"It's really nice to have somebody looking out for you," said Miller, a Butte resident and middle school administrator.   

His 4-year-old granddaughter sits on his lap, feeling the defibrillator under his chest. He told her it's his battery pack, sending her twin brother to the kitchen to grab a 9 Volt battery. That brought a warm laugh from Miller. He shows the kids how he checks his blood pressure.    

Every day, Miller weighs himself, checks his blood pressure, and plugs the numbers into the MyChart app on his phone. It adds some extra steps to his daily routine but is more accessible than going to the doctor's office.   

Heart failure is a very hands-on diagnosis for providers. The model of care set up at St. James is meant to be as remote as necessary.   

"MyChart has been great, especially if patients miss appointments. As we looked through the winter months, we had people that couldn't get in, so we had the ability to still provide the same care we would provide in clinic via remote," said Marcus Paske, a clinical pharmacist in ambulatory care at St. James. He helps manage chronic diseases like heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, and patients on blood thinners.   

Miller was initially hospitalized in April with pneumonia and parainfluenza. During the workup, caregivers discovered he had a new cardiomyopathy or a new diagnosis of heart failure.   

Becky Wozniak, NP, says that's an overwhelming diagnosis.   

Wozniak sees patients in the outpatient cardiology clinic, caring for patients referred by other providers with new cardiology problems and all the patients hospitalized with cardiac issues. She also helps with chronic care management and any long-term cardiology problems.

"When someone has heart failure, it requires a lifestyle change that Keith just jumped right in," said Wozniak.

Patients need to keep close tabs on their blood pressure and their daily weight because those numbers can indicate when heart failure is taking a turn for the worse. Providers are not looking at their weight to catch them eating cookies or fast food.  

"If we can catch that in those first three to five pounds, a lot of times we can make changes with medications over the phone to get him right back on track and avoid him having to come into the hospital for more care. And Keith really stays on top of that. He is very diligent about checking his blood pressure and weight and uploading it into his chart, which allowed me to see that in real-time. And then between Marcus Paske and I, we could phone him when needed, so he didn't have to go back to the hospital for any further care," said Wozniak.  

Once a week, Paske and Wozniak check Miller's numbers to make sure he's getting adequate doses of his medications that are not making him too dizzy or sending his blood pressure too low. They also make sure Miller can continue with his life as normally as possible without the interruption of another hospitalization.   

This "Hearts in the Mountains" initiative was set up at St. James to improve access to care for people with heart failure living in rural communities in Southwest Montana. In February, the program received a huge boost when Million Hearts Health Equity Implementation awarded St. James $50,000.   

Since this implementation, readmission rates at St. James have dropped significantly — from 30 percent in 2022 to 13.25 percent so far this year. Furthermore, there were no readmissions in three of the previous five months.   

"The best part is we reduced readmissions, and that's the ultimate goal -- to improve our community's life," said Paske. "It also highlights the team-based care model. Heart failure is probably one of our most complex things that we manage, and we know more about it now than we knew five years ago. The team-based care approach is the best because it just gets the patients so many different people that know different facets of their disease. When they work together, we truly make people better and healthier."  

Paske's clinical pharmacy team has expanded with two new clinical pharmacists, allowing them to see more patients.   

"We are seeing more of these patients before they get admitted. Some of the downhill effect from the program is we know that if we get more people involved earlier, we're able to keep them out of the hospital. So that's a huge benefit. That's kind of been off to the side of the actual data collection of readmissions," said Paske.   

Miller spends about 10 minutes daily checking his blood pressure and weight, then sending the numbers to Paske and Wozniak. He says it's so quick that some days, he doesn't notice it anymore.   

"The whole experience has been life-altering, but (going into the clinic more often) would've been an even bigger shift. I've still been able to go to work, still been able to enjoy my grandkids —which is my No. 1 priority. And so it's really the cool part of it that I can get back into life a little bit faster."   

Miller also added a walking routine to his day. All his lifestyle changes and his medications have been working.  And his heart is getting even stronger. He hopes that continues. 

"The thing I appreciate that's come out of this whole thing is, I've had a chance to really prioritize what's important in my life, and time with my grandkids is the most important. I'm pretty lucky right now." 

In Montana, there are many barriers to seeking preventative healthcare, including access, transportation, and stigma. Because of this, Intermountain Health is committed to finding innovative ways to provide these services to our communities.

In the spring of 2023, St. James launched its mobile mammography coach – a 36-foot bus with one Hologic dimensions mammography machine, the same equipment used in the mammography department. The coach has a sitting area that can accommodate three people, along with two dressing rooms and a mammogram exam room. 

Since its launch, St. James has seen an increase of 624 screening mammograms last year, which is 25.4% growth from 2022. The coach covers a 150–200-mile radius, serving Butte and the surrounding communities. The mobile unit serves as a lifeline, bringing crucial breast health screenings to areas where access has long been a challenge.

“The mobile coach makes it easier to reach our rural communities,” said Jerri Doyle, Oncology service line director. “Before, many people were not getting their annual screening, or it was harder for them to get one so the closer we can get to them the better. It’s a much more streamlined process using the mobile option. It takes 15 minutes and there’s no red tape to go through. Some people won’t come to a hospital because of stigma but they don’t feel that discomfort with the coach.”

“The coach is a symbol of equitable healthcare, reaching those who once faced barriers to essential screenings,” said Maggee Christiaens, mammographer and mammography department lead. “Patients have been so grateful and appreciative that we’re making it easier to get these much-needed screenings to help detect breast cancer early. We take the bus to parks, chambers, medical facilities, health fairs, and more so there are a lot of opportunities to reach people.”

In 2023 across the Montana/Wyoming market, collective screenings increased by 10% with 1,643 more women screened than in 2022. There is one bus that covers eastern Montana out of Billings and one that covers southwest and western Montana out of Butte. Since this is the second year, the Oncology team is still learning best practices and collecting data to improve the process to reach even more people this year. Currently, the coach travels to different spots in its service area three times a week, and patients can schedule their screening or do a walk-in visit. 

As part of the National Rural Health Day celebration, St. James Healthcare, now part of Intermountain Health, has received a 2023 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in Outcomes. This marks the second straight year St. James has earned this designation. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Awards honor top quartile performance (e.g., 75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals in Quality, Outcomes, and Patient Perspective. 

The Performance Leadership Awards are based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®, the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. INDEX data is relied upon by rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health around the country to measure and monitor performance across several areas impacting hospital operations and finance.
 

“Wherever we go in rural America, we witness first-hand the commitment, determination, and compassion with which rural hospitals serve their communities. Rural healthcare truly is mission-driven,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “This National Rural Health Day, let us recognize the efforts of this year’s Performance Leadership Award winners and all those driven to deliver high-quality care throughout rural communities.”

To view this year’s award winners in each category (Quality, Outcomes, and Patient Perspective) please visit: https://info.chartis.com/ccrh_top-quartile-2023

Mindy Bowman has faced one challenge after another during her two-year journey with breast cancer. 

She said it was a shock to find the avocado-sized lump in her breast, then have her first mammogram, biopsy, and diagnosis within days in October 2021. 

The journey has not been easy for the Whitehall resident, but today Mindy is thankful for the compassionate care she received from St. James Healthcare. She highlighted the Wound Care Clinic for helping to care for her radiation burns and the lymphedema therapy she received to treat the swelling, which helped her get back to doing things she enjoys. 

Bowman said she remembered her caregivers mentioning that swelling, also known as lymphedema, might result as a side effect from the lymph node surgery. She did not think much about that until her upper arm "got boggy." 

"It was just really heavy and in a strange place," she said. 

She also swelled in her upper chest. When they took measurements, she was surprised by the size difference in her arms. Mindy’s team referred her for therapy to Jean Scharchburg, OT/L, CLT, a certified lymphedema therapist with St. James Healthcare, part of Intermountain Health. 

Lymphedema is a buildup of fluid typically in the arms, legs, head, or neck. It is swelling that will not go away. 

About 1 in 5 people treated for cancer will have lymphedema. The surgery, radiation, or removal of lymph nodes impairs the lymphatic system, which is responsible for draining fluid throughout the body. Cancer treatments are not the only cause of lymphedema. 

"I see people who have had orthopedic trauma or swelling in their legs because of a vein issue," said Scharchburg. She wants to make sure people know help is available when the swelling does not resolve on its own. 

Symptoms of lymphedema are: 

• Tightness or heaviness of a limb 
• Numbness or tingling 
• Increased warmth of a limb 
• Impaired range of motion in the affected area 
• Jewelry or clothing that becomes tight in the affected area 
• Wounds that will not heal 
• Swelling in the affected area 
   

Lymphedema can impact daily living. A person can’t get into their normal size shoe or pants because of swollen legs. If they have swelling in their arms or neck, it can be painful or impossible to reach things overhead or carry something because your arms are weak or heavy. 

Bowman has worked on a potato farm for 12 years and previously worked in her antique store. Because of the cancer, she is restricted to "light duty" a few days a week and lifting no more than 35 pounds. 

"I fell in love with the hard work," she said of the potato farm. "Everything out there (to lift) is pretty much 50 pounds, but I’m happy to be at 35 pounds now. Forever, I could only do five." 

To get to that point, Bowman had lymphedema therapy with Scharchburg and learned what to do on her own. 

The treatment might sound invasive or intimidating – manual lymphatic drainage – but Scharchburg said it is a gentle massage. 

Bowman described it as "waking up" the lymph nodes around the body and pushing the fluid in a rotating motion to get it where you want it to go. 

"It’s just like massage, but there’s a weird feeling. You can feel your body reacting," she said. 

In addition to massage, Scharchburg said patients wear well-fitted compression bandages or garments; exercise to stimulate drainage; and, with family members, learn about home care, prevention, precautions, activity changes, and skin care. 

"Education is important because once the swelling has been reduced, we want to keep it under control," she said. 

Treatment for lymphedema is covered by most insurances. Patients should consult with a primary care provider to receive a referral for lymphedema therapy. Scharchburg and fellow certified lymphedema therapist Shelby Jennings, OTD, OTR/L, CLT, provide care at Intermountain Health’s St. James Healthcare Rehabilitation Services in Butte. 

Bowman learned a lot about managing her lymphedema, but her most important lesson is one she wants to share with others. When she was diagnosed at 50, she had never had a mammogram. 

"Now, I preach to everyone that they should get a screening mammogram," she said. 

For more information about lymphedema treatment, call 406-723-2540, and for information on mammography, call 406-723-2950 or visit sjh-mt.org/mammography.

During a stroke, a patient loses thousands of brain cells per second. Rapidly diagnosing and treating stroke is critical to better outcomes for patients. TeleHealth supports both facilitates transfers to larger hospitals for appropriate interventions, such as thrombectomy, when necessary, but also helps initiate the care plan to keep patients closer to home when they do not need to be transferred. 

"St. James and Intermountain Health are committed to improving clinical treatment for patients," said Dr. Amanda Opfer, St. James’ Stroke Program Medical Director. "The TeleHealth Stroke Program has done just that, by providing faster and more specialized care to those who experience a stroke." 

The TeleHealth Stroke program not only implements innovative technology to assist in providing superior patient care, but it also addressed the need for clinical expertise in rural areas like Southwest Montana. The program allows patients to receive care quickly and continue along their path to recovery close to home.

When making a birth plan for the delivery of her son Daniel Andrew, Aubrie Carey only wanted three things: a healthy baby, dimmed lights, and a provider who truly cared about her and her delivery. 

Aubrie had been through six miscarriages. She knew that when it came time to deliver, she wanted to know the specialist in the room. With no way of knowing who might be on call when she went into labor, Aubrie set up appointments with every physician in the SCL Health Medical Group’s Butte OB/GYN clinic. When she’d met every doctor, the scheduler asked if she’d like to meet with the certified nurse-midwives (CNMs). 

“I didn’t know what a midwife was, but I said yes,” said Aubrie. “I met with Jenevieve, and once I understood her approach to care, I knew that was what I wanted.” 

The benefits of a midwife 

By traditional definition, a midwife is a "patient-centered healthcare professional trained to assist women throughout pregnancy, labor and delivery, and immediately after the baby is born.” 

An arrival ahead of schedule 

At 39 weeks and 3 days, Daniel Carey decided it was time to make his way into the world, three weeks earlier than Aubrie or Jenna had anticipated. With contractions coming fast, Aubrie and her husband had little time to spare, making the hour-long drive from Boulder in the middle of the night.  

“My husband pulled over three times on the drive so I could vomit. We arrived at 3:30 a.m., and it was 10 degrees outside of the Emergency Department. My husband ran in to get help, but I couldn’t stay in the car any longer, so I crawled out of the car on all fours. The nurse walked out and took one look at me, smiled, and said, ‘Oh, here we go!’” 

Expecting a long delivery, Aubrie had asked Jenna to deny her an epidural until she reached six centimeters as part of her birth plan. Only, when Aubrie arrived at St. James, she had already dilated to eight. The anesthesiologist rushed to the hospital. 

“At 4:30 a.m., Jenna told me the anesthesiologist was here, but she said, ‘Aubrie, you are at a 10. I can bring him to you, but you are going to have to stay absolutely still,” explained Aubrie. “A moment later, my next contraction started, and I started pushing, and I couldn’t stop. With my next contraction, my water broke, and it was go time.” 

Daniel’s delivery moved quickly over the next 45 minutes and was without issue until his shoulder became stuck in the birth canal. Bayless and the delivery team swiftly moved Daniel into position using a technique called the McRoberts maneuver, preventing serious problems. Within moments, Daniel was delivered and placed on Aubrie’s chest. 

Wrapping new moms in postpartum support 

After Aubrie and Daniel were discharged from the hospital, their medical care didn’t stop. Aubrie participated in a program through the state called Community Integrated Health that allows emergency responders to partner with the community members for nonemergent care. For Aubrie and Daniel, that meant weekly visits from an Emergency Medical Technician who screened Aubrie for signs of postpartum depression and took Daniel’s measurements and vital statistics. 

Jenna received weekly updates on Aubrie’s progress. When one weekly visit showed red flags, Jenna scheduled an in-person appointment the next day. 

A women’s health partner for life 

Aubrie recently had her final postpartum visit. “If Jenna wasn’t my provider, I’d want to be her friend’” says Aubrie. At her last postpartum appointment, Aubrie said teared up saying "I’m not ready to be done with you.” 

The good news is, she doesn’t have to be, and Jenna wouldn’t have it any other way. CNMs at St. James care for women from adolescence and pre-menstruation through menopause and beyond, including annual checkups, screenings, pap smears, and breast exams. 

“I became a midwife after working as a labor and delivery nurse for eight years. I wanted to see and care for women for more than a couple days,” said Jenna. “I want to be a part of their lives, know their stories, and help them with all their women’s health needs. It’s meaningful.” 

The program is funded by a grant from the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program, otherwise known as RMOMS, awarded by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. Intermountain Health was one of four recipients nationwide in 2022 to receive an RMOMS award. The grant provides nearly $1 million per year over four years for a total of $3.9 million to help increase access to obstetric services and improve outcomes such as preterm labor, low birthweight, infant mortality and more in southwestern Montana. 

“Pregnancy can be a difficult time in a woman's life, and current economic and geographic challenges do not make it any simpler," explains Dr. Ibrahim Hammad, MD, Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Intermountain Health. "It is part of our responsibility as healthcare professionals not only to provide counseling and treatment in clinics and hospitals, but also to reach out to our patients in an effort to ease and reduce their burden. This program is designed to bring maternal care closer to, if not to, the household.”

In communities such as Philipsburg, Deer Lodge, and Drummond, an expecting mom might need to travel 30 miles to see a primary care provider and more than 60 miles to see a specialist. This travel, when possible, often means time away from work and family as well as lost income. As a result of these barriers, many women choose to go without adequate prenatal or postpartum care.

“Our mission is to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in rural Montana. We know these families have no choice but to travel to Butte, Anaconda, and Missoula to receive care,” said Krystal Richards, RMOMS Grant Project Director for Intermountain Health. “I’m excited to bring choice to these families and ultimately develop a financially viable model that can be replicated in any maternal health desert.”

The grant specifically hopes to:

• Increase the number of women engaged in preconception through postpartum care
• Improve health outcomes for women of childbearing age as they access services and have access to specialty care via telehealth
• Improve early identification of high-risk pregnancies and the development of appropriate care plans
• Increase the rate of pregnant women with birth plans
• Decrease the local rate of maternal morbidity and mortality
• Improve the viability of local healthcare, including obstetric services
• Grow the obstetric support workforce

Maternal Health Connection will offer a hybrid of telehealth services with access to maternal-fetal specialists and OB-GYNs and in-person patient care delivered by certified nurse midwives (CNMs) and registered nurses in their communities and directly to them in their homes.

A community health nurse has been hired, and two CNMs from Intermountain Health are in place to begin providing services in September. The program plans to expand over the next three years to include two birth doulas, sonographers, genetic counseling, and lactation consultants.

St. James Healthcare is one of nine participating partners in Maternal Health Connection. Intermountain Health, which applied for the grant prior to the merger with SCL Health, will also be working closely with Granite County Medical Center and its two rural health clinics, Deer Lodge Medical Center and its rural health clinic, Southwest Montana Community Health Center, Healthy Granite County Network, Healthy Mothers, Healthy  Babies, the Montana Medicaid Office, and Healthy Montana Families.

The baby formula shortages from last year left parents who use formula struggling to find enough formula for their babies. Some babies are exclusively breastfed, and others are exclusively formula-fed, but often moms turn to both breastfeeding and formula feeding either simultaneously or at different times. 

For moms who are breastfeeding, it’s important to know how to increase their milk supply, whether their baby is going through a growth spurt or if parents can’t find the formula they need in stock. Having access to a lactation consultant can make a world of difference in the overall length of time a baby is breastfed. 

Lactation consultants can help moms try different techniques, get information on nutrition, and can be emotional support for moms as they make their breastfeeding journey. 

Last year the American Academy of Pediatrics updated their recommendations for breastfeeding to acknowledge the benefits of breastfeeding beyond one year.

For years clinical research has shown that breastfeeding is linked to decreased rates of lower respiratory tract infections, severe diarrhea, ear infections, and obesity. Breastfeeding is associated with a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome, as well as other protective effects. 

The new recommendations re-state the recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life and add the benefits of breastfeeding beyond one year and include: 

• Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. There is no need to introduce infant formula or other sources of nutrition for most infants. Beyond 6 months, breastfeeding should be maintained along with nutritious complementary foods. 
• There are continued benefits from breastfeeding beyond 1 year, and up to 2 years, especially in the mother. Long-term breastfeeding is associated with protections against diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancers of the breast and ovaries. 

Tips to help moms build up milk supply 

1. Practice skin-to-skin contact. It helps stabilize the baby’s temperature, breathing, and heart rate. They cry less. It stimulates brain development. It improves milk production, and reduces postpartum complications and depression. 
2. Let baby determine the feeding schedule. Nurse baby when they’re hungry. Breast milk is digested quickly and easily so babies want to nurse often. Watch for feeding cues: rooting, sucking on their hand, crying when not wet or uncomfortable. Babies have growth spurts and may need to nurse more frequently at times. 
3. Breastfeeding works by supply and demand. The more baby nurses, the more milk mom’s body will produce. Low milk supply is rare. Sometimes babies will cluster feed and nurse again a short time later and then go a longer time before the next feeding. That helps build milk supply. 
4. Offer both breasts at each feeding. Nurse baby on both sides at each feeding. Be patient in the beginning. As babies grow, they get faster at nursing. If needed, pump or hand express after a feeding to draw out extra milk and signal the body to make more. 
5. Practice self-care. Nursing moms require more fluids and about 2,000 calories per day to maintain a good milk supply. Stay hydrated, eat enough, and sleep when the baby sleeps. Learn to manage stress. 

For more information 

St. James Healthcare offers a free Breastfeeding Education class for expecting parents. Along, with the ability to schedule a one-on-one session with Jessica Walsh, BSN, RNC, IBCLC. To schedule an appointment please call 406.723.2711. 

Follow this link for more information about Breastfeeding from St. James Healthcare. 

There is a national U.S. government program called Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) that helps pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women and their children who are at nutritional risk. There is a WIC Hotline that is staffed Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. They can answer breastfeeding questions over the phone. The phone number is 1-877-942-5437. 

The award recognizes St. James Healthcare, now part of Intermountain Health, and its commitment to successfully implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. It signifies that St. James has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations. 

To receive the Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, St. James has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain  ̶   MI Registry for two consecutive years (2021 and 2022), and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

“It is an honor to award St. James with the Platinum Performance Award for their valuable national leadership and dedication to meeting comprehensive performance measures in patient care,” said Michael C. Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, and cardiologist at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center.  “The receipt of this award indicates that St. James remains committed to providing top quality, guideline-driven care for heart attack patients. Their success ensures patients are receiving the highest quality cardiovascular care.”

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that almost 800,000 Americans yearly suffer a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot in a coronary artery partially or completely blocks blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling, and cardiac rehabilitation, among others.

St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, a fellow Intermountain Health Montana hospital, has also earned Platinum-level recognition with awards in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry empowers health care provider teams to consistently treat heart attack patients according to the most current, science-based guidelines and establishes a national standard for understanding and improving the quality, safety, and outcomes of care provided for patients with coronary artery disease, specifically high-risk heart attack patients.

Nurses: The Heart of Health Care celebrates those who choose a career of compassion in the nursing field and recognizes the dedication of nursing staff across the state of Montana. Ten profiles of outstanding nurses are featured, nominated by their communities for making an extraordinary difference in people’s lives.

From numerous submissions, nine nurses were selected by a panel of judges from The Montana Standard, as well as Karen Van Daveer of Montana Tech and Father Patrick Beretta. The 10th selection, Readers’ Choice, was voted on by the community. Presented in no particular order, these nursing profiles give insight into those who give so much of themselves and offer thanks for their dedication to a field fraught with obstacles.

Find the profiles on each St. James nurse below.

St. James Healthcare, now part of Intermountain Health, and Butte-Silver Bow (BSB) Health Department released the 2023 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) for Butte-Silver Bow.  The document is the result of work that began in 2022. 

St. James and the BSB Health Department contracted with Professional Research Consultants, Inc. (PRC) to conduct telephone surveys with 400 residents selected randomly within the community and to conduct an online Key Informant survey with key leaders, social service agencies, and physicians in Butte.  PRC analyzed all the data gathered, compared it to state and national benchmarks, and to Healthy People 2030 objectives, and then drafted a preliminary assessment document.  

In November, all the online survey participants were invited to a meeting to evaluate, discuss, and prioritize the health issues identified through the surveys. These priorities included Substance Use, Mental Health, Nutrition/Physical Activity/Weight, Heart Disease & Stroke, and Infant Health Family Planning. Most of Butte’s social service agencies were represented, and with the information gathered at this meeting, PRC finalized the 2023 Community Health Needs Assessment. 

Five areas of opportunity identified in the Community Health Needs Assessment included:  

• Access 
• Chronic Disease 
  • Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease & Stroke, Respiratory Diseases 
• Modifiable Risks 
  • Nutrition, Physical Activity & Weight, Injury Violence, Infant Health & Family Planning, Sexual Health, Tobacco Use 
• Behavioral Health 
  • Mental Health and Substance Abuse 
• Social Determinants and Environmental Health 

The next step in the process is to develop a Community Health Improvement Plan that outlines actions that will be taken over the next three years to improve the community's health. 

Karen Maloughney, Director of the Butte-Silver Bow Health Department, said, “The information provided by this assessment is invaluable in helping my department establish priorities.  Because PRC also conducted our 2014, 2017, and 2020 assessments, we are now able to compare this year’s data with the data from the previous assessments, and that helps us assess the impact our programs have on the community’s health.”

The complete 2023 Community Health Needs Assessment Report will be available online in the coming months.  Once finalized it will be posted here: 

• https://www.sclhealth.org/locations/st-james-healthcare/about/community-benefit/community-health-needs-assessment/  
• http://co.silverbow.mt.us/  
• http://co.silverbow.mt.us/135/Health 

Conducted every three years, the assessment evaluates the overall health status of Butte-Silver Bow, identifies the most pressing health-related needs of the community, and helps St. James, the Health Department, and other community participants determine how to resolve some of those needs.

The Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals play a key role in providing a safety net to communities across the county and the INDEX measures them across eight pillars of hospital strength: Inpatient Share Ranking, Outpatient Share Ranking, Cost, Charge, Quality, Outcomes, Patient Perspectives, and Financial Stability.

This annual recognition program honors outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™.

This year marks St. James' fourth time being included on the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital list, with the most recent being listed in 2022. St. James made back-to-back appearances in 2017 and 2018.

“Across the nation, top 100 rural providers continue to serve as a source of inspiration for hospital leadership teams and staff working diligently every day to improve the delivery of care within their local communities,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, the Chartis Center for Rural Health. “The list of award winners in each category is as geographically diverse as we’ve seen in some time, which is wonderful. We’re thrilled to be able to honor the outstanding efforts of these top-performing rural hospitals."

See the full list of Rural and Community Hospitals here.

Now in its 13^th year, the INDEX has established itself as the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Leveraging publicly available data, the INDEX is trusted by rural hospitals, health systems with rural affiliates, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health across the country to measure and monitor performance across a variety of areas impacting hospital operations and finance.

Montana State Athletics and Intermountain share a clear and common purpose in supporting our communities, including overall well-being for individuals, families, and communities. 

Committed to creating healthier communities throughout the region, Intermountain currently provides primary care services to the Bozeman community through the SCL Health Medical Group – Bozeman clinic conveniently located on Main Street, along with specialty services such as heart care, neurology, and in partnership with Ortho Montana, orthopedics for both adults and children. 

Intermountain will be the associate sponsor of the upcoming Cat/Griz showdown at MSU’s Brick Breeden Fieldhouse as both the Women’s and Men’s basketball teams take on the University of Montana on Saturday, February 18, 2023. Caregivers from the Bozeman primary care clinic will be in attendance to celebrate the new partnership – be sure to check out their booth! For more information about the Bozeman clinic please visit sclhealth.org/bozeman. 

Peshek doesn’t remember exactly why he called 9-1-1 on November 30, 2021, but something didn’t feel right and while he was on the phone with dispatch, he collapsed. He suffered a cardiac arrest, which means his heart unexpectedly stopped pumping.   

“The line went dead, but he had called just in time to get the system activated,” said Alan Mayer, MD, an emergency medicine physician at St. James Healthcare. 

The dispatcher notified the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department and A-1 Ambulance. Once on scene at Peshek’s house. The first responders started CPR and then shocked him three times with an AED (automated external defibrillator) to get his heart beating again.  

“(Dave) had coded. He was in cardiac arrest when they got on the scene and when that happens, you’ve got an extremely limited timeframe to get somebody back,” Dr. Mayer said. “If you don’t get CPR started, within a few minutes, you lose oxygen supply to the brain, and even with CPR, you’ve got a very limited time on how long you can shock the heart and get it to come back to a rhythm. The team of first responders did exactly what they needed to do.” 

To ensure his heart continued pumping, a mechanical chest compression device was attached to Peshek during his transport to the hospital.  

Meanwhile, the emergency medicine team at St. James Healthcare, the largest acute-care hospital in southwest Montana, had been notified of the situation and were ready to jump into action the moment Peshek arrived.  

“Our team is trained and certified in advanced cardiovascular life support and critical care,” explained Dr. Mayer. “When a cardiac arrest patient, like Dave, arrives at our emergency department, every second of our response is critical to ensure the best possible outcome.” 

Upon arrival at St. James, Peshek had an emergency stent placement, a procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries caused by coronary artery disease, and spent ten days in the hospital, including three days in the cardiac ICU. Peshek doesn’t recall any of it.  

“I’ve never experienced, not only physical but mental trauma like this event was. It was major,” Peshek shared. 

According to Dr. Mayer, the “system” worked exactly as it was supposed to for Peshek.   

“It was the very quick action of everybody involved that led to the success of this one,” said Dr. Mayer.  

Peshek’s road to recovery wasn’t easy, but he was determined to build up his strength and regain his independent lifestyle. That’s where the St. James Cardiac Rehabilitation Program stepped in.  

To help him achieve his goals of improving his health, restoring his strength, and reducing his risk of further heart issues, St. James’ cardiac rehabilitation team worked closely with Peshek to develop a plan tailored to his condition and needs, including a mix of monitored exercise, medication management, nutrition counseling, and education. 

For 12 weeks with three sessions each week, Peshek attended cardiac rehabilitation at St. James. 

“(Cardiac rehab) was very instrumental in getting my muscle mass, my muscle tone, and my stamina back — which was really important for me to have,” said Peshek.  

By October of 2022, Peshek was able to cut, split and stack five cords of wood at his home, south of Butte. He mows the grass, tends to his greenhouse, and works in the house too. Peshek is proud to say that he’s pretty much back to normal, though slowing down in his 75 years of age.   

“I recently had an echocardiogram done and the cardiologist said it’s a miracle — there’s no evidence in the heart muscle that I ever had the event that I had,” Peshek recalled. 

As he reflects on his months spent in and out of St. James Healthcare, Peshek feels immense gratitude.  

“I’m very humbled by it all and very thankful for it all," said Peshek. “St. James saved my life, and I cannot say enough good about this place. From the ER to the cardiologists to cardiac rehab, I owe them my life.”  

St. James Healthcare, now part of Intermountain Healthcare, is pleased to announce it has been selected as one of six organizations to receive Million Hearts® Health Equity Implementation project funding to implement evidence-based strategies to improve cardiovascular health and advance health equity.  

The funding will support St. James Healthcare's "Hearts in the Mountains" initiative. The program will improve access to care for people with heart failure living in rural communities in Southwest Montana by supporting the availability of virtual and remote models of cardiac rehabilitation. Patients will be using self-measured blood pressure and weight monitoring and telehealth services to connect with specialists at St. James Healthcare. In turn, reducing hospitalizations, readmissions, and improving overall outcomes for heart failure patients who reside in rural communities.

The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) reviewed more than 100 applications from organizations that submitted proposals in response to the Million Hearts® Health Equity Implementation RFP. Each organization will receive up to $50,000 to effectively implement Million Hearts® strategies among priority populations to advance health equity between January – June 2023. Each grantee will focus on a Million Hearts® priority population and implement appropriate strategies outlined in Million Hearts® 2027 Focusing on Health Equity to address their needs.

The “Healthy Lifestyles” Diabetes Prevention Program is administered by Ida and Holly McCamant, ACSM-CPT. They assist the program participants to make improvements in their eating habits while also helping them develop a pattern of regular physical activity. The program consists of a 16-week series of nutrition and physical activity classes followed by six months of follow-up classes. 

The program initially started in 2008 and has been working for a number of years to bring the best quality program to serve Southwest Montana. 

“The sustained success of the lifestyle change program makes an invaluable contribution to the prevention of type 2 diabetes, both in the community and nationally,” said Miriam T. Bell, Team Lead, National Diabetes Prevention Program at the CDC. “It is immensely gratifying to see the science of diabetes prevention being implemented to improve the public’s health.” 

The next session of the “Healthy Lifestyles” program starts on February 13, 2023. For registration information on the classes please call 406-723-2960 or visit https://www.sclhealth.org/classes-events/stjames/healthy-lifestyles/.

To all of our caregivers, patients, and communities we wish you a joyful Christmas and a healthy New Year!

It’s a big day and would be exhausting for anyone, and for Kerns, he’s had an exceptionally long road.  

He’d had a stroke and, according to physical therapist, Jake Dennehy — it was severe. 

“He was, kind of, a miracle at hand. He was ventilated for about a week and in a medically induced coma and nobody was really sure if he was going to make it and then he came back out of it and he was very weak — he couldn’t walk, he couldn’t do anything,” explained Dennehy.  

“In the beginning, it was degrading because I was very active prior to that. So, I had a hard time needing all this help that I need.  But thank God everybody stayed with it and got me to this point,” said Kerns. 

Physical Therapy works on global motions — making sure the patient can walk and get from one place to the next, while occupational therapy works with patients on their daily activities. That can be anything that occupies your time — from brushing your teeth to fishing. 

The ventilator damaged his vocal cords so that’s what the speech therapist helps him repair.  

Physical Therapist Melissa Swanson worked with Kerns while he was in the hospital.  Swanson used a lift and had the assistance of 2 other caregivers to help Kerns stand so he could practice walking while being supported. Kerns kept at it and progressed to a walker when he was discharged and now to a cane.  

“It’s pretty gratifying that I’ve come this far,” said Kerns.  

Walking isn’t the only skill he’s had to remaster. 

“When we initially started, he had no awareness of the left side of his body. It was flaccid — so he couldn’t use that side at all,” said Petroni.  

They started with ice and vibration to facilitate the use of the muscles and one day they got some motion. That’s when Petroni knew they had something to build on. Kerns started using the left arm a little bit and then each day he progressed. Some of the therapy tasks at that time were very basic — from bringing his left thumb to a finger or sitting at the edge of the bed for a certain amount of time while bearing weight on that arm.  

“Kerns went from a position where he had very little alertness to waking up and understanding his body again — and then from only being able to sit at the edge of the bed to walking,” said Petroni. “It’s really neat to see: going from that point where you can’t do anything but lay in bed to being back, independent in the community.” 

Now Kerns can live at home and attend his granddaughter’s volleyball games at East Middle School.  

Petroni says it’s important to have tasks with meaning.  

“I really try to talk with a person about what’s important to them and then we set goals based on what they want to accomplish with their daily routine,” said Petroni.  

Kerns enjoys fishing, so his family brought a little ice fishing pole into the hospital during his stay so Petroni could use that in his occupational therapy sessions.  

“I want to go back to my cabin. I’ve got a cabin at Georgetown and I didn’t get to use it at all this summer and so I’m looking forward to getting back up there this spring,” said Kerns. 

Kerns has a close relationship with his therapists after several months together. He’ll poke fun at them and laugh, making the sessions enjoyable.  

Dennehy told him they’d be doing hurdles during his physical therapy session and Kerns was shocked so he pushed back a little. Then, he did it successfully.  

“Mike’s fun to work with. It’s fulfilling, just seeing where he started to where he’s at now, and how we’ve helped him do that,” said Dennehy. “Two months ago, he was walking with the walker and shuffle gate pattern and couldn’t lift his legs and now we’ve got him walking over hurdles. It’s great to see.” 

Having his three therapy sessions under one roof makes them accessible, but it also helps that his therapists work together and build their daily goals based on what the others are working on. Their sessions for Kerns complement each other. 

“They’re a good group, they really are. And they’re very knowledgeable with what they’re doing,” said Kerns.  

For more information about Therapy Services at St. James Healthcare please visit: https://www.sclhealth.org/locations/st-james-healthcare/services/rehabilitation/treatments/

As part of the National Rural Health Day celebration, St. James Healthcare, now part of Intermountain Healthcare, has been recognized with a 2022 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in Outcomes. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Awards honor top quartile performance (e.g., 75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals in Quality, Outcomes, and Patient Perspective. 

The Performance Leadership Awards are based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX™, the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. INDEX data is trusted and relied upon by rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health across the country to measure and monitor performance across several areas impacting hospital operations and finance. 
 

“Although the last two years have placed unprecedented pressure on the rural health safety net, the dedication to serving the community that we’re so accustomed to seeing from rural hospitals across the country hasn’t wavered,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “Let us celebrate the power of rural on National Rural Health Day and honor the facilities working tirelessly to provide access to high quality healthcare services to their communities.”

The dynamic duo of Ida Reighard and Marcus Paske were awarded the 'Advancing the Vision in Quality Care Award' as part of the annual diabetes professional conference sponsored by the Montana Diabetes Program & the Montana Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES).

Ida Reighard, RN, CDE is a Diabetes Education Coordinator and Marcus Paske, PharmD, BCACP, AE-C, CPP, is an Ambulatory Clinical Pharmacist with St. James Healthcare, now part of Intermountain Healthcare. They worked together on an 18-month quality improvement project, with the goal of incorporating pharmacy and diabetes education into provider practices and patient care management. Prior to the project, clinical pharmacists were not part of the primary care clinic and referrals to diabetes care and education services (DCES) were stagnant.

“When we started the project, we found primary care providers that were very focused on teamwork. So we were able to inform them of what type of care we could offer their diabetic patients,” said Reighard. “ So now we've become part of their referral pattern so when they get a new patient with diabetes the provider can get them in touch with Marcus to assist with their medication and with me for diabetes education.”

Through their teamwork, the results were staggering. The average A1C levels of the patients referred dropped from 10.4% (abnormal) on the initial visit to 7.2% (at or close to goal) on the repeat exam. On an individual level, some results were astounding. In fact, one patient had an A1C of 16.1% at the time of referral to Marcus and Ida and after working with the team, the patient’s A1C dropped to 5.1%. These results show the strength and impact of their team-based care which occurred routinely. 

“We were really focused on getting the patients we were referred into team-based care. That way we could track those patients to measure their outcomes. We've tracked some patients for over two years now and we are seeing some really good outcomes,” said Paske. "I think we had 77 patients that were referred to us in that two-year time and then of those patients, we assisted 95% of them to reach their A1C level goal,  so their diabetes is under control.

Team-based care is an important part of healthcare quality and a problematic project to conquer. The team of Marcus and Ida worked together, sought solutions to struggles, and has become a prime example of what can be accomplished when caregivers work together.

Through this award and four other awards, the Diabetes Professional Conference recognizes those healthcare professionals and/or organizations who are supporting positive change and making an impact in their communities and patients who are at risk for or living with diabetes.

Ladies Night  - a Virtual Health Event on Women’s Health was an evening filled with inspirational reflections and learnings for women of all ages.  Jen Alderfer, President of the Montana | Wyoming Market for Intermountain Healthcare led an expert panel of providers discussing heart health, OB-GYN, midwifery, gynecologic oncology care, family medicine and overall wellness. Women had an opportunity to engage with the panel and ask questions about their health. 

Whether it's breastfeeding, formula feeding or a mix of both, mothers can find the information and help they need at the lactation clinic inside St James Healthcare, now part of Intermountain Healthcare. 

“It was a struggle to start, but it got easier as we went and kind of fixed the problems,” said Kaycee Hould. “But I guess I'm lucky because I didn't know any different.” 

Kaycee gave birth to her first son, Kyden, in August of last year and had trouble breastfeeding him and his weight was not improving no matter what Hould did to get him to latch. 

“So I reached out to Jessica and she was amazing to be able to help me and give me the tools and everything that I needed to be able to breastfeed,” said Kaycee. 

Jessica Walsh, BSN, RNC, an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), has been working at St James for 17 years and is the only IBCLC in the Butte-Silver Bow area. In an effort to bring her expertise to new mothers the outpatient clinic was started Summer of 2021. 

“I feel like we do a really great job of helping moms and educating them and giving them lots of help while they’re in the hospital, but here in Butte, there were not a whole lot of resources for them to reach out to when they were having struggles at home. So that motivated me to go for something more in-depth,” said Walsh. 

In addition to the lactation clinic, Walsh offers a free breastfeeding class for expecting mothers. The breastfeeding class is two hours long and Walsh teaches about the basics of breastfeeding, the important things to know in the first hour of life, and the first couple days of life. One of the most crucial parts of the class is connecting expectant parents to the available resources so they know who to ask for help after the baby is delivered. 

Now that Kyden is weaned off breast milk, Kaycee could not be any happier after achieving her goal of breastfeeding him for one year.  Having Jessica along for the breastfeeding journey has been essential to their success.

“Somebody as kind and sweet as Jessica cheering you on saying, no, that's normal and actually giving you a perception of what is normal was amazing,” said Kaycee. “Not only for my mental health but to continue in feeding with him.” 

Jessica worked in collaboration with the St. James Healthcare Foundation for the initial funding for the Lactation Clinic. She is now happy to announce the Lactation Clinic has received a $17,6580 grant from The Montana Obstetrics & Maternal Support program (MOMS), The Rural Institute of the University of Montana, and the Montana Department of Health and Human Services (DPHHS).

St. James Healthcare offers several classes on childbirth preparation and breastfeeding. Visit sjh-mt.org/baby for more information. 

Intermountain Healthcare recognizes the value of collaborating with community organizations to further its mission. As a part of the ongoing community benefit program, Intermountain approved $525,000 in Community Contributions to nine partners in Colorado and Montana to support health improvement programming. The funds are being given through one-time contributions to qualified non-profit and governmental partners.

The Community Contributions are about the hospitals' legacies in the communities they serve, Intermountain's commitment to community, and addressing the community health needs uncovered during our Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs) in 2018 and 2021. The contributions were made in the following categories: Improve Mental Well-Being, Address the Social Determinants of Health, and Improve Access.

On July 22nd, Mark Korth, Regional President of Intermountain Healthcare, visited St. James Healthcare to present a $20,000 donation to Action, Inc. When people in Southwest Montana need help with emergency rent, weatherization, affordable housing, early childhood education, and youth empowerment, they turn to Action Inc. 

Action, Inc. serves a six-county service area where more than 11,000 people exist on incomes that place even necessities beyond reach. Another 16,000 people in the region find it difficult to meet housing and heating costs. Most alarming is the fact that one-fifth of children are at risk of hunger, homelessness, and abnormal health and development due to a lack of resources for necessities. 

St. James Healthcare works very closely with Action Inc. on homelessness and substance use disorder programs. The funds provided will be used to bolster the supportive housing initiative known as BSB FUSE: Butte-Silver Bow Supportive Housing Development Project, along with nutritional programs and other services.

The American College of Cardiology has recognized St. James Healthcare for its demonstrated expertise and commitment to treating patients with chest pain. St. James Healthcare was awarded Chest Pain Center Accreditation with Primary PCI in July based on a rigorous onsite evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is also known as coronary angioplasty. It is a non-surgical procedure that opens narrowed or blocked coronary arteries with a balloon to relieve symptoms of heart disease or reduce heart damage during or after a heart attack. 

Hospitals that have earned ACC Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI Accreditation have proven exceptional competency in treating patients with heart attack symptoms and have primary PCI available 24/7 every day of the year. As required to meet the criteria of the accreditation designation, they comply with standard Chest Pain Center protocols. They are equipped with a robust hypothermia program for post-cardiac arrest treatment. These facilities maintain a "No Diversion Policy" for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients. 

“St. James has demonstrated its commitment to providing southwest Montana with excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award St. James Healthcare with Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI Accreditation.” 

Hospitals receiving Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI Accreditation from the ACC must take part in a multi-faceted clinical process that involves: completing a gap analysis; examining variances of care, developing an action plan; a rigorous onsite review; and monitoring for sustained success. 

Improved methods and strategies of caring for patients include streamlining processes, implementing guidelines and standards, and adopting best practices in the care of patients experiencing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. Facilities that achieve accreditation meet or exceed an array of stringent criteria and have organized a team of doctors, nurses, clinicians, and other administrative staff that earnestly support the efforts leading to better patient education and improved patient outcomes. 
 

St. James Healthcare recently complete a two-lab cardiac catheterization suite, thanks in large part to a $4.68 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The new cardiac catheterization suite has allowed the hospital to provide the communities of southwestern Montana with improved access to high-quality cardiovascular care, resulting in better patient outcomes. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 730,000 Americans yearly suffer a heart attack. The most common symptom of a heart attack for both men and women is chest pain or discomfort. However, women are more likely to have atypical symptoms. Other heart attack symptoms include, but are not limited to, tingling or discomfort in one or both arms, back, shoulder, neck or jaw, shortness of breath, cold sweat, unusual tiredness, heartburn-like feeling, nausea or vomiting, sudden dizziness and fainting. 

The ACC offers domestic and international hospitals like St. James Healthcare access to a comprehensive suite of cardiac accreditation services designed to optimize patient outcomes and improve hospital financial performance. These services are focused on all aspects of cardiac care, including emergency treatment of heart attacks. 

St. James Healthcare’s Trauma team conducted a “Distracted Driver” training session on June 30, 2022, for approximately 160 area students who are currently enrolled in Driver’s Education.

As part of the distracted driving training, teens operated golf carts through an obstacle course. The students were timed driving the course with no distractions, then handed a smartphone and asked to reply to a friend while navigating through the cones. Lastly, the students were asked to repeat the course while wearing a pair of goggles that are designed to show the effects of alcohol, known as Fatal Vision Goggles.

“This course is a great way to not only talk about the dangers of distracted driving but to demonstrate firsthand on a controlled course,” says Amber Henson St. James Trauma and Disaster Planning Assistant. “This is a topic very close to us at St. James Healthcare, as motor vehicle accidents are one of our leading causes of trauma and death in Montana. We feel educating our new drivers is the best way to prevent them from injury.”

Along with the distracted driving course, students interacted with the Montana Highway Patrol, Butte Police Department, Butte Fire Department, Montana “Share the Road Program”, and A1 Ambulance.

The distracted driving course was made possible by a grant from the Butte-Silver Bow DUI Task Force and golf cart donations from the Butte Country Club.

Braden Morris is the proud holder of five medals from the 2022 Class B State Track and Field Meet — four are first-place medals and one is a second-place medal. He’s just graduated from Jefferson High School, looking forward to attending Montana State University in the fall, and plans to become an orthopedic surgeon. His path is exciting, but it looks much different than it did when he limped off the football field seven months prior. 

The road to the podium for the 110-hurdles, 300-hurdles, javelin, triple jump, and the 4X100 relay team would have already been a long one of dedication and hard work, and yet, Braden’s road had a long detour through surgery and rehabilitation. 

“It was a retinaculum avulsion fracture so the ligaments and tendons on the outside of my ankle had torn off the bone and pulled a piece of the bone with it,” explained Braden.

He was playing safety during the last play of the last regular-season game, against Townsend. He said he was running across the middle of the field and tried to make a tackle when the other player landed on his foot, causing everything to pop out of place. 

“It was a hard wobble off the field. Especially, because we lost the game. It was very tough,” said Morris.

He missed all of the team’s postseason, as the Panthers made it to the semifinals. Then he missed the basketball season. Though it was hard to sit out, his eyes had always been focused on getting back for the track season. 

“I went to Dr. Reissig and she was able to help set up an MRI, schedule surgery within the next two weeks, and made the whole process go as fast as possible,” said Morris. 

He’s talking about Jessica Reissig, DO — an orthopedic surgeon with a foot and ankle specialty at SCL Health Medical Group - Montana Orthopedics, now part of Intermountain Healthcare. She’s the inspiration for Braden’s decision to become an orthopedic surgeon. 

Reissig chose her career because she likes the variety of being able to do different procedures but still be able to focus on one body part. That way, she says, she can focus and hone her skills to one area. 

“Orthopedic surgeons who specialize in foot and ankle are a little special. They do five years of general orthopedics, so you pretty much learn the entire body — which is also very important to the foot and ankle,” she explained. 

Originally from Seeley Lake, Montana, medical school took her to Colorado, and then her training took her to Long Island, followed by her fellowship training at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. She would then take a position in South Dakota for two years before moving to Butte in August of 2021. Her husband is from Manhattan, Montana, so they’re both thrilled to be back in their home state.

She pointed at Morris’s X-ray where the tendons were pulled apart and took a little piece of bone with them.  Braden’s injury isn’t common — Reissig only sees it every couple of years and it’s one that’s easy to miss. 

In surgery, Reissig opened up the outside of his ankle and then put the tendons back where they belong. She deepened the back of the ankle so they wouldn’t tear out again. Then, repaired the ligament and then took out the cartilage that had been disrupted by the injury, and then poked some holes in the bone to get new cartilage to form in its place.

“Dr. Reissig made me feel safe and I wasn’t worried about going into surgery or anything with her because I felt like she knew what she was doing and I had faith in her,” said Morris. 

Morris spent two weeks in a splint and four weeks in a boot. He was walking by about six weeks, got the boot off after eight weeks, and was back to most activities by three and a half months. 

He said track season was extra rough at the beginning because he had to get everything back into shape and working again, but, Braden’s positive attitude shines through when he talks about rehabilitation as a time to learn patience. 

“He was positive from day one — the minute he walked in with his family, they were all motivated to get it fixed. They were motivated to get back on the track field because that’s his sport,” said Reissig. 

Last fall, they went to the ER, thinking Morris had an ankle sprain, and learned it was much more extensive. His track season could have looked very different had they waited any longer. 

A foot and ankle specialist can help with a variety of problems — from deformity to bunions, arthritis, and old injuries. 

“Sometimes people just think it’s normal to have continued pain for a long time and that’s not always the case,” said Reissig. 

For more information visit sjh-mt.org/orthopedics or call 406-496-3400.

Babies are born every day. In fact, 249 were born in Butte at St. James Healthcare just last year. Over 200 births and over 200 different birth stories. Even twins have slight variances in their entrances.  

Every mother has a birth story to share, but before they ever begin the labor process, a lot of thought, planning, and preparations go into that very moment. Different women want different things and sometimes her baby, her body, and her circumstances can impact the way her birth story takes shape.

Having options is important, and now, the women of southwest Montana have two more.

Many parents will start in a birth class. Jenevieve Bayless, MSN, CNM once taught those classes as a registered nurse in the St. James Family Birth Center. Her grandmother was an obstetrics (OB) nurse for 25 years, so Bayless grew up hearing about the influence the healthcare team can have on women. She worked as an OB nurse for eight years and felt a calling to take her practice even further.

“I taught childbirth classes and realized that I had a lot to teach and that I was so passionate about this,” said Bayless. She went back to school for two years while continuing to work full time. She got her master's and become a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM).

Now she won’t just be at the bedside of a mother in labor, she’ll be able to provide her healthcare throughout her life – from puberty to menopause.

Passion for women’s health drove Butte native Megan Bristol, MSN, CNM, as well.  She’d been working at St. James Healthcare for ten years, eight of which were in the St. James Family Birth Center before she became a CNM.

Bristol and Bayless describe midwifery as a practice that specializes in women’s health while providing patient-centered care. When delivering babies, they spend more time at the woman’s bedside and offer a lot of support. Not all of their patients are unmedicated but many choose to be.

Bristol and Bayless will start taking patients this month. The two midwives will join the SCL Health Medical Group - Butte OB-Gyn clinic, alongside Laura Twist, MD,  Jacob Christian, DO, and Mark Garnaas, MD — as part of the options available to expectant mothers. 

Jenna and Megan will help to deliver their patient’s babies at St. James Healthcare and will have access to the OB-Gyns and MFMs — or a maternal-fetal medicine specialist — should any complications or concerns arise.

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) annual birth report shows births attended by CNMs are experiencing upward trends. 

The two midwives aren’t only available to expectant mothers — they’re available as primary care providers, as well.

“We can do all kinds of screenings and annual exams and then if we need to refer or consult, we can do that,” said Bristol.

The two midwives are also looking forward to their outreach to women in rural southwest Montana, as well.

“Living in Montana, obviously we have a lot of rural areas, and women are going to have questions out there, they’re going to be pregnant out there,” said Bayless. “I’m very excited to help women feel more involved in their healthcare and see them in the towns where they’re at.”

Telehealth will also be available to women who can’t make it to their appointments.

From teenagers to women going through menopause, Bristol and Bayless are excited to get started.

“I’m really looking forward to being able to build relationships with my patients and being able to maybe meet a young girl as a teenager and then being able to provide her care when she becomes pregnant and then providing postpartum care and just follow her the years beyond,” said Bristol.

“I’m looking forward to not only being able to be there when they’re in labor and helping through that time but also getting to know them through their whole lives, being able to follow their families and their lives, and just entwining my life with theirs,” said Bayless.

For more information please visit sjh-mt.org/baby or call 406-496-3627.

After a stroke, every minute counts. Every minute you wait could be the difference between being able to communicate, being able to walk, being able to brush your hair, or holding your grandkids.

The typical person loses 1.9 million neurons each minute that a stroke is untreated.

In Butte, new data shows most individuals who experience a stroke are not getting treatment in time.

“A lot of our patients show up more than a day outside of an event,” said Amanda Opfer, DO. She specializes in emergency medicine and is one of the providers at St. James Healthcare who will be the first to treat an individual presenting with stroke.

The risk factors of stroke include, but are not limited to: smoking, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, and lack of exercise. For the prevention of stroke, it is important to have regular follow-up appointments with your primary care provider.

New numbers collected as part of the stroke care program show that 20 people suffering strokes came into the Butte emergency room so far this year and 14 of those were outside of the window to receive the actual intervention.

If you look in the mirror and one side of your face is drooping, or you notice any asymmetry — that could be a sign you’re having a stroke. You might take a sip of water or coffee and you drool or drip on your clothes. 

If you’re talking with a loved one all of a sudden their speech is kind of garbled or slurred sounding, they should get checked.

Other common symptoms are issues moving one side of your body, feeling off-balance, or blurred vision. If you experience any of these or see someone who is experiencing them, then you need to think about time and get to an emergency room as soon as possible.

An acronym to remember is B.E. F.A.S.T. (Balance, eyes, face, arms, speech, and time). People experiencing symptoms should call 911 immediately. Do not attempt to drive yourself, it is best to call for an ambulance as they can ensure you arrive at the hospital safely and they can inform the Emergency Department of your arrival.

“What we see is people will start to experience symptoms and they won’t come in for 24 hours; then it’s too late for one type of intervention,” said Kelly Brock, PT, DPT, a physical therapist, and the stroke program coordinator at St. James Healthcare.

The intervention Brock and Opfer are referring to is tPA, tissue plasminogen activator, also known as a clot buster. It’s a type of heart medication given through an IV to break up blood clots but it can only be used within a four-hour window after a stroke has occurred.

Only two of the twenty stroke patients in Butte received the tPA.

A stroke is a lack of oxygen, a lack of blood flow to a part of the brain. There are two kinds of stroke — ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic happens when there is a blockage in a blood vessel and accounts for 85% of strokes. Hemorrhagic strokes are rarer and happen with a vessel that feeds your brain ruptures and there is bleeding.

The long-term effects of a stroke can vary wildly. Opfer says it depends on where the clot or bleeding is and what part of the brain is affected.

“The brain is super-specialized and it is fed by a bunch of different pathways,” she explained. “There are some people who can get their function back if they come into the ER soon enough — in that three to four-hour window.”

But she said it’s still good to be treated, even if you didn’t make it to the hospital right away.

“If somebody isn’t a candidate for that tPA medication or their symptoms have been going on for too long and we can’t give it to them, it doesn’t mean that there is nothing that can be done — we have a great therapy department at the hospital that helps work with people who have had a stroke to help them get some of their abilities back.”

A little over a year ago, the hospital received a $72,000 grant from American Heart Association’s Montana Mission: Lifeline® Stroke. Mission: Lifeline Stroke aims to transform stroke care by focusing efforts on connecting all of the components of acute stroke care into a smoothly integrated system that reinforces the use of evidence-based guidelines, measures performance, identifies gaps, and engages in improvement projects at a systems level. 

“This is a brand new program that the hospital is building. We’ve always had stroke care but the goal is to get Joint Commission certified, to have that gold standard of care,” said Brock.

She’s heading the program aimed at achieving Acute Stroke Ready Hospital (ASRH) Certification through the Joint Commission with the support of the American Heart Association. The first part of the program has been data collection and working to get the necessary pieces in place. Next, they’ll work on additional staff and community education. Feedback forms are going to providers and nurses that see patients in the emergency room and the EMS crew.

Brock is passionate about the stroke care program. Eventually, there will be one person from every department on the stroke committee and she is looking forward to interacting with all the individuals who provide care for a patient during their time in the hospital

The Stroke team will be participating in health fairs, and eventually will have additional community education opportunities planned, to help get the word out about symptoms that require immediate attention. 

“I think the main thing I would like people to know is to remember not to wait. If they’re having those symptoms — don’t wait and see if it will just go away,” said Opfer. “That is, unfortunately, something I hear a lot. Maybe they have difficulty talking and they have difficulty for maybe 20 minutes, and then everything goes back to normal. A lot of people will stay home if that happens.”

She said that doesn’t mean a patient is in the clear. It could be a mini-stroke and a warning sign that they have something larger impending.

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability. The most common types of disability after stroke are impaired speech, restricted physical abilities, weakness or paralysis of limbs, difficulty gripping or holding things, and a slowed ability to communicate.

“People always ask what they can do to prevent a stroke in the future and what I tell them is to make sure you are following closely with your primary care provider and get your cholesterol checked, making sure your blood pressure is controlled, and to avoid smoking,” said Opfer. “Doing these small interventions can make a big difference in reducing your risk of stroke.”

The award recognizes St. James’ commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients. It signifies that St. James has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations. 

To receive the Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, St. James has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain  ̶   MI Registry for four consecutive years (2019, 2020, 2021, & 2022) and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

“As a Platinum Performance Award recipient, St. James has established itself as a leader in setting the national standard for improving quality of care in patients with acute myocardial infarction,” said Michael C. Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. “By meeting the award requirements outlined in the registry, St. James has demonstrated a commitment to providing reliable, comprehensive treatment for heart attack patients based on current clinical guideline recommendations.”

The Center for Disease Control estimates that almost 700,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot in a coronary artery partially or completely blocks blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoring blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling, and cardiac rehabilitation.

St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, a fellow SCL Health Montana hospital, continued its run of excellence after receiving a Silver Achievement Award in 2019, then a Gold Achievement Award in 2020, and then achieved a Platinum Award in 2021 & 2022.

Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry empowers health care provider teams to consistently treat heart attack patients according to the most current, science-based guidelines and establishes a national standard for understanding and improving the quality, safety, and outcomes of care provided for patients with coronary artery disease, specifically high-risk heart attack patients.

‘Caring Through COVID’ provides a profound view into the lives of nine SCL Health Montana caregivers and what they’ve encountered over the past two years while delivering a compelling storyline as the healthcare workers share their experiences in their own words. 

‘Caring Through COVID’ was televised on the Montana CBS affiliates in the Billings, Bozeman, and Butte markets in January and February 2022 and can now be viewed in its entirety online at SCLHealth.org/CaringThroughCOVID.

“I went in to get an updated physical for my CDL license and the doctor noticed I had not had one yet and that’s when I found out you should go at 45 instead of waiting until 50,” said Caprara. 

He’s a Butte resident who likes to golf, float the rivers, and boat on the lake. He’s always been in pretty good health but, most often, the things a colonoscopy can detect don’t have any symptoms.

A polyp is an abnormal growth. During a colonoscopy, a long, flexible tube with a tiny camera at the tip allows Dr. Michael James to examine the large intestine and rectum to look for abnormalities. Not all polyps are pre-cancerous but they all come out during the colonoscopy. James removes them upon detection and sends them to a pathologist —a doctor who specializes in analyzing tissue samples — to find out what kind of polyp it is and how far along it is. 

The incidence of colorectal cancer in adults age 50 and older in the U.S. has been decreasing since 1990. James credits the colonoscopy screening for that. 

However, the numbers are rising for individuals younger than 50. That’s why in May 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued new recommendations for colorectal cancer. Now they’re advising that average-risk adults start screening at age 45, allowing health insurance companies to cover the cost of the test at a younger age.

Colon polyps are common in American adults. Anywhere between 15 and 40 percent of adults may have colon polyps, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Butte resident Caprara was no exception. 

“They found a large polyp and an ulcer and they’re glad they did it in time and there was nothing wrong with it but they were just concerned because it was large and they grow, I guess, the longer they’re there so that’s why it’s important to get it done when you’re supposed to,” said Caprara. 

Caprara felt worried about the procedure but after it was over, he said that he worried for nothing. 

“The test is one of the easiest things you’ll do,” said James. “You’ll come in, you’ll be sedated by an anesthesia provider, you’ll not feel a thing. You will have a nice nap, you’ll wake up, you’ll go have a nice breakfast. That’s the colonoscopy. The hard part is the prep. You have to clean the colon out. I have to have a good look at every square centimeter of your colon and in order to do that, you have to drink some stuff that flushes everything out the day and the night before. That’s the hard part. But a small price to pay again if you look at the alternatives.”

James is new to St. James Healthcare but no stranger to Butte. His family is from here and he grew up in Billings before going to Carrol College, joining the military, and later practicing GI for 24 years in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He moved to Butte three months ago and loves it for its access to mountain biking and snowmobiling. He took an interest to gastrointestinal practice while in medical school because it’s a profession that takes care of problems right away — bleeding, gallstones, and polyps. 

“We help people. It’s very satisfying,” said James. 

A colonoscopy is one of several tests to screen for colorectal cancer. Others include a fecal immunochemical test, computed tomography colonography, sigmoidoscopy, guaiac-based fecal occult blood test, multitargeted stool DNA test. If any of the other tests come out positive, the patient will still need a colonoscopy to get the polyp out. 

“Of all the screenings you can do, (colonoscopy) is the one test, the one thing that you can actually prevent cancer with — removing the polyp is removing the chance that can turn into cancer and decreasing the mortality rates in colon cancer,” said James. 

His number one message to everyone during Colorectal Awareness Month: get screened, in any manner you’re comfortable with. “Colorectal cancer today is the third leading cause of cancer death in women, the second leading cause of cancer death in men. But it’s a preventable disease,” said James

“It’s something that everybody should do,” said Caprara. “So you might as well do it when you’re supposed to and hopefully it will lead to good things and longer life and not have to worry about that.”

You can call SCL Health Medical Group - Butte Surgical Associates at 406-496-3600 to schedule an appo]intment or visit  https://www.sclhealth.org/locations/medical-group-butte-surgical-associates/ for more information.

The Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals play a key role in providing a safety net to communities across the county and the INDEX measures them across eight pillars of hospital strength: Inpatient Share Ranking, Outpatient Share Ranking, Cost, Charge, Quality, Outcomes, Patient Perspectives, and Financial Stability. 

This year marks St. James' third time being included on the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital list. St. James made back-to-back appearances in 2017 and 2018. 

“Despite unprecedented adversity, rural providers continue to display resiliency and a steadfast commitment to their communities,” said Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health. “Honoring the Top 100 is one of the high points of our year. We are delighted to recognize the exceptional performance and innovation of this year’s recipients, particularly in light of the extraordinary challenges facing America’s rural health safety net.” 

Over the course of the last 12 years, the INDEX has established itself as the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Leveraging publicly available data, the INDEX is trusted by rural hospitals, health systems with rural footprints, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health across the country to measure and monitor performance across a variety of areas impacting hospital operations and finance. 

Find the full list of the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals here.

Once it was determined that Berg had had an NSTEMI, or a heart attack, she went to The Helmsley Charitable Trust Cardiovascular and Imaging Center at St James for more tests and a heart catheterization. 

In the cath lab, the medical team is able to watch live video of Mary’s heart as a dye is pushed through her arteries to help determine where the narrowing or blockages are located. When necessary, the cath lab team can put in balloons or stents to expand the passage. 

Berg’s heart would need more extensive work. She had triple vessel disease and left main disease and would need triple bypass surgery. 

“Had she not had the TIA, she very well could’ve died out in the community,” said Montoya. “So she was very lucky to actually have had a TIA and we don’t really say people are lucky to do that, but in her case — it very well probably saved her life and her heart.” 

Finding the problem was only the beginning of Berg’s cardiac journey. Next, she’d go to Missoula for open-heart surgery. During a bypass, a vein graph is taken from the leg then used to form a new flow system to move blood around the blockage to the heart. 

Berg was scared. 

“They cut your sternum. It’s pretty extensive. It was probably an 8-hour surgery. I woke up and I was glad to see I was awake,” said Berg. “Everybody my age should probably know the signs. I mean, if you’re feeling weird, just go up there. If you’re feeling not right, go to the ER.” 

Montoya agrees, but she says that if anything is out of the ordinary, to call 9-1-1. Don’t drive. She said that if you lose consciousness on your way to the hospital, even if you have a driver, they won’t be much help if they’re behind the wheel. An ambulance is equipped with staff and supplies to get you there safely. 

St. James had 71 heart attack patients last year,79 percent of those did not use 911 and, according to the National Cardiovascular Data Registry, the numbers nationwide are very similar and haven’t changed much in the last 20 years — only 20 percent use 911. When it comes to your heart, every second matters. 

The triple bypass surgery was just the beginning of Berg’s cardiac journey, as she continued her recovery in the St. James Cardiac Rehab Center. They gave her reading material to learn about her heart and helped her get it stronger by developing an exercise plan. She then bought her own treadmill so she could continue the regimen at home. Six months later and Mary is walking a mile and a quarter every day. 

She retired on January first and is taking life slow. 

February is American Heart Month, a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health. You can help spread awareness by wearing red on Friday, February 4th for National Wear Red Day. 

Jennifer Davenport, MD, has been included on ‘The Top 100 Women Leaders in Medicine of 2021’ list by Women We Admire.

Dr. Davenport and her peers on the list are guiding healthcare delivery, leading changes, and enhancing policy improvements nationwide. The evolving field of medicine requires a depth of knowledge, focus, and collaboration from its leaders. Her commitment to the field impacts individuals daily, transforming outcomes for patients, families, and communities for the better.

“It is a great honor to be included among so many great leaders in the healthcare field,” said Dr. Davenport. “The pandemic has required many of us to rise to new challenges and inspire those around us to find new and more effective ways to improve patient outcomes. I enter the building every day knowing that I can help in many different ways, while at the same time drawing inspiration from all of the amazing caregivers at St. James Healthcare.”

This past year has been the ultimate test for many in the healthcare industry. Dr. Davenport’s unwavering loyalty to the caregivers at St. James and the people of southwest Montana during this unique time has shown her level of expertise and dedication to the field of medicine.

Dr. Davenport practiced as a pediatric interventional cardiologist prior to taking on the Chief Medical Officer position with St. James Healthcare. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and a Fellow of the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Intervention. She founded the Women's Section of Pediatric Intervention within SCAI in 2012.

She is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Medicine with an MD and of the University of Michigan School of Public Health with an MHA.

Please join us in celebrating Jennifer Davenport, MD, and the other members of ‘The Top 100 Women Leaders in Medicine of 2021’.

See the full list here.

Butte, MT - John Uggetti took a long road to get to his current position as spiritual care director at St. James Healthcare. He made a pivot in life after spending 29 years at Butte High School. He coached football and taught business classes before moving into computer network support for Butte School District Number 1.

“I enjoyed teaching very much and realized I needed a change after so many years. I was tired of doing the same job over and over,” said Uggetti.

Uggetti would come to the hospital to visit his cousin battling cancer. It was during those visits that he got a sense of the work the chaplains do. Knowing John very well, Sister Mary Agnes encouraged Uggetti to look into chaplaincy.

His cousin eventually passed away and when Uggetti’s son was born shortly after that, they named him Mario after his cousin. Born premature, his son spent six weeks in the NICU at Benefis in Great Falls and then another six months in isolation at St James Hospital in Butte. He watched his baby overcome incredible obstacles.

“I guess that gave me a wake-up call about life a little bit, too.”

In 2007, he started the Ackerman program for the Diocese of Helena. He was ordained in June of 2012 and serves as a Deacon at St. Anne’s Parish. He credits the high school students for helping prepare him the most for chaplaincy and spiritual care.

“They taught me more about life and how to handle situations and how to handle people.

Sunday, October 24, marked the beginning of Spiritual Care week. A hospital chaplain offers spiritual guidance and pastoral care to patients and their families. They are trained to work with people of all faiths or no faith, and they provide crisis intervention, grief and bereavement counseling, family support counseling, staff counseling, and pre-surgical counseling.

In 2015, 70 percent of nearly 5 thousand hospitals surveyed provided pastoral care services, up from 53 percent in 2002, according to the American Hospital Association.

“My job entails visiting the sick and listening to their stories — what they have to say — and I’ll listen to them and just offer them compassion and support and walk along with them in their journey if they allow you to. Also, working with them and being with them at the end of life — which sometimes can be difficult,” said Uggetti.

But his job is also rewarding. He loves working with people.

“I remember one particular case where the guy kept on telling me he’s an atheist but he liked to visit with me and he was born and raised in Butte and it was coming to his end of life and the nurse said he wanted to see me. And he said, ‘John I gotta talk to you. You know I don’t know if I’m an atheist or not. I think on the other side a little bit.’

Uggetti said he struck up a pretty good relationship with that patient. He listened as the man told him his life history, then as the man cried recounting his children’s deaths — one to drug addiction.

“He was able to get all that off his chest. It was sort of rewarding for me — just to listen and say that we’re not judgmental and no matter what happens in your life, God is full of mercy.”

Uggetti says it’s a touching area of people’s lives to walk through and he doesn’t do it alone. His team includes Father Porter, a catholic priest-chaplain, Madeline LeFay, spiritual care associate, and two clinical pastoral education students. There are also several volunteer chaplains and all the area priests serve one or two nights a week to be on call for emergency anointing.

Someone from the spiritual care department is available 24 hours a day. According to Uggetti, they care for those who are poor and vulnerable while always maintaining a non-judgmental presence.

Butte, MT - St. James Healthcare was awarded a $1,000,000 grant from the Health Resources Services Administration's Federal Office for Rural Communities Opioid Response Programs (RCORP) to conduct needs assessments and develop plans, including prevention, treatment, and recovery interventions for opioid use disorder (OUD).

St. James Healthcare will work in close partnership with the Montana Hospital Association, Montana Chemical Dependency Center, Montana’s Peer Network, Butte-Silver Bow Health Department and Sheriff Department, Southwest Montana Community Health Center, AWARE Inc, Community Counseling and Correctional Services, and Action Inc. to support prevention, treatment, and recovery from substance use disorders (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD).

“These partnerships will allow us to work with both existing and new partners to build an approach to addressing prevention, treatment, and recovery for opioid use disorder in a fashion that will help our community members in southwest Montana, “said Jay Doyle, President of St. James Healthcare.

The overall goal of the program is to reduce opioid-related mortality and morbidity through a coordinated, multi-sector response that strengthens and expands SUD/OUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services to enhance pregnant and parenting women's and rural residents’ ability to access treatment and move toward recovery in Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Beaverhead, Madison, and Jefferson counties in southwest Montana.

“Substance use disorder is one of the most complex health challenges in our state,” said Shani Rich, Executive Director for the Montana Health Research and Education Foundation. “St. James’ multi-sector approach harnesses the collective strength of local healthcare providers, social services agencies, and local government needed to effectively tackle this issue for southwest Montana.”

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,000,000 with 0 percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.

He plays linebacker for the University of Montana Western but the team calls his position the wolf — it’s a hybrid linebacker/safety position. In the fall of 2020, he was doing a drill where the players line up and try to win one-on-one. A player running the ball went to the left of Hritsco, and when he tried to make the tackle, his arm got stuck and ripped behind him.

“I didn’t really know what happened at first, I just hurt pretty bad and my left peck swelled up pretty big,” said Hritsco.

It turned out, he’d torn the labrum, the capsule, the rotator cuff tendon, and the pectoralis tendon.

“Probably the shoulder came out of place very quickly and went back in. This was a very significant injury. Any one of those damaged tissues would have been a significant injury - to have them all ripped together in one shoulder was pretty devastating,” said Nick DiGiovine, MD, Montana Orthopedics.

“My peck was just kind of ripped off my bone there. So they had to put that back on,” Said Hritsco.

“A number of the things, we could repair with the arthroscope but the pectoralis major tendon required an open incision so we had to really carefully plan our surgery because we wanted to do it all at one surgical sitting,” said DiGiovine.

The surgery took around two hours but that was just the beginning of Hritsco’s recovery.

The first couple weeks are spent in a protective sling — an ultra sling. Then the muscle needs to start some gentle passive motion to keep things limber in the shoulder. The second phase of rehab begins after six weeks. That’s when the sling comes off. Somewhere around two and a half to three months is when the strengthening starts.

Each step provides different levels of stress and it’s important to follow the regimen. That’s where athletic trainer Zack McCarthy comes in. He knew from the beginning that Hritsco’s injury would be quite the process.

“I remember when he got hurt, he came over to me and didn’t really know what was going on and I remember reaching up in there — into his pads and actually feeling the swelling occurring as it was happening.”

McCarthy and two other athletic trainers are hired by St. James and work full time in Dillon at the University of Montana Western campus. It’s all part of the St. James Sports Medicine program that Dr. DiGiovine started in 1996.

“When I came out of my training in 1990, I found that only the most elite teams — professional and division 1 colleges — had athletic trainers in their training rooms taking care of the athletes. So, it was my desire to bring experienced athletic trainers to our high school students and colleges who had not had athletic trainers before.”

St. James has three athletic trainers at Montana Tech, three at Western, two at Butte High, and one at each Butte Middle School, Anaconda High School, and Butte Central.

“One of the most fulfilling aspects of my job is that I get to work with athletic trainers,” said DiGiovine. “These are very well-educated, intelligent folks to work with and, quite honestly, I don’t think my surgical results would be near what they are without these folks doing their part and doing the rehabilitation and watching the athletes recover for me.”

Hritsco spent an hour a day with McCarthy for six months.

“Carson is the A-plus example of the person you want to be rehabbing. He comes in every day, wanting to get better, wanting to do the work, and knowing that this is for his benefit and he was just ready to work every day,” said McCarthy.

Hritsco says he wouldn’t have been able to rehab by himself, that you need someone to tell you how much weight you can lift and how far you can push that muscle. Dillon is 65 miles from St. James so it’s advantageous to have the trainers on campus and accessible.

Seven months after his surgery, Dr. DiGiovine gave him a final release and said Hritsco entered 2-a-days in great shape.

He’s already played two games this season and said he even felt the best he has in his five years at Western.

“We’re just kind of fired up and excited. Like the nervous-excited energy of just not playing for a while and we just want to go and play,” said Hritsco.

Butte, MT - St. James Healthcare has been re-verified as a Level III Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee (VRC), an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This achievement recognizes St. James’ dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients.

Verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care capability and institutional performance, as outlined by the American College of Surgeons' Committee on Trauma in its current Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient manual. The Level III verification means that the hospital has demonstrated an ability to provide prompt assessment, resuscitation, surgery, intensive care, and stabilization of injured patients and emergency operations. Including 24-hour immediate coverage by emergency medicine physicians, prompt availability of general surgeons and anesthesiologists.

The re-verification is in conjunction with a confirmation of St. James’ designation as a Montana Area Trauma Hospital by The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services’ State Trauma Care Committee.

“This verification only reiterates the fact that St. James Healthcare is one of the state’s most advance trauma centers,” said Trauma Medical Director Frank Raiser, MD. “The ACS is recognizing the level of excellence of our trauma team and our dedication to the health and well-being of patients and our community.”

St. James Healthcare is the only Level III verified care site within a 60 miles radius of Butte, Montana. Roughly 200 major traumas are directed to the hospital annually, along with a significant number of motor vehicle accidents, treat-and-release injuries, and other illnesses.

There are five separate categories of verification in the COT's program. Each category has specific criteria that must be met by a facility seeking that level of verification. Each hospital has an on-site review by a team of experienced site reviewers, who use the current Resources for the Optimal Care of the Injured Patient manual as a guideline in conducting the survey.

About The American College of Surgeons:
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical education and practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The College has over 72,000 members and it is the largest association of surgeons in the world. Longstanding achievements have placed the ACS in the forefront of American surgery and have made it an important advocate for all surgical patients.

Butte, MT - During an emergency, every minute is critical, especially for those who are living in rural areas of southwest Montana. That is why having Emergency Medical Services (EMS) available to reach even the most remote members of our community is so important. Thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Montana Healthcare Foundation, the City of Boulder and St. James Healthcare will conduct an Emergency Medical Response Feasibility and Planning Study to find out where care is needed and ensure everyone in the county has EMS coverage.

St. James Healthcare will partner with the City of Boulder, Jefferson Valley Ambulance District, and other stakeholders in Jefferson County to address the need for improved access to sustainable and effective emergency medical services in the county. The project will determine the feasibility of creating a county-wide ambulance district, in coordination with existing ambulance districts, to ensure the delivery of high-quality emergency medical services throughout the county, with a special emphasis on the county's rural and underserved communities.

“As southern Jefferson county’s trauma center, we need to know what can be done to improve emergency services for our rural community members,” said St. James Healthcare President Jay Doyle. “The feasibility study will help us identify any gaps in EMS coverage for those who live in Jefferson County and will guide future decisions on how to make the system sustainable.”

A steering committee of local stakeholders will work with an independent consultant to conduct a feasibility study by gathering, reviewing, and analyzing information from key informants, local data, and other sources. The results of the 12-month study will be included in a final report with recommendations for stakeholders about whether to pursue the special district, and considerations for future work to improve emergency medical response in Jefferson County.

“Currently our EMS services are doing the best they can to ensure they can reach our residents when they are in need, but we are frequently short of EMS personnel here in Boulder,” said Boulder City Council Member Drew Dawson. “The issue is we are currently walking a very tight line. We need to get a long-range strategy in place so that as changes happen in our region will have something in place to ensure every Jefferson County resident can receive the best emergency medical care possible.”

About St. James Healthcare
St. James Healthcare is the largest and only acute care health care facility in southwest Montana. Serving the region for more than 135 years, St. James Healthcare is a 67-bed hospital located in Butte, Montana. St. James Healthcare has more than 450 associates, alongside 100 physicians and advanced care professionals, offering 24-hour care and dozens of progressive specialty services. St. James is part of SCL Health, a nonprofit faith-based health system with 12 hospitals in Colorado and Montana. Together St. James Healthcare, St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, and Holy Rosary Healthcare in Miles City, represent SCL Health Montana. To learn more about St. James Healthcare, visit www.sjh-mt.org.

About the Montana Healthcare Foundation
MHCF makes strategic investments to improve the health and well-being of all Montanans. Created in 2013, MHCF has approximately $170 million in assets making it Montana’s largest health-focused, private foundation. MHCF contributes to a measurably healthier state by supporting access to quality and affordable health services, conducting evidence-driven research and analysis, and addressing the upstream influences on health and illness. To learn more about the Foundation and its focus areas, please visit mthcf.org.

“I think it worked pretty good because I was up walking the next morning. The day after that, I walked up and down the hall a lot — to the point where they told me I could go home,” said Gelling.

“By the five-week checkup, I was already walking 2, 2 and a half miles. So apparently I’m doing pretty well, from what they tell me.”

Gelling had degenerative back failure but he enjoys hunting, camping, fishing and spending time with his grandkids so he wasn’t about to let the pain slow him down.

“Rick had fairly advanced degenerative changes in his lumbar spine — his low back — that he had been tolerating for a long time and trying to be very functional and continued to live an active, high-quality life, despite the issues he was having with his spine,” said Anthony Russo, MD.

Russo is an orthopedic spine surgeon at St. James Healthcare in Butte. He says Gelling’s active lifestyle was very beneficial.

“While he needed a fairly significant surgical intervention to help give him relief of all his degenerative changes that had accumulated over the decades, he still maintained a good physical fitness level that made him a good candidate for undergoing that degree of surgical intervention,” said Russo.

St. James Healthcare is equipped with robotic navigation to assist with complex spine surgeries. It helps surgeons do their work with a little more reliability and do it quicker which means less anesthesia time for the patient and decreased risk.

The team gets a CT scan on the patient pre-operatively. They can then use that scan to develop a 3 dimensional model of the patient’s spine and then that model is loaded into the robotic navigation unit. That plan then allows the robot to know exactly where each individual vertebrae of the spine is in space and allows the surgical team to do their work with its guidance.

Russo has had the robotic navigation device in his operating room for almost two years but Butte has been a referral center for very complex spine surgery for 13 years.

Gelling was a mechanic for a little over 30 years until he injured his back. He said the way he needed to position his body while working would be hard on his body, as well as walking on concrete floors in boots.

He’d had surgery on his back once before in 2007 for a herniated disc.

“One of the true advantages of the robotic navigation unit is in patients who require revision surgery,” said Russo.

“A lot of times in the primary surgery, a lot of the anatomy that is utilized to help guide placement of hardware into the spine, is disrupted. It was disrupted in the first surgery for a reason but now it’s no longer a reliable guide.”

The robotic navigation unit gives Russo and his team an extra perspective to be able see the patients’ spines beyond the surface anatomy. Russo says it makes it significantly easier, less risky and quicker. A quicker surgery is safer and easier to recover from.

Gelling can attest to the smooth recovery. In addition to his walks, he’s also been camping and riding ATV’s since his surgery. He’ll show you pictures of a snow drift that’s still ten feet tall — even in June, and another on of a wolf track next to an elk track from the day he saw six wolves. He loves Butte for its proximity to the outdoors and its friendly people.

He knows the importance of prevention and learning how to move in a way that is safe for your body.

“You just have to watch how you move. I’ve hurt myself picking up a fork,” says Gelling “Actually, the last time I hurt my back bad, I picked up an ant. I know it sounds weird. We come back from camping. My wife found a spider in our trailer so we put it in a plastic jar and it was a black widow so I wanted to show the kids what it looked like so I put a hole in the top and to feed it, I bent over and picked up an ant. I did it wrong and my back was messed up for two weeks.”

Russo says the majority of work he does in the orthopedic office is preventative work, to keep residents from needing surgery.

“We live in a state where most of the residents really enjoy to do a lot of outdoor recreation. With that, a lot of our residents do a lot of fairly strenuous outdoor vocational jobs as well, such as ranching and mining and so forth. These residents use their bodies as a tool. And utilizing your body as a tool for many, many years puts a significant amount of stress on your body which all rotates around the spine. The years of accumulation of that stress leads to fairly significant degenerative changes,” says Russo.

Gelling recommends getting into the orthopedic office sooner than later.

“Don’t put it off too long because the longer you put it off, the more extensive it seems like it has to be. Doctor Russo did a great job, I believe,” said Gelling. “Everybody up there — they seem to give a damn. So I would say, yeah, go check it out.”

“To have the grandkids come over, even if they spend a half-hour with me, it just puts a little extra light in the room,” said Haack. “I wanted to be close to them, watch them grow up, be a part of their lives.”

He found a new primary caregiver in Butte. As a part of his new patient onboarding process, they ran some bloodwork. Due to his age, they included a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which screens for prostate cancer.

“We were here in Butte less than four months, and then we found out that I had cancer,” Haack said.

“David had absolutely no symptoms related to his urinary tract or any issues in that regard. So, if he had not had that PSA drawn, that never would have led to the biopsy — and it would never have lead to the diagnosis,” said Nate Readal, MD.

Dr. Readal is a urologist at SCL Health – St. James Healthcare in Butte. He performed the surgery to remove Haack’s prostate. Dr. Readal said Haack’s case is the perfect example of how healthcare providers screen for prostate cancer, identify it and cure it at an early stage.

“I guess, in all, it was a good thing we moved here because we probably wouldn’t have gone in for a different blood test unless I needed a doctor,” said Haack.

Prostate cancer rarely causes symptoms unless it’s very advanced. That’s why it’s so important to get the screenings done. The general guidelines recommend starting screening for prostate cancer at age 50 or as early as 40 if you have a first-degree relative who has had prostate cancer.

After his cancer diagnosis in December 2020, Haack had some decisions to make. He appreciated how Dr. Readal presented all the options and then left it up to him to choose what was right for himself.

“I chose the surgery because all indication was that it was all in my prostate. I had tests performed to make sure it wasn’t spreading into my bones or any other organs,” explained Haack.

For Haack, it was a quick process. He was in the hospital for 36 hours and released 24 hours after he was in recovery. He was able to walk his dog one week after the surgery.

Dr. Readal credits Dave’s smooth recovery to his good health. Additionally, SCL Health – St. James Healthcare offers a state-of-the-art robotic-assisted surgical system in the operating room to improve patient outcomes and recovery time.

The da Vinci surgical system enables doctors to make smaller incisions and do surgery with greater precision. In robotic-assisted surgery, a specially trained surgeon, like Dr. Readal, sits at a console and performs surgery using robotic arms that move in more ways than a human wrist moves. The da Vinci “robot” allows the surgeon to make exact, complex motions and access areas of the body that would not be possible without the robot.

Robotic-assisted surgery is considered minimally invasive, which means it doesn’t require the large incisions used for traditional – or open – surgery. The smaller incisions used in robotic surgery often mean smaller scars, less pain, and faster healing. In addition, this technology makes it possible for many patients to go home from the hospital more quickly than they would with traditional surgery.

“That was a big support too, to have the family here,” added Haack. “If I had been in Georgia, there wouldn’t have been anybody except my wife to help take care of me. This way, I had additional family nearby to help out.”

About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. PSA screening is essential for early detection.

“I think the number one thing men need to know about their health is that as we get older, things are going to change. And change is alright. The problem is that many changes are occurring within our body that may go unnoticed to us. As men, we typically wait for dramatic things to happen,” said Dr. Readal. “PSA screening is essential for screening men for their prostate cancer risk. If we waited for prostate cancer to cause symptoms, most men would be diagnosed with advanced disease and essentially have an incurable illness.”

Haack is grateful for his early diagnosis and the swift action of his care team.

“It’s a gut-wrenching experience when they tell you you got cancer, and it’s hard to accept,” Haack said. “But we did everything the right way to get it out of my body. I’ve been very impressed with Dr. Readal and his team. For now, it looks like the cancer has been stopped, and I can go on with life."

Local News Coverage: NBC Montana

Butte, MT - The Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has granted Three-Year Accreditation to the SCL Health Cancer Centers of Montana at St. James Healthcare. To earn voluntary CoC accreditation, a cancer program must meet 34 CoC quality care standards, be evaluated every three years through a survey process, and maintain levels of excellence in the delivery of comprehensive patient-centered care.

Because it is a CoC-accredited cancer center, St. James takes a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases that requires consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists. This multidisciplinary partnership results in improved patient care.

“The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer accreditation ensures that St. James is providing the highest-quality cancer care to our patients and community,” said Jennifer Davenport, MD St. James Healthcare’s Chief Medical Officer. “This accreditation is proof of the dedication of our cancer treatment team and their efforts to construct a multidisciplinary program for all of our cancer patients.”

The CoC Accreditation Program provides the framework for St. James to improve its quality of patient care through various cancer-related programs that focus on the full spectrum of cancer care including prevention, early diagnosis, cancer staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, life-long follow-up for recurrent disease, and end-of-life care. When patients receive care at a CoC facility, they also have access to information on clinical trials and new treatments, genetic counseling, and patient centered services including psycho-social support, a patient navigation process, and a survivorship care plan that documents the care each patient receives and seeks to improve cancer survivors’ quality of life.

Like all CoC-accredited facilities, St. James maintains a cancer registry and contributes data to the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint program of the CoC and American Cancer Society. Data on all types of cancer are tracked and analyzed through the NCDB and used to explore trends in cancer care. St. James will now have access to information derived from this type of data analysis and these reports will help with quality improvement efforts.

There are currently more than 1,500 CoC-accredited cancer programs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, CoC-accredited facilities diagnose and/or treat more than 70 percent of all newly diagnosed patients with cancer. When cancer patients choose to seek cancer care locally at St. James, they are gaining access to comprehensive, state-of-the-art cancer care close to home.

Butte, MT - It has been nearly three months since Bob Bates experienced one of the most terrifying moments in his life.

“I had planned on getting my shoulder repaired, so when my arm started hurting I didn’t think it was a heart attack,” said the retired US Air Force serviceman. “It was persistent and I decided to take a few baby aspirins and even then the pain in my arm did not fade. It was then I told my wife we needed to go to the hospital.”

After arriving at Ruby Valley Medical Center, Bob was told he was suffering a heart attack. He was transported to St. James Healthcare via LifeFlight, where he underwent emergent cardiac catheterization. It just so happened that St. James opened its new Catheterization Lab a week earlier, thanks in part to a grant from the Helmsley Charitable Trust.

“The Catheterization Suite allows more room for our team to operate and the improved resolution and imaging quality has increased our ability to work with more precision and speed,” said Interventional Cardiologist Daniel Langdon, MD. “Within the suite is two labs, one that is dedicated to catheterization while the other is for interventional radiology procedures. This allows us to treat patients who present with heart attacks immediately.”

Dr. Langdon placed two stents in his left circumflex artery, after discovering that Bob had one area that was 99% blocked and the other was 70% blocked.

“Being a certified CPR instructor helped me to realize that I was having a heart attack, I have been teaching American Heart Association “Heart Saver” classes for a while." Bob said. “I am thankful that I was able to get the medical attention I needed without having to travel too far.”

Dr. Langdon commends Bob for the progress he’s made since his heart attack in late February.

“He’s recovering very well,” said Dr. Langdon. “His outlook is really dependent on remaining tobacco free and maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle.”

Bob, who is 61-years-old, has completed a six-week cardiac rehab program at St. James, and now visits virtually with a healthcare provider from the VA. Since the event Bob has lost close to 30 pounds as he rededicated himself to working out each day and playing in a weekly golf league. Additionally, he encourages other men to take a proactive approach to heart health.

“Cutting back on alcoholic beverages and increasing my activity has really helped me get to a better place physically,” said Bob. “Men my age need to be intentional in their day-to-day in order to live a heart healthy lifestyle.”

Local News Coverage

The Montana Standard

Butte, MT - St. James Healthcare has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2021. Placing St. James as one of only 212 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes St. James’ commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that St. James has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

To receive the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, St. James has demonstrated sustained achievement in the Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry for two consecutive years (2019 & 2020), and performed at the highest level for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

“As a Platinum Performance Award recipient, St. James has established itself as a leader in setting the national standard for improving quality of care in patients with acute myocardial infarction,” said Michael C. Kontos, MD, FACC, chair of the NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Steering Subcommittee, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. “By meeting the award requirements set forth in the registry, St. James has demonstrated a commitment to providing reliable, comprehensive treatment for heart attack patients based on current clinical guideline recommendations.”

The Center for Disease Control estimates that almost 700,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot in a coronary artery partially or completely blocks blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling, and cardiac rehabilitation, among others.

“We are honored to receive the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2021,” said St. James Chief Medical Officer Jennifer Davenport, MD. “It reflects the dedication, commitment, and clinical excellence of our cardiologists, Emergency Department providers, nurses, technicians, and the entire St. James Cardiovascular Team. We are firmly committed to providing the best, state-of-the-art therapies to Southwest Montana.”

St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, a fellow SCL Health Montana hospital, continued its run of excellence after receiving a Silver Achievement Award in 2019, then a Gold Achievement Award in 2020, and then achieving a Platinum Award in 2021.

Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry empowers health care provider teams to consistently treat heart attack patients according to the most current, science-based guidelines and establishes a national standard for understanding and improving the quality, safety and outcomes of care provided for patients with coronary artery disease, specifically high-risk heart attack patients.

The American College of Cardiology
As the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, the mission of the College and its 54,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credentials upon cardiovascular professionals who meet stringent qualifications and leads in the formation of health policy, standards, and guidelines. The College also provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions. For more, visit acc.org.

Butte, MT - Linda Brandt knows too well the importance of cancer screening. Her husband died from it and her sister fought it. The problem for Brandt is, access to specialty care like a mammogram to screen for breast cancer is over 30 miles away, and she can’t drive.

“My kids say no more driving so that means they have to take me to wherever I need to go,” said Brandt.

She moved to Boulder because she likes how quiet it is, but it puts her farther away from certain amenities. That’s why having the SCL Health Montana Mobile Mammogram Coach arrive in Boulder on Friday was so important.

“So that means nobody has to pick me up, take me (to Butte) and take time off of work to get me there. So it’s a good deal,” said Brandt.

In fact, Boulder resident Bonnie Weinmeister said she would have probably delayed her annual mammogram had the unit not come to Boulder.

These women are not alone, as 48% of women ages 50-74 in St. James Healthcare's service area have not had a mammogram within the past 2 years. The American Cancer Society projects 1 in 8 women will face breast cancer in their lifetime. Early detection is the best chance to increase breast cancer survival rates. In 2021, it is estimated 950 women in Montana will be diagnosed with breast cancer, with an estimated 140 breast cancer deaths.

“I’ve found a lot of women from Boulder haven’t had really regular specialty medical care. They’re getting their primary care with good regular access but specialty care, like a gynecologist or a urologist might be more rare,” said SCL Health Medical Group’s Laura Twist, MD, OB-Gyn. “So we really like to be able to bring our specialty services to this community.”

Twist travels to Boulder and Deer Lodge with her nurse once a month to provide gynecological care.

“I certainly see plenty of patients — and this is in every community but I’ve definitely noticed it in Boulder -- where their last gynecological visit or their last breast exam might have been at the time of their last experience giving birth which for some women could be 30 or 40 years ago. So having specialty care brought to Boulder is really important,” she said.

SCL Health Medical Group - Boulder’s Lori Lagerquist, PA has deep ties to the Boulder community as she arrived in 1991 and she says the demographics are changing but it is still an older community with limited mobility.

“I think that we’ve improved that a lot through SCL Health and St. James,” said Lagerquist but she knows there could be more. “It’s definitely a convenience and a needed service to have mammography brought to the community.”

Patients at the mobile mammography unit Friday agreed.

“It is so helpful because otherwise you have to travel and it takes half your day to get this done,” said Weinmeister.

“This is awesome because it’s right in your backyard, you don’t have to travel. It’s super easy, it makes everything so convenient and it’s also, when it’s local, it reminds you of the necessary things you need to do to protect yourself, to protect your family. So it’s just a great thing,” said Boulder resident Shelley Phelps.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American College of Radiology recommend annual mammography screenings starting at age 40.

“About 10% of breast cancers are diagnosed in women who are between 40 and 50 years old so there is a lot of opportunity to catch that really early stage disease in that age group,” said Twist.

The SCL Health Montana mobile mammogram unit had a packed schedule Friday, completely booking up their 18 available time slots.

“You come on (the coach), you get it done in 5 to 7 minutes. Then You’re done, you’re off, you’re happy and everybody is very happy, they’re appreciative, they’re very happy that we’re there,” said mammography coach driver, Tamara Miller. She drives the truck all over rural Montana and said they’re always shown a generous welcome.

“(Residents) give us homemade monkey bread or homemade bread just to show that they appreciate us being there. I got goosebumps, seriously, it’s just so amazing the appreciation people show for us being here,” she said.

Miller wants to urge all women over 40 to get their screenings done. Something Lagerquist and Twist agree is essential for finding cancer in its earliest stages when the disease is most treatable.

“Being a breast cancer survivor — early screening to me is the key. It’s the key to less treatment, it’s the key to less illness, it’s the key to less death,” said Lagerquist.

Butte, MT - During a stroke every minute is critical, because a stroke deprives brain tissue of essential oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood, resulting in the death of brain cells. That is why delivering fast and effective care is important for those who are experiencing a stroke. Thanks to a $72,000 grant from the American Heart Association, St. James Healthcare will be able to improve stroke care as part of the Montana Mission: Lifeline® Stroke.

Mission: Lifeline Stroke aims to transform stroke care by focusing efforts on connecting all of the components of acute stroke care into a smoothly integrated system that reinforces the use of evidence-based guidelines, measures performance, identifies gaps, and engages in improvement projects at a systems level.

“The grant funds will help us improve our processes to provide the most efficient, evidence-based care to individuals who experience a stroke in Southwest Montana. We will be able to identify gaps in care by data that will be collected through the comprehensive tools provided,” said St. James Healthcare’s Stroke Program Coordinator, Kelly Brock, PT, DPT. “Additionally, being part of Montana Mission: Lifeline Stroke will allow us access to additional resources like staff and community education, along with streamlining the coordination of patient care with other hospitals in Montana.”

The stroke system of care begins with community recognition and preparedness to identify stroke and continues all the way through hospital discharge, into rehabilitation, and the initiation of secondary prevention. It brings together hospitals, ambulance services, non-transport medical first response agencies, emergency communications centers, emergency medical service regulatory and medical direction agencies, local government, local media, and payers to forge a proactive system of stroke care that saves and improves lives.

“The goal of Mission: Lifeline Stroke is to give patients in Montana the best possible chance at survival and recovery to an independent quality of life,” said Joani Guzman, American Heart Association Quality Systems Manager, Mission: Lifeline Stroke Montana. “It’s exciting to see the enthusiastic response the program is receiving from critical elements of the system throughout the state, such as St. James Healthcare. The end result will be a win for Montana stroke patients and their families.”

Mission: Lifeline Stroke will further strengthen St. James’ collaboration with stakeholders in southwest Montana, hospitals, individual ambulance services, the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, and others.

Butte, MT - St. James Healthcare was presented with three awards from LifeCenter Northwest recognizing the hospital's excellence in saving lives through organ and tissue donation—a Tissue Donation Referral Award, an Organ Donation Achievement Award, and a Collaboration Achievement Award. LifeCenter Northwest is the federally-designated organ procurement organization serving Alaska, Montana, North Idaho, and Washington.

"Because of our caregivers’ dedication and collaboration, St. James has been recognized with the Tissue Donation Referral, Organ Donation, and Collaboration Achievement Awards," said St. James Healthcare’s President Jay Doyle. “Through making donor referral calls in a timely manner, caring for potential donors and their families, and collaborating with LifeCenter Northwest, we know more lives will be healed.”

St. James Healthcare is one of only 26 hospitals in LifeCenter Northwest’s four-state, 230+ hospital Donation Service Area (DSA) that reached or exceeded a 95 percent tissue donation referral rate. In addition, St. James is one of only eight hospitals in the DSA with a two-year average of less than three potential organ donors per year reaching or exceeding a 75 percent donation rate. Lastly, St. James is one of only 28 hospitals across the DSA that reached or exceeded a 90 percent collaborative request rate.

“It is an honor to work with such dedicated hospital partners like St. James Healthcare,” says LifeCenter Northwest President and CEO, Kevin O’Connor. “We greatly appreciate the contributions they make every day to help save and heal lives through organ and tissue donation.”

Nearly 108,000 people in the U.S. are currently waiting for an organ transplant. Unfortunately, many of those people may never get the call saying that a suitable donor organ has been found. As such, organ donation is one of the greatest gifts a person can give, offering a second chance at life.

Additionally, tissue donation is critical to improving the quality of life for many individuals across the country. These gifts can help infants born with congenital heart defects, promote healing for burn victims, prevent amputation for veterans with traumatic nerve damage, and restore health and function for many other patients.

For more information, or to register to be a donor in Montana, please visit www.donatelifemt.org.