Yellowstone Times

Years of collaboration between Montana State University's nursing college and its partners have expanded cancer care access in rural Montana. A significant grant from the Merck Foundation has enabled Barrett Hospital and HealthCare in Dillon to offer oncology services, benefiting residents who previously had to travel over two hours for treatment.

The $1.9 million grant, awarded in 2022 to Conquer Cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Foundation, supports a shared-care model of cancer care delivery. The funding will continue through June 2027, aiding MSU, Barrett Hospital and Bozeman Health in implementing and evaluating this model.

Marg Hammersla, a professor at MSU's Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing, highlighted the challenges faced by patients traveling for treatment. "Data show that the farther patients need to travel, the more likely they are to forgo treatment," she said. Hammersla emphasized that adding local cancer care could lead to better patient outcomes by reducing financial and physical burdens.

Barrett Hospital's new infusion suite opened on October 1, 2024. By year-end, it recorded numerous visits, significantly reducing patient travel and saving costs. Lyndee Fogel, director of pharmacy at Barrett Hospital and HealthCare, praised the grant’s impact: “This is something this community has needed for a long time."

Dillon residents Grace and Bill Salada have benefited from the new center after Grace was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer last October. Without local services, she would have foregone treatment due to travel demands.

Jack Hensold from ASCO noted that rural areas face unique healthcare challenges compared to urban centers. He stressed improving access as a potential solution: “What we can do moving forward is say if we believe access to be one of the problems let’s improve access.”

The project aims to create a replicable framework for other rural hospitals. Janette Merrill from ASCO remarked on Marg Hammersla’s contributions: “She’s done a lot of mapping the systems and looking at process improvement.”

Despite funding ending in 2027, there is optimism about continuing operations at Barrett Hospital's infusion center. Ongoing discussions aim to further expand patient care capabilities within Dillon.