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It's no secret, the Big Sandy Medical Center is expanding! For the entirety of the Medical Center's existence, the building has housed all entities under one roof; clinic, lab, xray, hospital, Emergency Department, and the long-term care. As advancements in medicine continue and changes are made to the rules and regulations from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid, American Disabilities Act and other regulatory agencies, the need to expand became clear. A 5000 square foot modular clinic...
Dr. Carley Robertson has been working at the Big Sandy Medical Center since 2007. Originally, she worked as the backup physician for Ms. Laura Hillis when Dr. Gold was on the Medical Staff. When his time at BSMC ended, Dr. Robertson became the 'default' Medical Director as there was no other MD on the staff at the time. She said, "I offered to be the Medical Director until they could find a new one, to keep the doors open." It has taken over 15 years to do that! Over the years, Dr. Gladys Young...
On August 6, the Mix, a Billings radio station, posted an article stating that two of the fastest ERs in the nation were located in Montana. A law firm in Georgia, compiled in and out times of over 4000 hospitals in the nation, and discovered the McCone County Health Center in Circle, MT has the 10th fastest time. And your local facility, the one that was built for the community, by the community, the facility that has been standing for over 65 years, the Big Sandy Medical Center, has the 4th...
After weather delays, parts delays, contractor delays, and a myriad of other barriers, the Big Sandy Rural Health Clinic opened its doors to patients for the first time Monday, August 5th. The long awaited soft opening came with a few expected hiccups that morning. There were some issues with the telephones and the computer system that caused the biggest stress. Clinic Manager, Suzy Labuda, with her team Abbey Sandlin and Morgan Simpson, and providers Krystyl Kulbeck, PA-C and Heath Horton, FNP...
Did you know people over 50 are encouraged to see their Primary Care Provider every year? Why would you need to go to the doctor yearly if you’re healthy and feel fine? If you’re not sick, don’t go, right? Even if you do get sick once in a while, if some cold medicine can help, there’s no reason to visit the doctor ever, right? Not quite. These visits are called preventative and are an opportunity to catch any pending issues that may lead to illness and failure in your body. Just like you change your engine oil routinely or brush your teeth d...
Late last year, Big Sandy Medical Center welcomed a new speciality to the clinic. Cheyenne Feltz is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, bringing mental health services to the area. While receiving treatment for your mental health used to carry quite a stigma, that reality is changing. Seeing a therapist, counselor, or Psych NP is not something to be ashamed of or feared. You would likely not think twice about getting help from a urologist for your kidney health and well-being, or a cardiologist for your heart health and well-being. Cheyenne is...
We are getting closer and closer to the opening of the new Clinic Building; a long anticipated day for the staff and community alike. After many set backs due to weather, shipping delays, contractor delays, and unforeseen circumstances, caring for you from the new building is finally starting to feel real. For the last few months, special planning meetings have taken place among the staff to help ensure a smooth transition. As they continue to work through the upcoming changes, it is important you know how this changes the process for you, the...
Have you ever gotten a bill in the mail from Big Sandy Medical Center (BSMC) or another medical facility and thought to yourself, ‘what in the world does this mean?’ Chances are, you have probably had a thought similar more than once. The medical billing system in American healthcare is confusing from the beginning to the end of the process, but that doesn’t mean it should be totally foreign to you. The billing department at BSMC has been working hard in the last few years to streamline the process, prevent errors, and make it easier for the p...
Last year, Big Sandy Medical Center began offering a service called Patient Directed Testing. This is an opportunity for you as the patient, to choose which labs you’d like to have collected without needing a provider’s order to do so. For example, let’s say one of your longest friends just learned he has prostate cancer and it makes you think long and hard about those suggested lab tests that you should be getting done regularly. After years of avoidance, you finally call to get in with your regular doctor and they are scheduling 6 month...
8 at BSMC is certainly off to a good start! The electric panel has finally been installed at the new clinic building. After waiting for over a month, progress can continue again. Hopefully, it will all work like it should and heat will be flowing this week. From there, the building needs a good cleaning and inspection, then the move in can begin! While all of that is happening across the street, inside the current building, the dining room expansion will be taking place. It should only be a...
As a non-profit organization, the IRS requires Big Sandy Medical Center to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) every three years. The CHNA is an opportunity for the members of the community to express their opinions about what is needed in the area, not just to help support their health, but to support the well-being of the community as a whole as well. You can view some of the current assessments from around the state at the Montana Healthcare Foundation’s website. The last time this was performed, residents of the community rec...
7 brought a lot of progress to the goals at BSMC. The end of the calendar year will not end our production though. 2024 will bring a continued effort to get the new building completed and begin clinic operations there, final set up of the new generator, a dining room expansion, removing the carpet from the walls of the nursing home wing, continued efforts to improve the billing process, continued improvement of our nursing care, continued development of our leadership team, more community education, and so much more. The kitchen addition...
While there may not be much for snow outside, it sure is beginning to look a lot like Christmas over at BSMC. The trees are trimmed, the halls are decorated and the festivities have started. A whole lot of celebration is packed into the month between the Thanksgiving holiday and the Christmas holiday. Last week Mary joined us from Havre to play some beautiful Christmas music on the Harp. Next week, the Big Sandy Rotary will be carolling inside the facility and the BSHS Choir will be performing a...
It’s time for the tea at BSMC. What a busy couple of months down at the Medical Center! Among normal operations in the kitchen, Johnson Controls was in the building last week to finish installing the sprinkler heads in the new dry storage and walk-in cooler areas. That was the last of the items on the to-do list so the kitchen remodel is officially complete! Progress on the installation of the new generator has been less successful. Northwestern Energy pushed back the date on getting the new 2-inch gas line installed to fuel the machine. H...
Tomorrow, November 30th, is the big day! At 5:30 pm, the BSMC Board of Directors, the CEO, and the community with gather at the Senior Center for the 59th Annual Meeting. This meeting is a bit different than the regular monthly Board Meetings. Most organizations hold Annual Meetings, some out of transparency, some due to state requirement. At the Annual Meeting, elections take place, financial audits are reviewed, and the happenings in the business as well as the upcoming goals are discussed. On the BSMC Annual Meeting Agenda are the following...
For three weeks you've been hearing about the role of the Board of Directors and the process for the upcoming election. It is finally time to meet the candidates. Each candidate offered a few minutes of their time to share their thoughts, you'll see them below. Voting will take place November 30 at the Annual Board meeting in the Big Sandy Senior Center at 5:30 pm. If you cannot attend the meeting in person, you are able to get an Absentee Ballot now at the Business Office of the Big Sandy...
We're only three weeks away from the Big Sandy Medical Center's Annual Board Meeting. This will be the 59th Annual Meeting to be held for the facility. Big Sandy Medical Center was originally built in 1965 with a clinic, ER and hospital. The nursing home addition was erected in 1985. In 2019, the Nursing Home status was terminated and the facility became a full Critical Access Hospital. The Board has been there for it all. In reviewing events of the recent years, finding people interested in...
The Annual Board Meeting is slated for November 30, 2023 at 5:30 pm, at the Senior Center. While there is a Board meeting every month, the annual meeting functions a little differently. In this meeting, new members are elected, by-laws and policies are reviewed and the financial audit is explored. The Board of Directors is also responsible, in conjunction with the facility staff, for developing plans to accomplish the organization’s mission: “To provide quality patient care in an innovative and professional manner.” The Board has the final...
In the Spring of 2023, a spot on the Big Sandy Medical Center's Board of Directors became vacant. After careful review of the Board By-laws, the Board learned they must appoint a candidate to that position until the term is completed. Candidates that were interested in being on the BSMC Board were allowed to express their interest through October 16, 2023. At that time, the nominating committee stopped accepting nominations and the Board chose the candidate to be appointed. At the most recent Bo...
The dreaded cold and flu season is upon us! When someone says they have a cold or the flu, what is actually happening in their body? For most people, the “common cold” is a viral infection of the upper respiratory system. In other words, a stuffy nose, head pressure, sore throat, and a cough. There usually is no fever or chills, and maybe just slight body aches. In most cases, this will pass in 5-10 days and over the counter treatments will help to ease symptoms. The “flu,” also known as Influenza, does usually bring fever and chills, body ac...
The Medical Guild is gearing up for the 55th annual rummage sale! The sale is the main fundraiser for the Guild every year, proving successful with last years sale topping $10,000. Guild funds are used to help purchase items for the Big Sandy Medical Center. They donated $20,000 for the kitchen remodel project, have purchased patio furniture, helped with paint and flooring to update the insdie of hte building, and supported countless other projects and needs. The community of Big Sandy has been so great in supporting the Guild, between...
September 10-16 is Environmental Services Week. While Environmental Services (EVS) may sound like a part of the EPA, it is blanket term used to include a facilities housekeepers, maintenance, and laundry departments. EVS is the unsung hero of any building, but especially important in a hospital setting. EVS at Big Sandy Medical Center is responsible for cleaning and surface disinfection, waste management, laundry, pest control, safety and security, maintaining the flooring and fixtures, grounds management, including mowing the lawn and...
The date has been set for the 2023 Harvest Festival! This is the third annual event hosted by the PCW (Parish Council of Women) from the Catholic Church in Big Sandy. PCW hosts Harvest Festival as their only fundraiser of the year. They use the money raised for scholarships to graduating seniors, maintenance and improvements to the church, funeral services, and other services throughout the community. From its inception, Harvest Fest was designed as a multi-purpose event. To raise funds for the...
The Big Sandy Medical Center has seen many changes over the last few years. From the transition to a Critical Access Hospital, adding an electronic health record system, the coming and going of providers and staff, remodeling projects, the opening of the Wellness Center, and the future opening of the Rural Health Clinic building. All of these changes are overseen by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is a team of five community members, who volunteer their time to ensure operations at the facility are in the best interest of the...
As always, the summer months seem to fly by and this year is no different. Harvest is in full swing and our children are already back in school. Soon loud cheers will echo across football fields and volleyball courts. What a great time of the year! And what a great time at Big Sandy Medical Center! In just a few short weeks, we will have a brand-new kitchen with ample food storage space and food prep areas. Korb construction has been working continuously, despite shipping delays, to keep this project moving. The addition is complete and now...
