Our History

In the 1860s, medical facilities in the Gallatin area were limited to physicians practicing medicine in their homes. The first hospital, Bozeman Sanitarium, was built in 1896 on the corner of Lamme and Tracy streets. The original 20-bed hospital cost $20,000 to construct. In 1911, the Sanitarium was purchased with contribution from the community, and Bozeman Deaconess Hospital was incorporated (incidentally, Bozeman Deaconess will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2011).

With the need for additional facilities the construction of a 50-bed hospital was completed in 1920. In 1944, a west wing was constructed to serve as the nurses' dormitory. A few years later, this building was converted to patient services, and the capacity of the hospital was increased to 104 beds. In 1969, an intensive care unit was built, which attached to the original buildings built in 1920 and 1944.

Looking ahead from 1956, the governing board and management at Bozeman Deaconess saw the growth that would come to the Bozeman area, and used that foresight to purchase 500 acres of land in the Hillcrest area. The need for a retirement community became obvious in the 1960s, and a portion of the site became Hillcrest Retirement Community. By the 1980s the downtown hospital had grown old, obsolete and crowded and trustees realized it was time to put the Hillcrest site to its primary use. Construction of the current hospital, located on Highland Boulevard, was completed in 1986. In response to requests for office space by area physicians, attached medical office buildings were constructed. Highland Park 1 opened in early 1990. Highland Park 2 was fully occupied by July 1992.

With a continued need for additional medical offices, Bozeman Deaconess Health Services opened Highland Park 3 in 1998. While its primary function was to provide additional medical office space, the three-story medical office building also houses the Cancer Center, the Dialysis Center, the business office, and the Outpatient Services Center. Highland Park 4 was completed in 2005. The five-story building is home to medical offices and a combined facility for physical therapy, occupational therapy, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation and a wound and lymphedema center. Advanced Medical Imaging, a state-of-the-art outpatient radiology center owned by Bozeman Deaconess Hospital and Intercity Radiologists, opened on the first floor of Highland Park 4 in September 2005. Plans are underway for new Day Surgery, PACU and Step-Down Unit on the second floor of the new building.

Bozeman and Gallatin County continue to experience rapid growth, and with that growth comes an increased demand for services. In 1999, two additions to the existing hospital building were completed. The 'new' 10-bed emergency department opened in October 1999, providing additional space and increased patient privacy in a state-of-the-art facility. Plans are underway to expand the emergency department, doubling the size of the unit. A new surgery suite was constructed in 2005, with plans for two more new suites, to meet the increased number of surgeries performed at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital.

Space within the hospital that formerly housed the business office and emergency department, as well as a portion of the emergency department addition currently house the Patient Registration Center, day surgery recovery rooms, endoscopy and expanded radiology services. The Cardiac Cath Lab opened in 2003 offering diagnostic catheterizations to 500 patients. In 2005, a specialist in interventional cardiology joined the medical staff at Bozeman Deaconess. In six months 100 patients with blocked arteries were treated with life-saving procedures called percutanious coronary intervention.

New nursing stations have been constructed. Obstetric delivery rooms have been renovated and remodeled to provide delivering mothers with new amenities in updated facilities. Patient rooms and corridors have been remodeled as well. In the twenty years Bozeman Deaconess Hospital has been at its Highland Boulevard address the number of employees grew from 425 to 1,000. In 1986 there were 60 physicians on medical staff; today more that 125 physicians representing nearly 30 specialties have medical staff privileges.

In May 2006, Phase I of a new integrated Cancer Center opened to treat the ever-growing number of cancer patients in our community. Phase II will be completed in November 2006. Hillcrest Senior Living Neighborhood for independent and assisted living will open 32 new Aspen Pointe apartments in 2006.

During 2006, Bozeman Deaconess Health Services-the not-for-profit umbrella organization that owns and operates Bozeman Deaconess Hospital, Bozeman Deaconess Health Group, Hillcrest Senior Living Neighborhood, Highland Health Park and satellite outpatient clinics-made the decision to put the capital assets in the 400 undeveloped acres it owns to work helping keep basic health care affordable. The first project planned is for 78 residential cottages and bungalows in the Hillcrest Neighborhood that will be age-qualified for people 55 and over. Bozeman Deaconess Health Services has also purchased property in Belgrade and plans to begin construction on a health care facility there in 2007.