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Yellowstone County Faces Physician Shortage: Student Doctor Aims to Help

BILLINGS, MT – Montana is facing a critical shortage of medical professionals, prompting innovative solutions like the expansion of residency programs. A new initiative at Billings Clinic, spearheaded by Dr. Molly Biehl, aims to address this gap by increasing the number of physicians choosing to practice in the state, particularly in rural communities.

The physician deficit isn’t a new phenomenon, but recent data indicates a worsening trend. According to the montana Medical Association, the state currently ranks near the bottom nationally in physicians per capita.This scarcity impacts access to care, leading to longer wait times for appointments and, in certain specific cases, limited specialized services available within Montana.

Dr. Biehl, the Designated Institutional Official for Billings Clinic’s Graduate Medical Education, explained that residency programs are vital for retaining doctors in the areas where they train. “Physicians are much more likely to establish practices in communities where they’ve completed their residency,” she stated. Billings Clinic currently hosts residency programs in family medicine, internal medicine, surgery, and psychiatry, with plans to expand into other specialties.

Andrew Flick, Billings Clinic’s Chief Medical Officer, emphasized the financial commitment required to support these programs. He noted that each residency position costs approximately $200,000 annually, covering salaries, benefits, and educational resources. Despite the expense, Flick believes the investment is crucial for Montana’s healthcare future.

The shortage extends beyond physicians, impacting dental care as well. Programs like the one at Billings Clinic

August 8, 2025 0 comments

Here’s a breakdown of teh provided text, focusing on the key information about the Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) pediatric services:

Key Developments:

Resumption of Services: interior Health announced that elective pediatric surgeries and some diagnostic procedures for children will resume at KGH. The pediatric unit will also begin admitting patients during daytime hours.
Phased Approach: Services are being phased in to ensure patient safety and sustainability for doctors.
Improved Coverage: The authority has achieved consistent daytime coverage, allowing for the service resumption. This is attributed to both community pediatricians working on locums and full-time/permanent pediatricians at KGH.
New Doctors: Four new doctors are expected to join KGH over the summer and fall, with two arriving earlier than anticipated.

Ongoing Challenges and Considerations:

Patient Transfers: Some patients will still need to be transferred to other Interior Health hospitals or to B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver if medically necessary.
Past Transfers: 22 patients were transferred to other regional hospitals, and 7 to B.C. Children’s Hospital during the closure.Interior Health expects this number to decrease.
Previous Concerns: Pediatricians previously left KGH due to unmanageable caseloads, with concerns that the system did not support safe and enduring work.
Addressing Workload: Interior Health is working to “split the service” to ensure at least two pediatricians are available at the site at any given time. Associate Physicians: The authority plans to bring in associate physicians this summer, following licensing changes that allow them to practice under supervision.

Contextual Information:

CEO Resignation: The interior health CEO stepped down a few weeks after the initial closure announcement.
* Nature of Closure: During the six-week closure, critical care services (emergency department, NICU) remained open. Only general admissions were affected.

In essence, the article reports on the positive step of resuming some pediatric services at KGH after a period of closure, while also acknowledging the underlying issues of physician workload and the ongoing efforts to build a more sustainable system.

doctor shortage

Yellowstone County Faces Physician Shortage: Student Doctor Aims to Help

Kelowna Pediatric Services Resume at KGH After Doctor Shortage