After months of discussions between Partnership Health Center and the Seeley Lake Hospital District (SSHD) Board regarding the Seeley Lake Clinic’s financial sustainability, the SSHD board voted not to extend the clinic lease. A lease extension at a reduced rate would have provided health care to the Seeley Swan Community through the end of January 2027, ensuring access during the winter holidays and peak cold and flu season. The lease will end on October 31.
“We tried everything we could think of to stay as long as we could, but the board decided against continuing the partnership,” said Lara Salazar, CEO of Partnership Health Center. “Of course, we are disappointed. We care about the Seeley Lake community, and we hope the SSHD finds the health care solution they are looking for.”
For the past four years, Partnership Health Center has absorbed roughly $400,000 of losses annually to operate the Seeley Lake clinic. Partnership Health Center has been discussing ongoing revenue losses with the Seeley Lake Hospital District Board for years, but the conversation became more serious last spring. The healthcare landscape is changing rapidly, and many people have already lost—and will continue to lose—their health insurance coverage.
“We worked hard to reduce this loss while preserving access to care as much as possible. We tried to cut hours and adapt services, but the deficit persisted,” said Salazar. “As a nonprofit organization, we are financially stable, but ongoing losses create future instability that could compromise patient access and care.”
Partnership Health Center proposed several measures to minimize the loss, including reduced rent, fewer services and hours, and other local financial support. Ultimately, the Hospital District Board decided not to use local funds to support the clinic. As a final effort to keep the clinic open through the end of January, Partnership Health Center requested a rent reduction to $1, which would have reduced the financial loss of operating the clinic and provided time to discuss available options to meet the area’s health care needs.
Rural health care nationwide is struggling. Dozens of clinics across the country are closing, and more than 400 rural hospitals—over 20% of all rural facilities—are at risk of shutting down. In Montana, Intermountain Health recently announced the closure of its Lewistown Clinic and other staff reductions. The asbestos clinic in Libby also recently closed its doors.
“We are incredibly grateful to our team at the Seeley Clinic who have remained committed to patient care during this uncertain time. We look forward to continuing to provide care to our patients in other Partnership Health Center facilities. We are also exploring options to provide some level of health care access to the community.”
More information about a closure schedule will be available in the coming weeks. All Seeley Lake Clinic staff will be offered a position at the Creamery Clinic in Missoula. To schedule an appointment at Partnership Health Center in Missoula, call (406) 610-8181. Staff will help find a convenient appointment time and answer any questions about continuing care with Partnership Health Center.
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Partnership Health Center (PHC) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving Missoula County that provides primary, dental, and behavioral healthcare, as well as pharmacy services. Services are offered on a sliding fee scale to make healthcare accessible and affordable for everyone, regardless of income or insurance coverage. Everyone is welcome at PHC, and no one is denied care due to an inability to pay. Each year, PHC cares for 18,000 patients. To learn more, visit partnershiphealthcenter.org.
