Four young doctors, already busy enough in their solo practices of frontier-type medicine, met under the leadership of Dr. E.M. “Pa” Larson, a general practitioner and surgeon, and decided to become a clinic of specialists. Thus, the Great Falls Clinic, the first group practice in Montana, and one of the first in the West, was born in 1917. Joined by a desire to improve medical care in North central Montana, these four general practitioners felt they could practice more effectively and efficiently through group practice. This pioneering tradition of medicine continues to thrive today at the Great Falls Clinic.
Our Founders
Dr. E.M. Larson, General Practice and Surgery Dr. P. F. Kearney, Obstetrics Dr. R. B. Durnin, Internal Medicine Dr. E. M. Porter, Orthopaedics
Timeline
Patient Centered, Physician Led
- 1917
- Great Falls Clinic opens
- 1928
- Great Falls Clinic moves to the Strain Building in Great Falls, Montana
- 1952
- Great Falls Clinic moves to 1220 Central Avenue in Great Falls, Montana
- 1984
- Great Falls Clinic moves to new Main Clinic at 1400 29th Street South in Great Falls, Montana
- 1989
- Great Falls Clinic recruits the first Pediatric Cardiologist to Great Falls
- 1992
- Great Falls Clinic recruits the first Neonatologist to Great Falls
- 1993
- Great Falls Clinic recruits the first Perinatologist to Great Falls
- 1994
- Great Falls Clinic expands the Main Clinic in Great Falls
- 1995
- Great Falls Clinic introduces the region’s first stereotactic breast biopsy
- 1996
- Great Falls Clinic partners with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana
- 1999
- Great Falls Clinic opens the Great Falls Clinic – Surgery Center at 1509 29th Street South in Great Falls, Montana
- 2000
- Great Falls Clinic opens the Northwest Clinic at 1600 Division Road in Great Falls, Montana
- 2000
- Great Falls Clinic introduces region’s first “open” MRI
- 2003
- Great Falls Clinic implements the region’s first electronic medical record (EMR)
- 2004
- Great Falls Clinic recruits physicians for its new Hospitalist program
- 2005
- Great Falls Clinic opens new Specialty Center and Clinic Cancer Care at 3000 15th Avenue South in Great Falls, Montana
- 2006
- Great Falls Clinic and Essentia Health partner acquire Central Montana Surgical Hospital at 1411 9th Street South in Great Falls, Montana
- 2009
- Central Montana Surgical HospitaI officially changes its name to Great Falls Clinic Medical Center
- 2011
- Great Falls Clinic, Great Falls Clinic Surgery Center and Great Falls Clinic Medical Center partners with Nashville based Symbion, Inc. to support continued growth and development of healthcare services in Great Falls
- 2014
- Groundbreaking for new Great Falls Clinic Medical Center replacement facility located at 3010 15th Avenue South
- 2015
- Great Falls Clinic Medical Center officially changes its name to Great Falls Clinic Hospital
- 2015
- Great Falls Clinic Legacy Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit foundation is created
- 2016
- Great Falls Clinic Hospital Grand Opening January 5, 2016
- 2017
- Great Falls Clinic Legacy Foundation receives $1 M seed donation to build Harold & Carmen Poulsen Legacy Housing patient housing
- 2019
- Montana Plastic Surgery Center affiliates with the Great Falls Clinic
- 2019
- Surgery Partners acquires Great Falls Clinic, LLP
- 2020
- Great Falls Clinic Legacy Foundation breaks ground on Harold & Carmen Poulsen Legacy Housing facility