Benefis Health System is one of Montana's largest tertiary centers, with Level II trauma designation, serving nearly all specialties except burns and organ transplants across a region the size of Kansas. The Heart & Vascular Institute, built on more than 130 years of healthcare heritage, operates a modern facility for coordinated cardiovascular care and is led by Chief Alfredo Ramirez, MD.
Your practice will be based in a new 20-exam-room cardiac clinic that houses cardiac rehab, surgery, electrophysiology, interventional, and non-invasive cardiology, which keeps care from being spread across multiple buildings.
The system includes 226 licensed hospital beds on the Great Falls campuses and more than 3,000 employees providing care from emergency services to hospice. With 440-plus employed providers, up from 104 a decade ago, Benefis runs an integrated, physician-focused model that aligns incentives across specialties.
Your practice is supported by an established cardiac program with interventional and surgical capabilities. The cath lab offers PCI, Shockwave lithotripsy, rotational atherectomy, IVUS, FFR/iFR, OCT, and mechanical support (Impella, IABP). Electrophysiology covers arrhythmia management, including pulmonary vein isolation (pulsed field and cryoablation), atrial flutter, SVT, VT/PVC ablations, and full device services. Cardiovascular surgery completes about 50 open-heart cases per year, and vascular surgery provides carotid interventions (TCAR), FEVAR, EVAR, and endarterectomy. Certain advanced procedures still send patients 4 to 5 hours away, which marks where the program can grow as the team expands.
Becker's Healthcare named Benefis one of the Top 150 Places to Work in Healthcare seven times (2014 to 2019, 2024), the only Montana health system recognized. Healthgrades ratings show performance above national standards in coronary procedures, stroke care, and pulmonary care. Cardiac accreditations and quality measures hold care to established benchmarks, with data analytics and performance tracking supporting quality improvement.
Benefis extends care beyond Great Falls through regional clinics and critical access hospitals. The Helena satellite clinic offers outpatient cardiology with echo and stress testing on site, about 90 miles from the main campus and with no call obligation. Outpatient clinics in Choteau, Fort Benton, and Lewistown add access, with room for outreach cardiology clinics.
Benefis Teton Medical Center (Choteau) and Missouri River Medical Center (Fort Benton) provide emergency stabilization and basic inpatient care, transferring complex cases to Great Falls. A dedicated air ambulance program (helicopter and fixed-wing) supports rapid transport for urgent cardiac patients across the 14-county service area.
The system's mission, "We provide excellent care for all, healing body, mind, and spirit," reflects the faith-based heritage of the founding institutions alongside evidence-based medicine. In practice, that includes culturally sensitive care for Native American patients, home health services with more than 30,000 visits per year, and regional outreach that brings specialty consultation to patients who cannot easily travel to Great Falls.
The vision statement, "To be the best health system in Montana," fits the system's resources, leadership stability, and record of investment. Physician turnover of 5.4%, direct monthly access to executive leadership, and continued investment in facilities and staff support a practice environment where physicians can practice the way they trained.
