
Good Shepherd Health Care System is blessed with a rich history and valued traditions. Our “old normal” has 
served the community well for almost seven decades, as we cared for generations of patients. We’ll carry that 
heritage with us into the exciting and bright future of our “new normal.”

Sue Daggett | Board of Trustees Chair | Good Shepherd Health Care System

Sue Daggett

A Message from the Board of Trustees

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