“This is a place of good heart in our language,” said former Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Councilman Steve Lozar of Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson.

There was plenty of “good heart” on display Monday at the groundbreaking of St. Joe’s new clinic.

A quiet fundraising campaign, launched a year ago, has raised just over $14 million for the 12,000 square-foot facility, which will be located between St. Joseph Assisted Living and the Boys and Girls Club on 17th Ave.

The effort was spearheaded by Megan Beard, St. Joe’s Senior Philanthropy Officer, who credits fundraising co-chairs Blair Sprunk and Diane Long (and their “wingmen,” former Nike COO Eric Sprunk and pro-football defensive end and sports commentator Howie Long) with the remarkable fundraising effort.

“They worked tirelessly to bring people in and tell them why this project is important to them, why this community is important to them,” said Beard. “And we've had just an outpouring of incredible gifts.”

She also noted that many donors don’t live in the area year-around. Still, they were inspired by the mission of Providence – to care for the poor and vulnerable – and motivated by the belief that “everybody deserves to have good health care,” not just those who can afford it.

With $14 million in hand, St. Joe’s has hired Jackson Contractor Group of Missoula to begin construction this summer, with a goal of completing the $18 million project by fall of 2026.

According to Caryl Perdaems, St. Joe’s Chief Administrative Officer, “we wouldn’t be here right now without donor support.”

She also acknowledged the current stresses facing healthcare nationwide, especially in the wake of House Resolution 1 – the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” – which made significant cuts to Medicaid, the insurance program for low-income and disabled Americans.

“The reality is we serve a community with some of the greatest health and income disparities in the state,” she said. “The passage of H.R. 1 is concerning, obviously, and it will have long-term impacts for health care. But we're doing the right thing for the community right now.”

Perdaems also noted that it’s helpful for a small rural hospital to be part of Providence – one of the largest health networks in the United States – during an era of such uncertainty. She also praised the Montana Hospital Association for providing strong leadership during the recent legislative session.

“Montana set up our Medicaid expansion rules to anticipate what might happen nationally,” she said. “So hopefully, we'll have a little insulation.”

She adds that since the passage into law of H.R. 1, she’s fielded calls from community members concerned about the legislation’s implications for St. Joe’s future.

“Our plan is to be here,” she tells them. “We wouldn't be investing in the community if we weren't.”

Outgrowing its footprint

St. Joe’s has served Polson in some form since 1916, when the first hospital was established by the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph. The hospital was built in its current location in the 1950s, and the current building was constructed by Providence in the 1990s.

“The community has grown and we haven't grown with it,” said Beard.

The hospital is a 22-bed acute care facility, with four practitioners caring for patients in the small clinic tucked inside.  

“We built that when we had paper charts,” noted Beard. “So yeah, it's time to grow.”

The new clinic will allow St. Joe’s to recruit more practitioners, with a goal of doubling the number of primary care physicians. Beard hopes the expansive new space, with windows, views of Flathead Lake and “just more elbow room to work” will help lure younger doctors “to come and stay and be in this community for the long haul.”

It also frees up room in the hospital for a significant revamping of the Emergency Department and the addition of a state-of-the-art imaging area with an in-house MRI replacing the mobile unit. Phase 2 will cost an estimated $13 million, bringing the overall price tag to $31 million.

The new emergency area will be redesigned with a central nurse’s station and exam rooms radiating outward, providing better security and more privacy, especially for patients suffering from medical and mental health conditions.

Every gift matters

Dr. Kelly Bagnell, an OBGYN who has seen patients at St. Joe’s for 28 years, spoke to the importance to providers of “having the right space.”  

“It impacts how we deliver care, how patients experience care, and how we collaborate as providers,” she said. The new clinic will provide more exam rooms and collaborative spaces, as well as the opportunity to expand services in primary care and behavioral health to meet the needs of the community.

“For patients, it means being able to get in sooner, be seen by someone they trust, and catch healthcare concerns before they become a health crisis,” she said. “And for the next generation of medical professionals, it sends a powerful message that this place is worth investing in – a place where you can build a meaningful career and serve with purpose.”

Before introducing the campaign steering committee, Beard invited the audience to acknowledge the efforts of Pat Binger with a moment of silence. The local rancher, businesswoman and philanthropist who died in February, “gave a really significant donation” to the project. “She's always going to be a part of the St. Joe's family.”

Co-chairs Sprunk and Long spoke about the rewards of leading “the most ambitious capital campaign in the hospital's history.” They noted that their own family members have received “exceptional care” at St Joe’s, giving them firsthand appreciation for the facility’s providers, nurses and staff.

The two women also reminded the audience that Monday marked the beginning of “the public phase of this historic fundraising effort,” and encouraged audience members to “consider helping us out in the future, whether it's $50 or $50,000 – every gift matters to us.”

    CSKT elder and former Tribal Councilman Steve Lozar gave an opening blessing for St. Joseph Medical Center's new rural health clinic. He told the audience that his six children were born at St. Joe's and said the hospital sits "on holy ground." (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
  

    Architect's rendering of Providence St. Joseph's new 12,000-square-foot rural clinic, which will be located on 17th Ave. in Polson, between St. Joseph Assisted Living and the Boys and Girls Club.
  

    Former pro-football defensive end and sports commentator Howie Long was on hand for Monday's groundbreaking celebration for St. Joseph's new clinic, as were the two avid dirt diggers in the foreground. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)