Columbia Falls
Columbia Falls, MT · Health
Hungry Horse News
Coram-West Glacier firemens’ ball coming up
Your Coram-West Glacier Volunteer Fire Department and Emergency Medical Service is one of the longest serving volunteer departments in Flathead County. Founded in 1945, we’ve now been serving our 21 square mile Fire District for 80 years. We’re still here, with our well-equipped fire halls in Coram and West Glacier, and we’re still answering the community’s emergency calls for help. That’s the good news—we’re responding. The not so good news is we’re stretched very thin, volunteer-wise. Please note our volunteer roster, with years of service, at the bottom of this letter. While the total numbers looks pretty good, the reality is only a handful of us are available on a fairly regular basis to respond. Many work full time outside the district, or are retired (and some now in our 80s), and are rarely available to respond. Here’s a repeat of an important message from our President and Assistant Chief, Matt Cox: “I joined this department when I was 18 years old. Last week, I marked 41 years of service. I’ve answered more calls than I can count — fires, car wrecks, heart attacks, rescues. Some ended in relief, some in heartbreak. Through every one, we showed up. We always
Lake County Leader
St. Luke launches new electronic health record system
St. Luke Community Healthcare is preparing to launch a new electronic health record (EHR) system on Tuesday, Sept. 1. According to St. Luke CEO Steve Todd, “the new system marks an important step toward creating a more connected and efficient healthcare experience for patients.” Oracle Health is a new, integrated platform that will consolidate patient medical records and support federally mandated healthcare compliance requirements. It will be implemented across St. Luke’s hospital and four clinics. According to a press release, the new system is designed to improve operational efficiency, strengthen communication and help streamline the patient referral process. Patients will also gain access to new features, including appointment reminders and real-time notifications that were not previously available. During the transition, Sept. 1-15, and as St. Luke staff becomes familiar with the new system, officials say some services may take longer than usual. Patients may experience delays with appointment availability, telephone hold and return-call times, responses to requests and check-in times. When visiting a St. Luke clinic or hospital for care, patients will be asked to verify and update their personal and health information. Patients should also bring a current insurance card and photo ID, even if these items have been
Flathead Beacon
CARD Clinic Closes Doors Ahead of Scheduled Shutdown
Libby’s health care center dedicated to the town’s unique form of asbestos shuttered its doors abruptly Monday, three weeks ahead of the clinic’s planned closure date. Since the early 2000s the Center for Asbestos Related Disease, known as the CARD clinic, provided patient services and research about the effects of asbestos exposure in Libby, where asbestos-laden vermiculite turned the small mountain town into one of the worst public health crises in U.S. history.
Daily Montanan
Libby asbestos clinic abruptly shutters, two weeks early
A Libby clinic that focused on patients with asbestos-related diseases abruptly shuttered on Monday, two weeks earlier than its planned wind-down. The Libby Center for Asbestos Related Disease has since 2000 offered screening and resources for patients with asbestos-related diseases due to exposure to vermiculite mined in the region throughout the 1900s. According to a […]
mtpr.org
Libby asbestos clinic closes permanently
A Libby medical clinic that diagnoses and treats people with asbestos-related diseases abruptly closed this week. The Libby CARD Clinic received federal funding for years. Congress set up the clinic and gave Libby-area residents Medicare benefits because exposure to asbestos in the community was so widespread. Contaminated vermiculite from a...
Flathead Beacon
After Generations of Asbestos Exposure, Sickened Libby Residents Wonder Where to Turn for Care After Clinic Closure
Terri Turman never once suspected she might have asbestos-related disease, known as ARD. Since moving to Libby in 1990, she and her family had assiduously avoided activities around the small mountain town associated with asbestos. No one in the Turman family had worked for the W.R. Grace mine, by then known for its asbestos-filled vermiculite, a flaky mineral used in gardening and home insulation for its lightweight and fire-resistant properties. They took care to never venture up into the woods near the mine or play in the old ballfields adjacent to the railroad tracks where a warehouse once staged vermiculite prior to loading it on trains.
The Western News
Locals get look at Cabinet Peaks' new rehab facility
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center Board member Kathy Nelson was ecstatic following the ribbon cutting ceremony last week at the new Rehabilitation Services building in Libby. “I’ve been talking about getting this for years, and it finally worked out,” Nelson said after the July 29 ceremony. “Tadd (Greenfield) is amazing and has done a great job.” Greenfield, who came to Cabinet Peaks a little more than four years ago as its CEO, shared ribbon cutting honors with Nelson. He spoke of his admiration for the rehabilitation team, community and board support to add a critical need to the communities of Lincoln County. "The opening of this new building reflects our ongoing commitment to investing in the future of healthcare in Lincoln County," Greenfield said previously. "While our exceptional rehabilitation team and comprehensive services remain the same, this new facility provides an improved environment where patients can receive the care they need with greater comfort, convenience, and access to advanced rehabilitation technology. We are proud to continue investing in facilities that support the health and well-being of our community.” Patients have been receiving care since July 16 in the new facility, located at 308 E. Second Street. The new Rehabilitation Services building
The Western News
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center celebrates new rehab facility
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center is proud to announce that, since July 16, patients have been receiving care in its new Rehabilitation Services building located at 308 E. Second Street in Libby. The new facility represents a significant investment in the health and wellness of Lincoln County, providing a modern, purpose-built environment designed to help patients recover, regain independence and improve their quality of life. The new Rehabilitation Services building brings physical, occupational and speech therapies together under one roof in a spacious, thoughtfully designed setting focused on patient comfort and exceptional care to adult, pediatric and neurological populations. Community members are invited to tour the new Rehabilitation Services building during its Grand Opening celebration at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 29. Guests will have the opportunity to meet the rehabilitation team, explore the new facility and learn more about the comprehensive therapy services available. The new facility features larger treatment areas, private therapy rooms, and state-of-the-art rehabilitation equipment, creating an enhanced experience for both patients and staff while allowing the department to better serve the community for years to come. "Our goal has always been to provide the highest quality rehabilitation services," said Neil Verberne, PT, DPT, Rehabilitation Services Manager. "This
Whitefish Pilot
Whitefish Lake still free from AIS
Mike Koopal, executive director of the Whitefish Lake Institute, said one of the successes of the partnership between the city and the institute has been the lack of aquatic invasive species in Whitefish Lake. “We still don't have any aquatic invasive species in Whitefish Lake that we know of, and we're out there looking for it,” Koopal said. “I think Carla and Maria's effort of the inspection stations has been a huge success.” Maria Butts is the director of the Parks and Recreation Department, and Carla Belski, community services coordinator, runs the decontamination station at City Beach and the two city inspection stations. Koopal presented a water quality update to the Whitefish City Council last week. He also introduced Jen Parsons as the organization’s new finance administration manager. “Montana's still clear of dreissenid mussels, which are zebra mussels and quagga mussels, their cousin,” Koopal said. “I'm a little more concerned about quagga mussels in Whitefish, just because they can live and softer substrate at greater depths.” The number of AIS inspections at both the City Beach and Whitefish Lake State Park stations has stabilized over the last several years. The total number of watercraft inspections and removal of exit seals
climatecosmos.com
13 mountain towns retirees over 70 keep quietly relocating to in 2026 because the local hospital still does open-heart surgery
Most retirees over 70 are told to move somewhere flat, sunny, and close to a big-city hospital. Turns out, a quiet wave of seniors is ignoring that advice entirely – and moving up, into the mountains. In 2026, retirees in their seventies are relocating to towns most people write off as “too remote for serious medical care.”
Flathead Beacon
Union Backs Family Physician After Logan Health Lets Contract Lapse
As a group gathered inside the Logan Health Glacier Conference Center Tuesday evening, Tim Jenkins, the chief negotiator for the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD), began the meeting with a Bible verse from Ecclesiastes. “‘And where one may be overpowered, two can stand their ground, a cord of...
The Western News
New ER doctor joins Cabinet Peaks Medical Center
Cabinet Peaks Medical Center is pleased to welcome Katelynn Bailey, DO, to its Emergency Department team. Dr. Bailey recently relocated to Libby from Homer, Alaska, with her husband after deciding it was time to return to the mountains and the Montana lifestyle they love. Board certified in Emergency Medicine by the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM), Dr. Bailey brings a passion for rural emergency medicine and is committed to providing compassionate, high-quality care to patients when they need it most. "I love working in rural emergency medicine," said Dr. Bailey. "It's incredibly rewarding to help people feel better during some of their worst days. I'm excited to become part of the Libby community and provide care to the patients and families who call Northwest Montana home." According to her LinkedIn page, Dr. Bailey was an Emergency Medicine physician at the Great Falls Clinic from November 2022 to April 2024. She practiced in Alaska at the South Peninsula Hospital since May 2024. Outside of the Emergency Department, Dr. Bailey enjoys reading, hiking, fishing, camping, hunting and spending time with her family. She looks forward to taking advantage of the abundant outdoor recreation opportunities that drew her back to Montana. "We
Lake County Leader
St. Joe plans to open rural clinic in early October
After breaking ground a year ago, Providence St. Joseph’s new rural health clinic is swiftly taking shape on the hillside above the Polson hospital. According to St. Joe’s Senior Philanthropy Officer Megan Beard, the $12.8 million project is “on schedule and on budget” for an opening in early October. The new 13,000-square foot clinic, located on 17th Ave. between St. Joseph Assisted Living and the Boys and Girls Club, will dramatically expand St. Joe’s ability to provide local health care. According to Beard, the facility’s 26 exam rooms can accommodate around 7,000 additional patient visits a year. That increase will come in part from adding a few practitioners, but largely from increased accessibility. “it’ll be easier to get in, basically,” said Beard. The clinic will include space for primary care, behavioral health and pediatrics – all of which are currently housed in the hospital and occupy about half the space they’ll expand into at the new clinic. The additional room will be a boon for each area, but especially behavioral health, where therapists are currently seeing patients “In every nook and cranny where can fit them.” “Plus, there’s so many windows,” Beard said, especially in contrast to the hospital clinic,
NBCMontana
Supporters to rally after Logan Health declines to renew doctor’s contract
KALISPELL, Mont. — A contract decision involving a longtime family physician at Logan Health is fueling a growing controversy in the Flathead Valley, with union leaders warning it could disrupt care for thousands of patients. Supporters of Dr. Ruben Hipolito are set to speak out at a press conference...
cutbankpioneerpress.com
Logan Health expands general surgery and welcomes Dr. Lance L. Ercanbrack
Logan Health is pleased to welcome Lance L. Ercanbrack, MD, to its medical staff. Dr. Ercanbrack joined Logan Health on June 29, 2026, providing general surgery services at Logan Health – Shelby, with outreach services available at Logan Health – Cut Bank. With 30 years of experience, Dr....
NBCMontana
Murdock Trust awards $550,000 grant for Providence St. Joseph Medical Center expansion
MISSOULA, Mont. — Providence Montana Health Foundation has received a $550,000 grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust to support the Critical Access Campaign, an effort to transform Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson. The grant brings the campaign's fundraising total to $16 million toward its $18 million...
NBCMontana
Center for Asbestos Related Disease in Libby to close in August
LIBBY, Mont. — After 20 years serving the Libby community and people exposed to asbestos, the Center for Asbestos Related Disease Inc. will close its doors to participants at the end of August 2026 because its federal grant funding is not being renewed. The organization said federal grant funding...
mtpr.org
Libby asbestos clinic to close permanently this summer
A Libby medical clinic that diagnoses locals exposed to the toxic mineral asbestos will close for good this summer. After years of legal battles and funding uncertainty, Libby’s Center for Asbestos Related Disease, or CARD clinic, says it will shutter permanently on August 31. The clinic served those affected...
montanian.com
CARD Prepares to Close Patient Services at End of August
For more than 20 years, the Center for Asbestos Related Disease, Inc. (CARD) has had the privilege of serving the Libby community and asbestos-exposed individuals and families. CARD is deeply grateful to the patients, families, staff, providers, researchers, community members, partners, and supporters who have been part of this work.