Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 102 BENEFIS HEALTH SYSTEM: Benefis works with providers throughout the region to make vital health- care services available across our vast service area, which extends 38,000 square miles, and our community-based outreach services are present in 94 percent of Montana's counties. Our communities trust we're ready to give them the most quality care available when they come to us—or when we are called to go to them. We've been caring for and improving the health of our neighbors for 126 years. Benefis is a cornerstone within the Great Falls community and the region with a third of our patients living outside Cascade County. BOZEMAN HEALTH has a 100+ year local heritage of always caring for the poor, the vulnerable, and everyone within Southwest Montana. One way we realize this commitment is through our mobile screening program, HealthCare Connections (HCC). Each year, HCC travels throughout Southwest Montana and provides free preventive health services, screenings and immunizations to folks who need them. Over the past five years HCC has made 200 trips to places like West Yellowstone, Gardiner, and ree Forks and served over 4,500 people. Additionally, we support a strong community benefit program that, among other things, offers and leads Mental Health First Aid trainings to community mem- bers, participates in collaborative community coalitions, and stands up initiatives and programs aimed at addressing our most pressing community needs. HOW DOES THE HOSPITAL USE TECHNOLOGY TO ENCOURAGE TRANSPARENCY AND PATIENT RESPONSIBILITY? ST. VINCENT HEALTHCARE: SCL Health is very transparent about our quality and patient experience through the use of matrices. We also utilize a program for our rounding process to ensure we know patient preferences and follow up. Patients can take control of their health records through MyChart, which allows them to set appointments, communicate with providers and see test results securely from wherever they might be. BOZEMAN HEALTH: Bozeman Health is leveraging technologies like telehealth, virtual visits, and online scheduling, to expand access to care. We are also working to educate the community of when each level of care is appropriate for their needs through Care Aware. is involves working with primary care, emergency care, and b2 Care to determine when patients should be referred to each access point and allows us to provide higher quality care that is more cost effective for our patients. is allows healthcare consumers to make informed decisions, but also helps to ensure they have easy ac- cess to expert, quality and comprehensive care when they need it. BENEFIS HEALTH SYSTEM: Benefis provides an estimate of each patient's finan- cial responsibility for their care at the time of service as an effort to be transpar- ent about the cost of the services received, and to offer the convenience of making a payment at the time of service. Our goal is to be as transparent as possible about the estimated cost of services, including insurance coverage and patient responsibility. We want every patient WHO GIVES US THE OPPORTU- NITY TO CARE FOR THEM TO FEEL THEY'VE RECEIVED SAFE, QUALITY CARE— THAT THEY'VE BEEN TREATED WITH KINDNESS AND DIGNITY SO THEY HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE EVEN DURING A CHALLENGING TIME.

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