Distinctly Montana Magazine

85 w w w. d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m Providers Are the Heart of Benefis Helena Every time a Helena-area patient can skip the drive through icy Wolf Creek Canyon for chemotherapy or a surgery patient's life is simplified by a procedure close to home, the new Benefis Helena Specialty Center is fulfilling its purpose. The new specialty center is tailored around the needs of Helena providers and patients. High on the list is the need for cancer care. The new center has an infusion suite and access to oncology with a beautiful view across the valley to the Sleeping Giant, a mood lift during what can be a very tough experience. The center also includes outpatient surgery space, cardiac care, a lab, imaging including cardiac imaging, and offices and exam rooms for specialists. "From the beginning, our efforts here have been about expanding offerings to a patient population that has relied on us for decades for advanced specialty care," said Amy Linder, senior director of Provider Practices. "Montana is a big state. We're used to traveling long distances, but when you're not feeling well, when you're battling a disease or have limited mobility, traveling can be grueling or even an insurmountable barrier to care." A tradition of advanced care. Learn more at Benefis.org/Helena. A spirit of mission and innovation will guide Dr. Brad Nieset as he takes his medical skills and leadership abilities to the new Benefis Helena Specialty Center. As part of our primary care team in Helena, Dr. Nieset will help shape what family medicine looks like in the community. He brings experience from his work with the military and with patients in Great Falls. Lindsay Rucinsky, a family medicine nurse practitioner, said caring for the community is an honor. "I want to serve my community at the level in which I would hope to have in return," she said. Oncologist Dr. Carolyn Aks brings a wealth of experience in oncology, hematology, and internal medicine. She, like many people, has lost loved ones to cancer, which helps her understand patients and their families. Mary Middagh, a family nurse practitioner specializing in gastroenterology and hepatology, is one of our skilled providers at the specialty center. Originally from Helena, Mary loves helping the people of her community. "It's really special to care for the people I know and love," she says.

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