A major medical center in Montana, Great Falls boasts the state's largest hospital and one of the state's largest physician practices.

Benefis Healthcare is a tertiary medical center and the region's largest private employer, providing comprehensive services from trauma and emergency care to high-level programs for heart, cancer, orthopedic, neurologic (brain, stroke and nerves), high-risk pregnancies and very ill newborns.

The Great Falls Clinic operates a smaller hospital and a surgery center.

It's a partnership of more than 100 physicians in dozens of specialties from cardiology to cancer, neurology, nephrology (kidney), neonatology (newborn), allergy and critical care.

The Clinic operates an Immediate Care Center and has two satellite locations in Great Falls.

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Dr. Libby Lake moved back to Great Falls two years ago after being away for a number of years. About the health care in Great Falls, Lake says, "We have the benefit of two cancer centers and multiple consultants. We have a great breadth of care."

Pat Vanisko, a retired nurse from the former Deaconess Medical Center, agrees.

"The care in Great Falls is outstanding in my opinion. With the variety of specialists it's great being able to stay in your own community rather than to travel somewhere for specialized care," she says.

"The doctors are excellent," says Vanisko, who retired shortly before the city's two hospitals, Columbus and Deaconess, merged to form Benefis Healthcare.

"The hospital provides excellent care and the facilities have always been very good — and I've been in a few," she adds.

Vanisko says Great Falls benefits from excellent technology, the two cancer-treatment centers and very specialized procedures such as transesophageal echocardiography, a high-tech diagnostic tool that looks for heart disease utilizing ultrasound waves emitted through a tube that is passed down the throat.

The two big medical facilities utilize leading-edge technology, including radiation therapy for cancer, CT scanning, MRI and PET scanning.

A number of other independent physicians add to the broad range of medical services in the community.

Part of the reason for success can be attributed to great physician recruitment. "We always have our ear to the ground to recruit anyone who wants to come. Both the Clinic and Benefis do an excellent job in recruitment," Lake says.