News

Contact: Lauren Brendel, M.S.

A little more than two years ago, Bozeman Health leaders, care team members, board members, Governor Bullock, and other local and state government officials and representatives stood outside Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital for a ceremonial groundbreaking event where we announced plans to enhance critical care services and build a three-story patient care tower at Deaconess Hospital. Together with Bozeman Health Foundation, Bozeman Health also officially launched Caring Forward, a $15 million charitable campaign that helped fund this investment in the health of Southwest Montana. Thanks to many generous donors, we shared last winter that we exceeded our Caring Forward goal to realize $18.2 million dollars and today, we’re celebrating the opening of our new main entrance, lobby, and Critical Care Unit at Deaconess Hospital.

With patients officially moving into the Critical Care Unit later this week and with tours held last week for employees to walk thru the new unit, we’re excited to share with our community the video link to our virtual opening celebration.

It’s our pleasure to share this beautiful new space, and introduce to our community the innovative and technology-driven critical care unit that will enable our team of expert, compassionate providers to give the best possible care to our patients and our community.

To view the virtual tour and see remarks made by Bozeman Health leadership, Dr. Andrew Sullivan, and Kris Deason (former ICU patient), click here:

https://youtu.be/KP7z769spLU

We would not be here today without the support of our project partners and Bozeman Health would like to warmly thank Noli White Group, John Sommer, our Bozeman Health Senior Project Superintendent and Hollie Raycraft, our System Director of Healthcare Facility Transitions, Cushing Terrell, Layton Construction, and the City of Bozeman; Planning, Building and Fire Departments and the more than 15 Montana or Bozeman-based subcontractors for their work in making this dream become a reality.

Finalizing the work needed to be done in the midst of a pandemic was no easy feat but Bozeman Health is proud to say that our teams quickly adapted to new safety standards and reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring we could open the critical care unit in 2020.

Our progressive care and intensive care unit teams have dedicated hundreds of hours working with the architect and construction teams to ensure that the space, workflows, and processes needed to best care for patients were innovative, patient-focused, and conducive to safe, efficient patient care. Each inch of space within the Critical Care Unit has a specific function or purpose and allows for better teamwork and collaboration. Their dedication to each other and to our patients and community is inspiring.

We’re proud that our new Critical Care Unit features 20 beds that can be used for intensive or progressive care and that each room is three times the size of our prior ICU rooms. This space ensures our teams can effectively work together, move equipment around easily, and bring in other team members and equipment as needed.

Research shows that having a strong, local health system that is dedicated to high-quality outcomes and providing safe, expert care to patients, especially in rural areas, positively impacts the economic and health outcomes of the region. We know that in communities like Bozeman, Belgrade, Big Sky and surrounding areas that having access to healthcare services when needed allows individuals to continue their work, to continue enjoying an outdoor healthy life, and to contribute to the economic vitality of the region.

And, in the midst of a pandemic, when access to healthcare can be critically important, the crucial timing of additional/upgraded ICU capacity coming online allows Bozeman Health and our care teams to have the space, resources, and appropriate settings to expertly care for our sickest patients.

Bozeman Health’s number one priority is keeping our employees, patients, and our community safe and healthy. This warm welcome, the healing space, and the state-of-the-art critical care unit helps us live that priority and live our mission of improving community health and quality of life.