Distinctly Montana Magazine

Montana Reeled Them In. Now they serve the community they love. Dr. Bridget Brennan Chief Medical Officer of Benefis Medical Group M y first experience in Montana was life-changing. I came to Montana State Uni- versity for a spring recruiting trip, and once I saw students sunbathing on snow banks, the great basketball program, and a nationally recognized nursing school... I signed scholarship papers before the weekend was over. As a freshman, I met my future husband—the star linebacker for the Bobcats—and after we married, his first job landed us in Great Falls. My initial RN job was at Benefis (Deaconess Hospital back then) as a rehab ranger, and while I loved it, shift work wasn't for me once I had my three boys. Then I discovered my passion of life: women's health with a fertility specialty. We have thoroughly enjoyed our lives in Great Falls hunting, fishing, and spending time at our cabin with our three athletic sons. Currently, two granddaughters are making life super fun with hopefully lots more to come since all three boys will likely be raising their families here as well. Last summer I was blessed to attend the wedding of a young lady I helped create 27 years ago—and now she asked me to be present at the upcoming delivery of her baby. I cherish all of the long-term relationships I have built with my fertility patients and that I have remained close to so many through the years. I love watching all of these kiddos and families grow up. Kelly Timmer Women's Health Nurse Practitioner We discovered Montana during family trips, fell in love with the state, and thought it would be a great place to retire after almost 30 years in emergency medicine. HA! I got a call from a re- cruiter, and before I knew it was the Emergen- cy Department medical director and involved in building the largest emergency department in the state, working closely on all aspects of the design, fundraising, and construction. So much for retirement! In January, I became Chief MedicalOfficer for Benefis Medical Group, and have been immersed in the community COVID response, starting the Great Falls Coronavirus Task Force. The pandemic has dominated my job as I've worked closely with many emergency response groups in the area. Montana has quickly become our home, with my husband becoming a chaplain for Benefis and Peace Hospice and my three children studying at Montana State University in Bozeman. While Glacier National Park was the reason we moved here, we love living in Great Falls and being outside, camping, and hiking. We feel really lucky to be living here! "I was fortunate to be a part of bringing a world class Emergency Department to Benefis that improves the quality of care our patients in crisis receive. Now I have the challenge helping providers figure out new ways to deliver healthcare during a pandemic, while keeping our medical staff, hospital employees, patients and community safe. That is my mission." "I can't even express how excited I am for the new Benefis Women's and Children's Center. What used to be primarily just me taking care of fertility patients for the last 28 years now is a team of three family nurse practitioners along with a reproductive endocrinologist based out of Minnesota. We also have two OB/GYN doctors and a maternal-fetal medicine doctor, and they are amazing. We are looking forward to having a Fertility Suite that will provide better privacy for couples who are often experiencing a very emotionally challenging path."

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