Mountainview Medical Center Inc. located in White Sulphur Springs, Montana is a rural integrated delivery system offering emergency services, hospitalization, long term care, and a primary care clinic for the residents of White Sulphur Springs and Meagher County.

As a frontier community, 75 miles from the nearest stoplight, Mountainview is in a unique position to provide services to a wide range of people. Sparsely populated ranch land and national forest service land is the backdrop of this area. MMC is a vital part of the community, providing well-baby checks, middle of the night emergency services and meeting the needs of the elderly population in Long Term Care.

At Mountainview our mission is to care for our neighbors; supporting them to live healthy, active lives and helping them heal in times of injury and illness.

We serve all who need care, regardless of their ability to pay.

Mountainview Medical Center is a community founded and supported organization. A volunteer board of directors provides strategic community direction for MMC. The board members volunteer a remarkable amount of time in service to the organization.

A crowd of people met in 1952 to discuss building a hospital. The program would be eligible as a Blue Cross and Blue Shield facility. Financial support for the hospital accumulated from contributions from the community. Meagher County residents purchased stock at $25 a share.

Much of the actual construction was volunteer labor. Music students held a piano recital and the American Legion Auxiliary held a benefit party. Individuals and families furnished patient rooms. A single check finished the operating room and equipment. A kitchen shower was held. A community-sewing group made patient gowns and doctors' scrubs. The guild developed a plan for volunteers to keep the hospital clean once it opened. The clinic was opened in 1953 to better negotiate for a doctor; the hospital opened December 2, 1957. A health care facility in White Sulphur Springs was a labor of love. No Hill-Burton funds were used.

A 31 bed nursing home was added to the complex in 1976. Mortgage payments on that construction loan continue to be paid by the Harmon Trust Fund. An activity room was added in 1996 with indoor and outdoor recreational facilities for residents. The Harmon Trust again provided support.

The operational issues of 1958 were the same then as they are today - unexpected expenses including: results from fire life safety surveys, problems finding enough nurses and payment for services were slow in coming. During the '60s, the hospital faced closure from time to time but, with the community's help, survived each financial crisis one step at a time.

Marguerite Bair Lamb's last will and testament established the Charles M. Bair Memorial Trust in 1976 which allowed an annual gift to Mountainview Medical Center. A new clinic was opened in 1987 which was funded in large part by the Bair Trust.

Over the past half century, patient services revenue has not covered expenses. Contributions, tax support and endowment income has assisted MMC in meeting its obligations. Improvements to the structure could not have been undertaken unless the operation was showing future prospects.

The realities of an aging building began to grow. During the late 1990’s there was increased concern about the ability to stand up to regulatory scrutiny. Key strategic goals were set by the governing board on October 28, 2000 which included the creation of a patient, provider and family user-friendly facility. The goal was set up on a three-year completion cycle.

Renovation and remodeling of the hospital began in June of 2003, with more than half the funds needed for the project secured. Fund raising and construction continued through most of 2004. The building project – a state of the art hospital in a frontier community was completed in December of 2004. Over 70% of the funding for the project had been secured at that time with the remaining money secured through a low interest loan from the Montana Facility Finance Authority.

Today, Mountainview Medical Center is a surviving Critical Access Hospital in rural Montana. Services provided have changed in the past 50 years but MMC is still here for the benefit of the Meagher County community members. Future remodel is planned so MMC can continue to provide quality health services to its community and beyond.