St. Luke Hospital and Nursing Home of the Flathead Indian Reservation in Ronan, Montana need your help. We are planning an equipment and building addition project to improve our system of delivery of care specifically related to patient privacy, safety and access. The building project translates to ensuring an efficient and effective healthcare environment for future generations living on the Flathead Indian Reservations in Ronan Montana.

St. Luke’s plans include remodeling and expanding the current facility to provide 22 private rooms, and three labor,

We have an urgent need to expand our hospital for the people of the Flathead Indian Reservation because all aspects of services delivered have increased compared to a year ago. Hospital admissions are up 41%. Births are up 6%. Ultrasound services are up 17%. Radiology is up 6%. Respiratory therapy is up 10%. Laboratory services are up 21%. Physical therapy is up 17%. Emergency rooms visit were up 17% in 2005 and recently an additional 3%. Surgery is up 52%. We believe they come to us because they know that at St. Luke they receive compassionate care regardless of ability to pay. We project a continued increase in hospital usage subsequently challenging our efforts to provide privacy and safe care.

As part of the St. Luke mission statement we believe that everyone – regardless of economic or insurance status -- deserves to be treated with compassion and in a dignified manner. We pride ourselves on being extremely financially responsible. However, because of the hospital’s small size and the population’s low economic status, it is difficult to ask the community on its own to help fund the expansion that is necessary to enhance safety and privacy for our patients.

I appreciate your consideration in this important project. I know this project will help us continue to provide the best possible healthcare to the residents of the Flathead Indian Reservation in the northwestern corner of Montana. Please do not hesitate to contact me at (406) 528-5324 with any questions or comments. Better yet, plan a trip to our area and see for yourself what our expansion project will entail. I’d be happy to give you a tour of our current facilities.