GREAT FALLS — Montanans are living longer and that means the state's older population is expanding. According to the 2023 Montana State Plan on Aging from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, the age group of 65 and above is the Treasure State's fastest growing segment, increasing by 46.8% from 2010 to 2021. The report says 19.6% of the state population is now 65 and older, that's up 4.7% from 2010.
The report goes on to say people over the age of 60 accounted for 26.72% of Montana's total population of 1,104,271 in 2021. That’s up almost 14.9% from 2010.
Numbers like that mean more healthcare services are needed for older Montanans. A new primary health care clinic in Great Falls is open for business, helping to fill the void, with Greater Good Health hosting a ribbon-cutting on Tuesday at 405 Third Street NW, Suite 102.
Following Billings and Missoula, it becomes the third facility of its kind in Montana with a mission of creating access to exceptional primary health care for seniors.
“We help older patients who are struggling, maybe with lots of chronic conditions, balancing medications, lifestyle concerns. We are thoughtful of that. The experience of walking into a clinic can be daunting,” said Greater Good Health Founder and CEO Sylvia Hastanan.
Stepping inside the 7,500 square foot clinic in the West Bank Landing area may seem more like a trip to spa instead of a doctor’s office.
“We've designed this clinic so it’s warm and welcoming,” said Hastanan. “That's why you see the fireplace, the thoughtfulness on aesthetics and the format and the layout of the clinic is so that seniors feel really comfortable coming into the space and coming back to us.”
Most of Greater Good Health’s clinicians are trained in primary care family practice. The staff also includes medical assistants, nurses, and a patient liaison.
“It’s somebody who's dedicated to patients and can help them navigate the complexities of the health care system. Things like benefits, network insurance plans, community resources,” said Hastanan.
The relaxed atmosphere features nine exam rooms, an on-site laboratory, and a community room.
“It will host educational seminars, group activities, fitness classes, things like that,” said Hastanan.
Hastanan says patients covered by Medicare and Humana are welcome. She says a partnership with Humana, a major national insurance payer, identified a need for expanding services to seniors in Great Falls.
“The supply of primary care providers compared to the aging population was mismatched,” said Hastanan. “So, we were able to come in and help provide more access to a starved network.”
Hastanan says Greater Good Health prides itself in being a value-based care provider, accountable for the entire patient and not just concerned with the visit.
“We think about the patient after they leave our clinic. We think about them if they go to the hospital or how they get care afterwards, if they're at home, who's caring for them?” said Hastanan. “Our accountability spans beyond what normal practices would be thinking about.”
