Dr. Kris Kuper, MD, FAAP, CPE

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Serving children of all ages, Dr. Kuper is a personable, enthusiastic pediatrician, one who always goes the extra mile for families and colleagues. She enjoys patient-centered, full spectrum pediatric care, including attending deliveries and continuity of care if the child ever needs to be hospitalized. She works up complex medical problems in a detailed fashion, educates the patient/family on the diagnosis and treatment plan, and keeps meticulous, timely records so as to maximize efficiency and provide the optimal patient experience. For those patients who need to see a specialist, those thorough records then serve to assist the consultant to continue further treatment, after which time, Dr. Kuper enjoys co-managing the problem in her local community. She considers it a great way to stay current on best practices.

Her most recent position was as a straddle physician: working 50% time as a pediatrician and 50% as the Chief Medical Officer of Kaniksu Health Services in Sandpoint, Idaho. She had to go on medical leave in January of  2019 to address two serious medical conditions, with which she is still battling. She is not currently working but hopes to return when her health improves.

Academically, Dr. Kuper graduated with her medical degree from Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver, University of Iowa College of Medicine in 1993. She completed her residency in pediatrics at the University of Minnesota in 1996.

A Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP), she attained board certification in pediatrics through the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) in 1996. The mission of the ABP is to advance child health by certifying pediatricians who meet standards of excellence and are committed to continuous learning and improvement.

Subsequent to her medical education, Dr. Kuper pursued formal leadership training through: 

• The Studer Group in 2008;
• The Montana Medical Association, Physician Leadership Effectiveness Program in 2014;
• The American Association of Physician Leaders in 2016, culminating in becoming a Certified Physician Executive (CPE) in 2019;
• The Happy MD, Physician Burn-Out Certificate in 2020

Her Leadership Philosophy is based on the core values of:

–          Authenticity,

–          Integrity,

–          Emotionally Intelligent Communication,

–          Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)

Her Vision is to create a healthy organization where all employees are actively engaged in meaningful and fulfilling work.  All voices are heard, contributing and working synergistically at the top of their licenses to find new solutions. “Together, we strive toward becoming a highly reliable organization, and achieving the Quadruple Aim with a stable financial future.”

Her Leadership Style is a combination of Servant, Democratic, and Transformational Leadership.

On a more personal note, Dr. Kuper lives with her husband on their dream horse property in Sandpoint, Idaho.

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