Benefis acquires Fort Benton's Missouri River Medical Center
The Missouri River Medical Center in Fort Benton is now officially a part of Benefis Health System.
The Great Falls-based medical provider acquired Missouri River Medical Center at the beginning of July after running it under a management contract since 2015, Benefis announced in a release.
Following the acquisition, Benefis now operates four campuses in Great Falls (East, Central, West, and Grandview), as well as critical-access hospitals in Choteau and Fort Benton. Benefis also operates four outpatient healthcare locations in Helena, as well as outreach offices across Montana.
Benefis President of Community Hospitals Louie King will continue to run Missouri River Medical Center along with the Teton Medical Center in Choteau.
Missouri River Medical Center has 25 beds in its critical access hospital, a family practice clinic, intermediary care and 24-hour emergency room, physical therapy, laboratory, radiology and home visiting nursing services, according to its website.
King said the Benefis acquisition is a big step for Missouri River Medical Center in the Choteau County town 42 miles north of Great Falls, as the facility provides critical emergency care, allows residents to stay in the community as they age and serves as a source of jobs.
“The Board of Directors saw that joining Benefis was a much-needed step in providing a collaboration that will enhance our local healthcare services and help sustain healthcare for Fort Benton and Chouteau County in the future,” King said in a statement. “This move will bring much-needed capital for the completion of the remodeling of our older facility into a state-of-the-art critical access hospital.”
With 83 employees in a town of 1,400 people, Missouri River Medical Center is Fort Benton’s largest employer. Benefis has more than 3,400 employees across its Montana facilities and has a company no-layoff policy, the release states.
“I would like to thank the Missouri River Medical Center staff and providers for their dedication to providing quality healthcare to our small community over their many years of service,” King said. “These are exciting times for Fort Benton and the surrounding communities, and it has been an honor to be a part of this process.”
Missouri River Medical Center, first known as St. Clare Hospital, was established in 1886 by the Sisters of Providence, and was transferred to Choteau County in 1974.
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Benefis acquires Fort Benton's Missouri River Medical Center
