Great Falls, Mont.-based Benefis Health System has acquired Missouri River Medical Center in Fort Benton.
Benefis has had a management contract with the rural hospital since 2015 — when the hospital slipped into the red, the health system said in a news release. Louie King, president of community hospitals, will continue to run Missouri River Medical Center, along with Benefis Teton Medical Center in Choteau.
The 83 employees at Missouri River Medical Center will become Benefis employees. The health system employs more than 3,400 people, including over 340 providers.
"The board of directors saw that joining Benefis was a much-needed step in providing a collaboration that will enhance our local healthcare services and help sustain healthcare for Fort Benton and Chouteau County in the future," Mr. King said. "This move will bring much-needed capital for the completion of the remodeling of our older facility into a state-of-the-art critical access hospital."
With the acquisition, Benefis now operates four campuses in Great Falls, critical access hospitals in Choteau and Fort Benton, four outpatient healthcare locations in Helena and outreach offices in other Montana towns.