Hospital takes more strides forward

Kalispell Regional Healthcare quietly broke ground this summer on yet another expansion project.

The $12.9 million Digestive Health Institute going up on the north end of The HealthCenter is just the latest stride in the hospital system’s ongoing push toward becoming a regional medical destination.

Establishing a digestive health center was one of the major goals of former Kalispell Regional Chief Executive Officer Velinda Stevens before her death earlier this year. While her vision for a new digestive primary and specialty care center won’t be realized until next summer, already local patients are noticing the benefits.

For the past two years, the hospital system has been working to recruit a team of 10 providers to staff the new digestive institute. According to hospital officials, wait times to see a doctor have been cut from three or four months down to only a few weeks. And with the increased staffing, more patients are receiving the care they require as well.

With a shortage of gastroenterologists in the state, this new endeavor at Kalispell Regional is sure to be welcomed by both local patients and those in outlying communities.

Another vibrant sign of Kalispell Regional’s continued growth is the steel and glass structure quickly rising up from the east side of the campus. Officials announced last week that the $40 million pediatric center will be named the Montana Children’s Medical Center, scheduled for completion in the spring of 2019.

While somewhat lacking in individuality for what is sure to be a spectacular building, the pediatric center’s chosen moniker certainly drives home the hospital’s emphasis on serving the entire region as a medical destination. Rather than traveling to Seattle or Denver, local families will be able to stay in Montana to receive the care they need.

It’s an exciting time for health care in the Flathead Valley and we look forward to following the progress of both of these projects as they come to fruition over the next few years.