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KFF Health News In 2023, our nationwide reporting team has been hard at work on a holiday gift to you: a packet of advice for navigating the labyrinthine American medical system. In the sixth year of KFF Health News-NPR’s “Bill of the Month” series, readers shared more than 750 tales of medical billing problems, contributing to our ongoing effort to investigate the financial consequences of becoming sick or injured in the United States — and empower patients to advocate for themselves. Reporters analyzed more than $730,00...
Press release Alzheimer’s disease is expected to impact nearly 13 million Americans by 2050, including 22,000 Montanans today, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. So, as you contemplate your New Year’s resolutions for 2024, consider there are steps you can take yourself to maintain and improve your cognitive function. Research has shown lifestyle changes like improving diet and exercising regularly have helped drive down death rates from cancer, heart disease and other major diseases. These same lifestyle changes may al...
Press release The Orthopedic Surgery Team at Northern Montana Hospital - NMH - is now offering Persona IQ®, the world's first and only smart knee implant granted "De Novo status" by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for total knee replacement surgery. Persona IQ combines the proven and trusted knee implant, Persona® The Personalized Knee®, with implantable sensor technology that measures range of motion, step count, walking speed and other gait metrics. "We're...
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks A free youth pheasant and waterfowl weekend kick-off event is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 5:00-7:30 p.m. at the Havre Trap Club for any youth aged 10 and older. Parents or other mentors planning to hunt with the youth are expected to attend as well. The event is planned ahead of the youth pheasant and waterfowl weekend of Sept. 23-24, which is open for properly licensed youth ages 10-15. The kick-off will include a barbecue “open house” for youth and their adult-hunting partners to...
Press release HAVRE - A soothing musical therapy that helped patients at Northern Montana Health Care that was canceled due to the pandemic is back. As part of the public health emergency for COVID-19, Northern Montana Hospital discontinued allowing visitors into their facility. Unfortunately, this included many Northern Montana Hospital volunteers. Mary Stevens, a local musician, was one of those volunteers. But recently, volunteers have resumed their activities at Northern...
Marijuana is a product of the cannabis plant and its main active chemical is THC. It poses substantial health and safety risks to young people, yet it is the most widely used drug among this population. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA), teen and early adult years are when children are most vulnerable to marijuana’s harmful effects. It can affect brain development, academic achievement, relationships, and physical health. The risk for addiction increases as well. Why do young people u...
Press release For newborns in distress in rural hospitals, for travelers in car wrecks, for injured wilderness explorers, for farmers and ranchers wounded on the job, and for so many more Montanans and visitors, Mercy Flight has been a critical element of survival. "Mercy Flight is a godsend," one Choteau dad said after his children were injured in a utility terrain vehicle accident. "I was happy to have them take my princess to Great Falls." Monday, Jan. 16, marked the 4...
Press release Sarah Spangler, RN, has been promoted to the vice president of patient care services at Northern Montana Hospital, replacing Erich Koch, RN, who is retiring. Spangler was the director of Northern Montana Hospital Medical/Surgical Department. She is also on the Montana Board of Nursing and has recently been appointed to the National Council for State Boards of Nursing NCLEX Item Review Subcommittee. Spangler started her career at Northern Montana Hospital eight...
For more than 40 years, the American Cancer Society has hosted the Great American Smokeout on the third Thursday of November. While this year’s date has come and gone, each and every day is a good opportunity for smokers to commit to beginning healthier smoke-free e-cigarette-free lives — not just for a day, but all year round. The Great American Smokeout provides an opportunity for individuals to make a plan to quit. According to The Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids, tobacco use exacts a heavy toll. Smoking is the leading cau...
Northern Montana Health Care is currently rolling out a new program for their patients. “RxInform” is a texting service that provides patients with education information about prescriptions. Meant to be utilized with new prescriptions, it adds another layer of information that patients can benefit from. Once a provider has entered a new prescription in for a patient, the RxInform program will automatically create a text to the patient with information. “Quite often, when a patient is prescribed a new medication, espec...
The holiday season is quickly approaching! And with that, stress is sure to follow. In this Partners in Prevention article, we take a look at what stress is and how to cope with it. National Stress Awareness Day is every first Wednesday of November — Nov. 2 this year. The day is dedicated to increasing public awareness and helping people recognize, manage, and reduce stress in their personal and professional lives. It’s a day to remind individuals that you’re not doing yourself any favors by stressing about situations you can...
Press release FORT HARRISON — Montana VA Health Care System encourages veterans to be proactive with breast cancer health and awareness during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women after skin cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. The sobering statistic behind breast cancer is that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer and likely need treatment and surgery to survive. In Montana, with a population of 1.1 million people, this represents around 62,...
As inflation causes us all to stretch our dollars, the majority of Americans — including Havre residents — are likely focused on finding the best prices without sacrificing quality. Health care can be expensive, so picking the right insurance plan that meets your individual or family needs can be critical to maintaining a balanced budget. Right now — during the Annual Election Period Oct. 15 through Dec. 7 — people eligible for Medicare have the opportunity to select a plan that provides the affordability, convenience and ben...
As the summer months rapidly approach and people spend more time on Montana’s roads and highways, it is important to remember the laws surrounding seatbelt use, and how they protect you and your loved ones. Montana law states that the driver is responsible for every person in the vehicle and can be fined for every unrestrained passenger. According to the Montana Department of Transportation, in 2020, when fatal crashes occurred, 8/10 of those involved were not buckled up. As a state, we can lower those numbers by wearing o...
It is well known that flavors, such as fruit or candy, play a significant role in enticing kids and young adults to try and use tobacco products. Studies from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration show that flavors play a major role in youth initiation and use of tobacco products. Although there has been significant progress in reducing youth cigarette smoking in recent years, there has been little progress in reducing overall tobacco use in a decade due to the popularity of flavored products like e-cigarettes and cigars....
(BPT) - COVID-19 has hit some communities very hard. That has put new attention on a long-term problem in the United States - health disparities. Health disparities are differences in health that harm disadvantaged communities. Understanding what causes these differences is key to addressing them. DNA alone does not explain the big differences in people's health. Researchers are looking closely at other variables that affect health. These factors include social determinants...
Teens who experiment with drugs put their health and safety at risk. Help prevent teen drug abuse by talking to your teen about the consequences of using drugs and the importance of making healthy choices. Why teens use or misuse drugs Various factors can contribute to teen drug use and misuse. First-time use often occurs in social settings with easily accessible substances, such as alcohol and cigarettes. Continued use might be a result of insecurities or a desire for social acceptance. Teens may feel indestructible and migh...
An alarming one in four — 29 percent — Montana teens report drinking alcohol within the past month. And 18 percent of teens admit to binge drinking in the past 30 days. Those are the latest statistics captured in the 2020 Montana Prevention Needs Assessment Survey, conducted by the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there are several signs parents can watch out for when it comes to alcohol abuse. But it’s important to remember that...
Press release Bullhook Community Health Center has recently been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration. The NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization that is dedicated to improving health care quality. The NCQA Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration is awarded to NCQA-recognized patient-centered medical homes who excel in integrating behavioral health services into primary care settings. Practices that earn NCQA’s Behavioral Health Integration Distinc...
Quitting nicotine is hard. Whether it is commercial tobacco or vaping, several serious attempts may be needed tp finally cease this difficult addiction. While an attempt may not be successful, it should never be viewed as a failure — but rather as an important step toward your goal of a healthier lifestyle. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, while it may take several attempts to quit for good, you should remember that even small successes are wins. For instance, you may find that the next time you try to q...
From Montana Medical Association HELENA — The Montana Medical Association announced that its Board of Trustees selected a new slate of officers to lead the association through September 2022, with Carley C. Robertson, M.D., a general practice physician from Havre, taking the helm as association president. “We are proud to announce these new officers and their commitment to leading the Association into 2022,” MMA Chief Executive Officer Jean Branscum said. “Dr. Robertson and this full slate of exceptional physician leaders...
From Northern Montana Health Care The Havre Women's Golf Association recently awarded the Northern Montana Health Care Foundation with a check for $48,900. This was the total proceeds from their 2021 "Golfing for a Cure" Tournament and will go toward the Havre Women's Golf Association Assistance Fund. 2021 marks the 16th Annual Golf Tournament that the Havre Women's Golf Association has held, with the exception of 2020. Originally it was created to help the Hi-Line community m...
Northern Montana Health Care recently presented the C.A.R.E. - Compassionately Achieving Remarkable Excellence - Award to two employees. Paul Schuschke, RN, part of the emergency medicine team, won the award in June and Shannon Hansen, a member of the Northern Montana Pharmacy team, won the Award in September. Schuschke was nominated for this honor by his co-workers. "Paul has many years of experience at NMH," his nominator said. "He is a mentor and resource tool for his...
From Northern Montana Health Care Brock Doty, human resources assistant at Tilleman Motor Company recently paid a visit to the Northern Montana Sletten Cancer Center. He presented a check for $615 to the Northern Montana Health Care Foundation for the Sletten from their recent "Drive for a Cause" campaign. "Drive for a Cause" is a fundraising campaign that Tilleman Motor Company ran this July at their dealership. A local, family-owned business, Tilleman Motor Co. has served th...
From Montana Department of Health and Human Services State and local public health officials are reminding Montanans to take steps to avoid mosquito bites and prevent infection from West Nile virus. In Montana, WNV season usually begins in July and ends in October, as this is when the mosquitoes responsible for it emerge. “As we head into West Nile Virus season all Montanans are encouraged to take the necessary precautions,” Department of Public Health and Human Services epidemiologist Erika Baldry said. “There was only one c...
