St. Peter’s Health Opens $5M Dialysis Center in Helena
Helena, MT – St. Peter’s Health has officially opened its new $5 million nephrology and dialysis center at the Regional Medical Center, providing advanced treatment options for patients with kidney failure. The facility was designed to enhance patient comfort and care efficiency, featuring 10 state-of-the-art hemodialysis stations and cutting-edge equipment to support both in-clinic and home dialysis treatments.
The opening of this new center is a significant milestone for St. Peter’s Health, especially following the closure of the previous dialysis unit in 2022. The interim relocation to the hospital’s surgical unit posed logistical challenges, making the completion of this dedicated facility a crucial step forward. Now, the new clinic serves approximately 40 patients, nearly half of whom manage their dialysis at home—a rate far above the national average of 13%.
The design of the new center prioritizes patient well-being and comfort, incorporating large windows, a ceiling mural of a blue sky and trees, and personal touches such as photos of the care team’s pets in each dialysis room. These thoughtful elements aim to create a more soothing environment for patients undergoing the often-exhausting dialysis process.
At the grand opening, Dr. Robert LaClair, the center’s medical director, expressed gratitude to the dialysis team and donors who made the project possible. He highlighted the leadership of Alice Luehr, the dialysis director, and praised the dedication of the staff. The facility was designed by Slate Architecture and constructed by Dick Anderson Construction.
“This center represents our unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality care for our patients,” Dr. LaClair said. “We deeply appreciate the generosity of our donors who made this project a reality.”
Funding for the center came from St. Peter’s Health Foundation, along with major contributions from donors including the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Otto Bremer Trust, and the David J. Haviland Estate.
For more details, read the original article from the Helena Independent Record: St. Peter’s Health Opens New $5M Dialysis Center.
What Clients Say
Working with Slate Architecture on our new facility was like a breath of fresh air. Their ability to blend a personalized approach with professional expertise is increasingly rare in today's world which for us - being a non-profit - aligns with our values. We found them to be reliable, responsive, timely and accurate. Highly recommend.
Ron Smith
Executive Director, ARCH Inc.
In addition to being local, we felt their small and efficient team offered great customer service and problem-solving abilities. They were a very responsive and personable team. We look forward to working together on another project.
Amy Augustyn
Project Manager, City+Ventures
Working with Slate was very beneficial for our small non-profit. They were understanding of our financial restrictions and Jeremy was very quick to respond and work as a team with our contractor to keep the project moving forward and within budget. We enjoyed working with them and love our new office!