Health services

We provide emergency medical care 24 hours a day, every day. Our emergency room staff can help you with:

• Life-threatening illnesses and injuries that require immediate attention
• Urgent medical issues that must be treated right away
• Psychiatric evaluations

Mission Act will cover you at non-VA Emergency Rooms. You must call 1-844-724-7842 or email
VHAEmergencyNotification@va.gov within 72 hours of receiving care.

Access health care with VA Health Connect 24/7 by phone or chat

VA Health Connect and VA Health Chat make it easier for Veterans to access the right care, right now for urgent health care concerns.

Connect with VA health care providers without traveling to a VA facility. Just call or tap the app to start accessing health care from wherever you are.

By contacting VA Health Connect's clinical contact centers, you can easily:

• Schedule, confirm, or cancel your primary care appointments.
• Speak with a nurse about your medical or health-related questions.
• Talk to a medical provider about an urgent or developing medical issue via phone or video.
• Refill, request medication renewals, and check on the status of your medications with the help of our pharmacy professionals.

Learn more about VA Health Connect >

Get the VA Health Chat App >

Phone: 406-442-6410

We assess your situation and condition to decide which outpatient geriatric services are right for you or a senior Veteran in your care, and then we coordinate your care. Our team of specialists provides geriatric services that include:

• Home Based Primary Care
• Community Nursing Home - 406-447-7740

Learn more about VA long term care

Our gynecologists focus on the female reproductive system and provide services that include:

• Mammograms for breast cancer, screenings for sexually transmitted disease, and Pap tests for cervical cancer
• Counseling and treatment for contraception, pregnancy, and infertility
• Osteoporosis screening for brittle bones
• Exams for abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pain, or various cancers
• Primary care checkups

Our pharmacy provides you and other Veterans with convenient, efficient service to make it easy to get your medications and medical supplies. You can:

• Pick up new prescriptions in person
• Refill prescriptions online at My HealtheVet, or by phone or mail
• Safely dispose of medicines

Learn more about our pharmacy

Your VA primary care provider will work closely with you to plan for all the care you need to stay healthy and well throughout your life, including immunizations and vaccinations. They will also work with family members or caregivers who support you.

A strong network of family and internal medicine specialists and services can offer you the best possible care. Internal medicine doctors (internists) prevent, diagnose and treat adult diseases. Doctors who specialize in family medicine provide primary health care to the entire family. Your primary care team can coordinate the many services you receive such as:

• Labs and blood work
• Mental health care
• Womens health care
• Radiology
• Social services
• Telehealth

We offer women’s health services to meet your specific needs such as disease screenings, mental health treatment, recovery from military sexual trauma, maternity care and female-specific medical equipment.

Our women's health program offers complete health care for women Veterans of all ages. Our primary care providers specialize in women’s health. They work closely with specialists in gynecology, obstetrics, female urology, oncology, medicine, radiology, surgery, and breast illness. Our services for women Veterans include:

• Ultrasounds, Mammograms, Pap and HPV tests
• Mental health care and counseling
• Lifestyle wellness services
• Menopause treatment, including hormonal therapy
• Family planning, contraceptive care, and infertility evaluation

Learn more and connect with a Women Veterans Program Manager

Telehealth serving all of Montana.

Residential Admissions Coordinator: 406-447-6025

Our residential facility helps Veterans deal with substance abuse, homelessness, mental health and unemployment through its therapeutic and educational programs like:

• Rehabilitation
• Health maintenance
• Community support

Learn more about our VA treatment programs

Telehealth serving all of Montana.

Residential Admissions Coordinator: 406-447-6025

Our medical center and clinics provide consultation, evaluation, and treatment for a range of issues that may impact your mental health or emotional well-being. Our confidential outpatient services include individual and group therapy for:

• Psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression
• Marriage and relationship problems
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Anxiety, addictive behaviors and personality disorders
• Aggressive or self-harming behaviors

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

We work with behavioral health providers and community organizations to help you and your family during times of crisis. Additional services include but are not limited to:

• Suicide prevention care coordinators
• Suicide prevention case managers
• Community Engagement and Partnership Coordinators
• Gun safety locks

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

Our specially trained doctors, called anesthesiologists, can help with your care before, during and after surgery. They will develop a plan for your care and safety, provide medicine to keep you comfortable during your operation, and help you manage your pain after surgery. Our services include:

• General anesthesia (intravenous drugs, inhaled gasses, or some combination) to keep you pain-free and in a sleep-like state during surgery or other medical procedures
• Regional anesthesia (injecting numbing drugs around nerves) to control pain in specific parts of your body during or after surgery
• Monitoring your breathing and vital body functions while you’re under anesthesia
• Working with the rest of your care team to manage your pain medications after your operation
• Coordinating care with your other healthcare professionals to facilitate a smooth transition from hospital to home

Our Audiology and Speech Pathology clinic provides diagnostic and rehabilitative services. We offer a full range of audiology and speech pathology services including:

• Hearing and tinnitus evaluations
• Selection, management, and repair of hearing aids and assistive listening devices
• Consultation and referral for cochlear implant and ossia-integrated services
• Speech therapy services including language, fluency, voice, cognitive communication, swallowing, stuttering and laryngectomy.

Learn more about VA hearing aids

Our low vision outpatient clinic can assess your needs and provide a rehab plan tailored to your personal goals. Our team of specialists and social workers will work with you to find the right aids and services. Our clinic services include:

• Comprehensive eye exams
• Visual skills assessments
• Guidance on how to develop visual motor and perceptual skills
• Training to help you manage daily activities with your vision loss

• COVID-19 vaccines for eligible Veterans and staff

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines at VA

If you’re diagnosed with cancer, our team will work with you, your primary care doctor, and other health care providers to develop a specialized treatment plan. We offer personal, compassionate, and expert care, with services like:

• Surgical removal of tumors and other cancerous tissue
• Immunotherapy, which helps your body’s natural defenses destroy cancer cells
• Chemotherapy, which uses powerful drugs to fight cancer
• Radiotherapy, which uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors
• Palliative care, to reduce pain and control other symptoms and side effects, like nausea

Chiropractic care restores, improves, and maintains your function, activity, and health. We work with your primary care doctor and other specialty care providers to provide a complete health care plan for you. We offer many treatments, like:

• Spinal manipulative therapy to relieve pressure on your joints, reduce inflammation, and improve nerve function
• Electrical stimulation therapy, which reduces pain by sending mild electrical pulses through your skin to help stimulate injured muscles or manipulate nerves
• Soft-tissue mobilization, which uses gentle pressure or massage to relax tense muscles, reduce scar tissue, or stretch connective tissue

If you’re eligible for VA dental care, we offer a full range of quality dental services like:

• Routine exams and teeth cleaning
• Restorative procedures, including fillings and crowns
• Comprehensive surgical care, including extractions (pulling teeth) and oral cancer screening
• Routine and advanced prosthodontic care, including bridges, dentures, and dental implants
• Routine and advanced periodontal care, including root canals, gum treatments, and supporting bone care
• Oral and facial reconstruction surgery to repair damage from traumatic injury or serious illness

We diagnose and treat medical conditions in your esophagus, stomach, intestines, colon, and other parts of your digestive system. We can also test and treat other organs, like your liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. Our gastroenterology department provides services like:

• Colonoscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which use an endoscope (a long, flexible tube with a small camera on the end) that lets us examine your digestive system
• Manometry study, which tests how well your esophagus is working

We offer a range of hematology and oncology services. You can arrange appointments and consultation through your primary care provider. Our hematology and oncology services include:

• Chemotherapy
• Blood and platelet transfusions
• Mediport flushes to clean and maintain the small medical appliance inserted under your skin, making it easier to inject drugs and draw blood
• Evaluation and treatment of blood disorders and cancer
• Dedicated outpatient infusion center, working closely with radiation oncology, interventional radiology, general surgery, diagnostics, palliative care, and social services
• Bone marrow biopsies, to see whether your bone tissue is healthy and making a normal number of blood cells

Our laboratories provide a full range of clinical and diagnostic testing services. Our laboratory and pathology services include:

• Study of blood, urine, and other bodily fluids for illness management
• Testing for infectious diseases
• Cytopathology (study of unusual cells) and surgical pathology (study of tissue removed during surgery)
• Autopsy services

MOVE! is a weight-management program designed to help you live a longer, healthier life. With the help of your MOVE! care team, you can eat a healthier diet, get more exercise, reduce your health risks and improve your quality of life. The MOVE! program offers:

• Weight-loss support groups to help you lose weight and keep it off
• Healthy eating tips and cooking classes
• Behavioral change strategies to help you live a healthier lifestyle

Learn more about MOVE!

We provide inpatient and outpatient services for chronic diseases and disorders that affect your brain, spine, and the nerves that connect them. Our neurologists read electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings, which measure the electrical impulses brain cells use to communicate with each other. We evaluate and treat many neurological illnesses and disorders such as:

• Neuropathy (nerve damage), myelopathy and other spinal cord injuries, and radiculopathy (pinched nerves)
• Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis
• Stroke, dementia, and degenerative diseases
• Other neurological conditions

Our registered dietitians can help you maintain or improve your health with good nutrition tailored to your needs. Through group, individual and telehealth sessions, we provide nutrition education and counseling in areas such as:

• Cardiovascular and heart health
• Chronic kidney disease
• Diabetes (including gestational diabetes)
• Eating disorders and digestive health
• Pregnancy and postpartum nutrition
• Weight management

We offer comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment for eye-related illnesses, injuries and other issues. Our ophthalmology services include:

• Medical care for glaucoma, eye infections and other conditions
• Surgery for cataracts, traumatic eye injuries and other problems
• Treatment for eye conditions related to illnesses like diabetes or arthritis
• Plastic surgery to repair droopy eyelids, clear blocked tear ducts, and perform eyelid and facial reconstruction (oculoplastics)

We use surgical and nonsurgical means to treat illnesses and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, which includes your bones, muscles, joints, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissue. We treat conditions like:

• Musculoskeletal trauma
• Degenerative illnesses
• Sports injuries

Our outpatient surgery, also called ambulatory or day surgery, allows you to get the care you need without staying overnight at our hospital. Our surgeons provide many outpatient services like:

• Cataract surgery to replace your cloudy eye lens with a clear artificial lens
• Colonoscopy to examine your large intestine (colon), the end of your small intestine (ileum), and your rectum
• Tendon, muscle, and small joint repair for conditions like hernia, arthritis, and rotator cuff (shoulder) injury
• Laparoscopic gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy) to remove your gallbladder and gallstones through small cuts in your abdomen

Our palliative and hospice care services support you and your family as you cope with a life-threatening or terminal illness. Palliative care works to provide comfort, reduce suffering and improve the quality of life for patients being treated for serious illnesses. Hospice care focuses on helping patients with terminal illnesses to manage the final stages of their lives. Our palliative and hospice care services include:

• Pain and symptom management
• Emotional, spiritual and psychosocial support for you and your family
• Help with practical issues that include an advance directive (living will), health care power of attorney, funeral arrangements, and applying for VA death and burial benefits
• Education to help you and your family make informed health care decisions and know what to expect as your health declines
• Bereavement care to help surviving family members during the grieving process

Physical therapy, occupational therapy and kinesiotherapy can help restore movement and function if you have been disabled by injury or disease.

Care by location

• Physical Therapy – Fort Harrison, David J Thatcher VA Clinic (Missoula), Benjamin Steele VA clinic (Billings), Miles City CBOC.
• Occupational Therapy – Fort Harrison, Benjamin Steel VA clinic (Billings)
• Pelvic Health PT – Fort Harrison
• Cardiac Rehab – Fort Harrison
• Assisted Mobility – Fort Harrison

Care we provide at VA Montana health care

If you’re living with or recovering from an injury, illness, or chronic condition that limits your mobility and independence, we can help. Our physical, occupational, and movement therapists combine therapeutic exercise, counseling, education, and training to help you improve your health and quality of life. Our services include:

• Pain relief and joint mobilization
• Movement and exercise therapies to improve your strength, endurance, balance, and coordination
• Mobility assessment and training with wheelchairs, scooters, and walking devices
• Life skills training and activities to help you maintain the highest level of independence and functionality
• Evaluation and treatment for a wide range of medical, orthopedic, psychosocial, and neurological conditions
• Outpatient/inpatient physical therapy
• Certified hand therapy
• Lymphedema treatment
• Drivers assessment

Our podiatry specialists evaluate and treat a wide range of injuries, diseases and disorders that affect your feet and ankles—from ingrown toenails to inflammation to diabetic foot ulcers.

After years of walking, running, marching, jumping, rappelling and parachuting, many Veterans experience trouble with their feet and ankles. We can help treat those problems so you can continue to enjoy an active lifestyle. Our podiatry services include:

• Arthritis care for inflamed, swollen or damaged joints
• Foot and ankle fracture treatment: repair of cartilage, torn tendons and ligaments
• Injections to reduce pain and swelling
• Joint arthroplasty (surgical repair or reconstruction) and replacement
• Minimally invasive surgery and post-surgical rehabilitation
• Foot health maintenance procedures (bunion removal, resurfacing and nail trimming)
• Diabetic Foot Care & Wound Care

We provide and help you use medical aids, hearing aids, state-of-the-art adaptive home equipment and other equipment to help you preserve and increase your mobility and independence.

VA is the world’s largest and most comprehensive provider of sensory aides and prosthetic devices. Veterans enrolled in the VA health care system and referred by a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician can receive a full range of services and equipment like:

• Artificial limbs and surgical implants, including artificial joints and pacemakers
• Wheelchairs and other medical devices
• Aids for Veterans who are blind, have low vision or are hearing impaired
• Adaptive equipment and modifications to make your vehicle or home more accessible
• Other devices and services to help increase your mobility, dignity and independence
• Clothing allowance for Veterans with devices that damage their clothing

We offer radiology and imaging services to diagnose and treat many medical conditions. Our services include:

• X-ray
• Ultrasound
• Computer tomography (CT)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - Not available at the Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow VA Clinic

We provide long-term care to help you and your family when you’re dealing with a disability, chronic (long-lasting) illness, terminal illness or serious health issues related to aging. Our long-term health care services include:

• 24/7 nursing and medical care
• Physical therapy
• Help with daily tasks like bathing, dressing, making meals and taking medicine
• Pain management and palliative care to relieve suffering and improve quality of life for people with serious illnesses
• Hospice care to provide comfort and compassionate care for people in the last phases of an incurable illness
• To learn more about the different types of extended care that VA provides, see our guide to long-term services and support.

Learn more about VA long term care

The sleep medicine service diagnoses and treats your sleep problems, including trouble sleeping, breathing difficulties while sleeping, snoring, teeth grinding and jaw clenching.

At the Montana VA Sleep Disorders Center our sleep specialists can:

• Conduct sleep tests either at home or in the lab as determined by a sleep provider
• Diagnose and treat sleep apnea and other sleep disorders
• Monitor your blood oxygen levels
• Monitor your heart rate and rhythm
• Evaluate possible causes for your excessive sleepiness
• Work with your doctors if you need surgery or dental appliances to help you get a good night’s sleep
• CPAP support and compliance is available at several sites across the state.

More information about the VA Montana Sleep Disorders Center

If you have a spinal cord injury or disorder, our specialists provide coordinated care throughout your life. We work to help you achieve your goals for independence, productivity and quality of life.

VA has the nation’s largest system of care for spinal cord injuries and disorders. We provide a convenient, connected network of experts to care for you during each phase of your life. Our experienced primary care providers are trained to check for problems unique to spinal cord injuries.

• Pressure ulcers
• Pneumonia
• Blood clots
• Bladder and sexual issues
• Constipation and other gastrointestinal problems
• Sexual issues

Learn more about the VA spinal cord injuries and disorders care system

If you are having surgery, we make sure that your procedure and follow-up care are safe and high-quality.

We provide a wide range of surgical services, like:

• General surgery
• Anesthesia
• Orthopedic surgery (bones, muscles, ligaments, joints, and tendons)

Every Veteran enrolled in VA health care will receive an initial screening and a follow-up screening at least once every 5 years. Veterans who are not enrolled and who meet eligibility requirements will have an opportunity to enroll and receive the screening.

The screening will ask you if you think you were exposed to any of these hazards while serving:

• Open burn pits and other airborne hazards
• Gulf War-related exposures
• Agent Orange
• Radiation
• Camp Lejeune contaminated water exposure
• Other exposures

We’ll then give you information about any benefits, registry exams, and clinical resources you may need.

Ask about the screening at your next VA health care appointment.

Learn more about toxic exposure screening

We evaluate, diagnose, and treat a wide range of urology diseases and conditions that include kidney stones, erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, prostate cancer and more. We provide you with medical care, surgery, and minimally invasive procedures for health issues that affect:

• Kidneys
• Bladder
• Ureter and urethra
• Male reproductive organs

If you’re a caregiver for a Veteran, you can get support by contacting one of our caregiver support coordinators. If the Veteran you care for was injured post-9/11, you may be eligible for even more services, including a stipend to help with expenses, training, and medical coverage if you aren’t already covered. For all caregivers, we can:

• Help you get caregiver assistance available through VA
• Provide progressive needs planning to help you manage degenerative conditions
• Match you with services and benefits
• Connect you with local resources and programs
• Listen to you when you struggle
• Provide you with additional help at home

Learn more and connect with a support coordinator

If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, we can help. 

We help Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless including those facing financial hardship, unemployment, mental health, and substance use barriers, and those navigating the legal system. Contact a VA Montana homeless program office to get help with: 

• Food and shelter care
• Transitional and permanent housing
• Job training and employment services
• Justice system navigation
• Community resources and referrals

Learn more and connect with the homeless program

We promote the health, welfare, and dignity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-identifying  Veterans and their families. We focus on ensuring a safe, welcoming, and affirmative environment when providing you with sensitive and high-quality health care services like:

• Hormone therapy
• Substance use and alcohol treatment
• Testing and treatment for HIV and STIs (sexually transmitted infections)
• Mental health care
• Psychosocial assessments for gender-confirming surgeries and hormone therapy

If you’re a minority Veteran, we can help you get the services and benefits you need. Our Minority Veterans Program serves all Veterans who are African American, Asian American, Hispanic American, and Native American (including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Island Americans). We work to:

• Help the medical center address minority Veterans’ needs
• Meet minority Veterans’ needs in the local community
• Identify barriers and create a more accessible environment for minority Veterans
• Inform minority Veterans of VA benefits, services, and programs

Learn more and connect with a care coordinator

Our patient advocates work hard to make sure you receive the best possible care at our health care facilities. They can:

• Help you get answers or address concerns with your care team
• Advocate for patient and family rights
• Serve as advocates for minority Veterans, women Veterans and Veterans with disabilities
• Offer specialized help to former prisoners of war and Veterans transitioning from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation New Dawn (OND)

Learn more and connect with a patient advocate

We offer a wide range of activities (arts and crafts, games, sports, exercise) that we can adapt to your needs.

Our therapies help you to increase independence by providing you with modalities to overcome your physical, mental, emotional or social barriers to improve your quality of life. Veterans can ask their primary health care provide, mental health care provider or a licensed independent provider for a referral to Recreation Therapy, after the referral is made a Recreation Therapist will meet with the Veteran to provide goals, objectives and a treatment plan.

• Adaptive sports training
• Outdoor recreation
• Indoor recreation
• Social programs
• Creative Arts- painting, creative writing and more
• Recreation and Leisure assessment and counseling
• National special sports and art programs

Contact

Recreation Therapy: 406-447-7759

If you’re returning from military service, we can help you readjust to civilian life and get started with VA health care. We can also help connect you with programs like mental health services and education and career counseling.

We can help you re-adjust to civilian life if you’re returning from military service, on active duty, or an activated National Guard or Reserve member. Talk to one of our care coordinators about how to best use your health care benefits.

• Polytrauma care (if you have multiple traumatic injuries)
• Counseling and rehabilitation
• Mental and behavioral health services
• Family benefits counseling and assistance
• Referral assistance

Learn more and connect with a coordinator

Social work is integral to health care. We can help you and your family manage stress-related problems due to injury or illness, and find VA community resources to meet your needs like:

• Home health services
• Legal services
• Transportation
• Community living

My HealtheVet is a web-based tool you can use to manage your care and improve your health from your computer or mobile device. You can access your personal health records and use tools to manage your care through our My HealtheVet online system. You can also use My HealtheVet to refill your prescriptions, track appointments, and read informative health articles. If you need help using My HealtheVet, contact our coordinator by phone at 406-447-7437 or by email at duane.cunningham@va.gov.

With My HealtheVet, you can:

• Ask questions and exchange secure online messages with your VA health care team
• Check your lab and test results
• Refill your prescriptions, track delivery and view a list of your medications
• Keep track of your VA medical appointments and get email reminders
• View, download, or print a copy of your VA medical records
• Enter or update your personal information

Learn more and register for My HealtheVet

Helpful videos

• Welcome to MyHealtheVet
• Register for a MyHealtheVet account
• My HealtheVet Premium account
• Refill your prescriptions with MyHealtheVet
• Secure messaging on MyHealtheVet
• VA Blue Ribbon reports
• Patient Generated Health Data (PGHD) 

We use the latest in secure digital technology to set up remote visits with our health care providers. We offer video conferencing, home telehealth services, and store-and-forward telehealth that lets you securely send your health information to experts at VA facilities. We offer telehealth visits with providers in:

• Mental health
• Retinal care (eye)
• Bariatric surgery (visit remotely with your weight-loss surgery team before and after your operation)
• Dermatology
• Rehabilitation
• Primary care
• Audiology
• Neurology
• Nephrology
• Pharmacy Services
• Social Work Services
• Substance Abuse
• Speech
• Rheumatology
• Pacemaker Clinic
• Dental
• And, more!

Learn more about telehealth

If you’re traveling for VA-approved care, we can repay you for the cost of using regular transportation that includes cars, planes, trains, buses, taxis, rideshare or light rail. You may also be eligible for repayment when using ambulances, wheelchair vans or ambulettes (non-emergency medical transportation).

• Round-trip transportation services between your home and our hospital and clinics (beneficiary travel)
• Mileage reimbursement debit cards

Learn more about VA travel pay reimbursement

Beneficiary Travel (BT) Updates for Montana

Consolidated Payment Team (CPT) starts on September 05,2023 (Estimate 6 weeks to reduce back log).

Any Care in the Community (CITC) claims without an appointment verification letter will be denied. Original claim will still be considered timely but the Veteran will have to resubmit the claim with the proper paperwork.

MyHealtheVet (MHV) will no longer be available as a “sign-in partner” starting in December 2023 – this does not affect MHV to contact providers or order prescriptions. Other sign-partners are DS Logon, Login.gov, or ID.me.

The Fiscal department will no longer be issuing paper checks for travel claims starting Oct 2023. Veterans will have to enroll in an electronic funds transfer (EFT) account. We have created a simplified Direct deposit form to make the process easier. Even if a Veteran already has an account for other VA payments they must be enrolled in the BT system in order to receive payments for travel.

Recreational outings such as equine therapy, fishing, rafting, etc under a behavioral health program are not authorized for BT payments.

PACT Act appointments are seen as enrollment or registration and are not authorized for BT payments. Our customer service line is 406-447-7409 or 406-447-6272.

Process your beneficiary travel reimbursement claims online via Benificiary Travel Self Service System (BTSSS).