Pawhuska Hospital traces its history back to 1923, when it opened its initial location on Lynn Avenue between 18th and 19th Streets. Originally opened as a municipal hospital, the staff included a superintendent of nurses and small nursing staff. After World War II the number of patients served by the hospital rapidly increased.
Eventually, the hospital was incorporated and leased from the city. In the early 1960s the original hospital structure was deemed insufficient and too expensive to repair and expand. A new facility on 15th Street was built. On July 1, 1965, the new hospital opened with the transfer of 22 patients from the old facility. Another addition was built in 1977 to accommodate additional ancillary services. In 1972, the hospital was organized by Pawhuska Hospital as a private, not-for-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Oklahoma.
Pawhuska Hospital continues to serve the city and surrounding area and maintains strong relationships with larger acute care facilities such as St. John Health System, Saint Francis Health System, Hillcrest Medical Center and Oklahoma State University Medical Center. Our administration team is committed to serving the rural community with the highest quality patient care.
In October 1998 the Pawhuska Hospital Board determined that the hospital should seek Critical Access Hospital designation. Initially, the hospital was denied Critical access status because Osage County was federally designated an urban area. After a lengthy campaign by local citizens and community groups, Pawhuska Hospital was approved to apply for the status in December 1999.
Whitney Smith serves as Administrator of Pawhuska Hospital. She brings experience in healthcare finance, operations, human resources, and leadership, along with a strong commitment to the community she calls home.
Whitney earned a degree in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University in 2010. She began her healthcare career at Great Bend Regional Hospital in Kansas, where she held roles in payroll, human resources, accounts payable, and finance, including Assistant Controller. She continued her work in healthcare with The University of Kansas Health System and Cohesive Healthcare.
Whitney and her husband, Paul, returned to Pawhuska in 2020 to raise their three children near family. An active member of City Church and involved in her children’s youth sports, Whitney values the relationships that make Pawhuska a close community. As Administrator, she is focused on supporting hospital staff, strengthening local healthcare services, and ensuring Pawhuska Hospital continues to serve the community well.
Beth Reed has been serving on the Pawhuska Hospital Board for more than 3 years. She currently serves as Chairwoman. Mrs. Reed grew up in Tulsa and moved to the Pawhuska area 19 years ago. Her and her husband, Jason run a successful ranching operation in Osage County. She has two boys ages 13 and 15. Mrs. Reed graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. She has served on other non profit boards such as the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce and Arts and Preservation in the Osage. Mrs. Reed wants to help provide the best quality healthcare to her community. She is dedicated to working as a team with the other board members and the hospital employees to make Pawhuska Hospital the best critical access hospital in the state.
Born and raised in Osage County, Ben attended Oklahoma State University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 1975. He further received a Master’s Degree in Education with emphasis in Administration and Supervision. He began his teaching career in 1975 at College High School in Bartlesville, where he also served as principal for seven years. He later became the Assistant Superintendent of Pawhuska Schools in 1992 and Superintendent in 2006. In addition to being a member of the Pawhuska Hospital Governing Board, Ben participates in the Pawhuska Rotary Club, Osage County Excise Board and Pawhuska First United Methodist Church, and serves as interim Superintendent at Shidler Public Schools. As a Pawhuska Hospital board member, Ben wants to promote awareness and education regarding the hospital and its services within surrounding rural communities.
Beverly Tolson graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology in 1985 and earned her certification as a Medical Technologist from the American Society of Clinical Pathologists. She worked in the medical profession for over twenty years, beginning as a medical technologist in the laboratory at Schumpert Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana and concluding with her employment as Director of Satellite Operations for Regional Medical Laboratory in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she managed hundreds of employees in hospital laboratories and related services in Tulsa, Sapulpa and Bartlesville, Oklahoma and Independence, Kansas. She hopes to further the activities of the hospital through education and community involvement.