Finding a primary care physician who is accepting new patients in Great Falls has become a challenge for many residents — and for those trying to establish care for the first time, the search can feel nearly impossible.
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Health providers themselves acknowledge the process is far from easy.
"Yeah, I think first and foremost, you know, it's important to know that we're in a drought for physicians across the country, right?" said Dr. Greg Tierney, President of System Clinical Operations at Benefis Health System.
The numbers back him up. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the United States could face a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians over the next decade — a gap driven in part by an aging population and baby boomers retiring from the profession faster than new doctors can replace them. The Health Resources and Services Administration projects an even higher deficit of over 141,000 full-time equivalent physicians across specialties as demand continues to grow.
Benefis is working to address the shortage locally. Last year, the health system welcomed its first class of ten physicians who had just finished medical school and are beginning a three-year residency program in internal medicine.
"We last year welcomed our first class of ten young physicians that had just finished medical school and are beginning a three-year residency program in internal medicine," Tierney said.
Benefis hopes to grow to 42 physicians within the next two years — with the goal of reducing wait times, cutting cancellations, and improving access to care. But recruiting physicians is only half the challenge. Keeping them is the other.
"I think for us, as we recruit providers, we want to make sure that this is going to be the right fit for them," said Kendra Puckett, Vice President of Medical Group Operations at the Great Falls Clinic Hospital.
Puckett says convincing physicians to choose Great Falls over other Montana cities is an ongoing challenge.
"Great Falls is harder to recruit to than like the Bozemans or the Missoulas or, you know, Kalispell where there's Glacier National Park, that sort of thing. But Great Falls also has a lot of uniqueness as well," she said.
In the meantime, many positions are being temporarily filled by contract and traveling physicians. Providers say they are hopeful that partnerships with institutions like Touro University and incentives like student loan forgiveness will help Montana recruit and retain more doctors long term.
How to find a primary care provider in Great Falls:
If you are looking for a primary care physician in Great Falls, here are some steps to get started:
- Contact Benefis Health System — Visit benefis.org or call their main line to ask about primary care providers currently accepting new patients.
- Contact the Great Falls Clinic Hospital — Visit gfclinic.com to search for providers and check availability.
- Ask about nurse practitioners and physician assistants — If a physician is not available, advanced practice providers can often provide the same level of primary care and may have shorter wait times.
- Check with the Cascade City-County Health Department — The department offers some public health services and may be able to connect residents with additional resources.
- Consider telehealth — Many primary care services can now be handled remotely. Ask your preferred health system about telehealth options if in-person appointments are not immediately available.
- Be persistent — Ask to be placed on a waiting list. When a physician opens their panel to new patients, those on the list are often contacted first.
- Check your insurance provider's directory — Your insurance company maintains a list of in-network providers in your area and can help identify who is accepting new patients.
