Bigfork Valley Opens Clinics
      3 new clinics in 2007
...Marcell · Coleraine · Balsam

It’s part of a strong commitment to the community, explained Dan Odegaard, CEO of Bigfork Valley.

“As a rural health care facility, our patients may have to travel a number of miles to obtain quality care, pick up their prescriptions or have periodic lab work done. We see it as part of our responsibility to our greater community to bring services closer to them.”

This fall two more new clinics will open; in Coleraine at the junction of old and new Highway 169 and in Balsam just north of the intersection of Highways 7 and 8. Last August, a clinic opened in Marcell at the Marcell Family Center.

The three clinics will accept the same insurances as Bigfork Valley Hospital, including in-network Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Plus, Preferred One, IMCare, Health Partners, Medica Choice, Medicare and other related carriers. Each clinic will offer primary family medical care as well as some additional services in lab and pharmacy courier service. The Coleraine clinic will also offer onsite X-ray in the near future.

“It’s challenging and exciting to open a new business location,” said Odegaard. “We look forward to bringing our own special brand of care to these clinics. We hope that we can not only better serve our current patients who live in these areas but also bring what we call the ‘Bigfork Valley Experience’ to new patients.”

The new clinics won’t be the first time Bigfork Valley has expanded its service area. Bigfork Valley Pharmacy has an established courier service to Scenic Rivers Health Services clinics in Floodwood, Northome, Big Falls and Cook. The hospital’s laboratory also offers full time lab draw services in Floodwood for analysis at the main lab in Bigfork.