Meet Your Hospital Board Members Diane Munro

Diane Munro is a former teacher in Sidney prior to twelve years as a counselor, with a long history as a school administrator, including time as a superintendent. She joined the board around three years ago following her “passionate” administrative experience.

She also serves on the boards of Delaware County Planning and the Olympic Regional Development Authority. 

Raised in Margaretville as a member of the Healy family, Munro studied at Skidmore college, SUNY Oneonta, and the University at Albany.

The board member said her role at the hospital is “about service.” Her parents were deeply involved in the community. Her father Walt Healy is one of the originators of the ambulance hospital squad. Her mother Donna was a stay-at-home mom prior to running offices for Ray Huggins (“Uncle Ray”), then worked at Margaretville Hospital. She retired as personnel director.

Some members of the hospital community still hold fond memories of Munro’s parents, including their service in the Fire Department and PTO.

She previously served as a “candy striper” at the hospital volunteering to help cheer patients and remembers when the hospital opened.

Munro speaks warmly of the hospital’s emergency response.

“Good people there. They’re working hard. Really hard. I appreciate them all.”

“The reason I’m on the board is that I really care about a piece of the community that needs to be strengthened,” she said.

Her focus is on primary care, Munro said.

In addition, Munro credited the current board for its focus on primary care and new direction in leadership that “makes us feel like we’re making progress.”

The board has worked hard and “pulled together.” As representatives of the community, this is especially important for its members.

This includes blood work, X-rays, or other services, which is a “robust patient-centered primary care that understands and cares about the whole needs of a person.” This includes referrals for mental health or drug or alcohol treatment.

“The whole person is considered,” she said.

This approach is different from simply walking in and scheduling a test. Instead, it’s working with someone “who knows you” and is focused on an individual’s health.

The health care system can seem like it’s focused on illness rather than wellness, Munro said. This includes doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician’s assistance.

This is crucial and brings back memories of the primary care that Munro enjoyed at Margaretville Hospital and wants to see expanded again.

“I want to see the system expanded and built up again,” into “patient-centric” primary care.

“The whole patient.”

Munro said that she feels some “positive momentum” and the board plans to build upon this further. As much as she appreciates the health network’s efforts, in particular the move to focus on primary care is especially valued.