by John Dowd
Bitterroot Health broke ground last Wednesday for a new planned healthcare facility in Darby. The facility will be called the Darby Scripps Clinic, and according to Bitterroot Health CEO, John Bishop, the facility will be over 7,000 square feet. The facility project took two years to plan and will include space for walk-in service, limited emergency services, an X-ray suite, primary care facilities, home for the ambulance, rehabilitation services and crew and a future pharmacy. The latter will come after the building is operational. The facility will also be taking on a new doctor, Carlee Kalbfleisch, MD. In total, it will cost over $6 million and is planned to reach completion by late 2023. Bishop spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony about the goals of Bitterroot Health, and said though they are headquartered in Hamilton, “the valley as a whole is primarily what our mission is.”
Bishop said this after the ceremony: “Since our start and our early roots in Hamilton, we have adhered to our mission of providing care for all in the Bitterroot Valley. As we’ve grown, we’ve added new care options and specialties, and have added services to other areas in Ravalli County. Now, we’re excited to bring expanded health care options to the people of Darby. To be able to fulfill our mission by bringing more care services to this remarkable community is rewarding.”
Another person to speak at the ceremony was Maria Hipp, the current primary care provider in Darby’s existing Bitterroot Health care site. Being a Darby resident, she explained that she is familiar with the struggles locals face getting healthcare. She said that, prior to the project proposal, she “thought nobody is going to offer healthcare to this community the way I do,” explaining how much she cares for it. Hipp is excited to say that the new facility will double patient capacity and will also provide mental health services. “We have an opportunity to offer hometown healthcare,” she said. “It’s really amazing to see this project come together and know what it will mean to families like mine.” Post-event, Hipp had this to say: “The core values at Bitterroot Health align with mine which allows me to help patients live healthier, fuller lives. I love providing care in my community; coming home to practice medicine in the Valley has been one of the most rewarding experiences. Giving back to people who helped raise me is one of the most special feelings in the world.”
The facility was in part made possible by a $2 million private donation from Charles Scripps. Scripps is a businessman and Darby resident whose family has a long history of supporting healthcare facilities. About the facility, Scripps had this to say: “It takes a combination of vision, ideas, and courageous people to make a project like this work,” said Scripps. “I give a lot of credit to the Bitterroot Health Board and Foundation Board, John Bishop, the architects, and Bitterroot Health Darby physician, Maria Hipp, to come up with a workable plan to meet the needs of our community. I’m just grateful to be a part of it. The town of Darby will benefit greatly from having this vision become a reality.”
According to Stacie Duce, Director of the non-profit Bitterroot Health Foundation, Scripps’ donation alone moved up the facility’s finish date by almost two years. The foundation was formed in 1991 as a way to aid Bitterroot Health services. The Bitterroot Health Foundation fundraises to offer continuing education scholarships to staff, caregiver relief and appreciation as well as equipment purchases and more.
The project also saved money due to funding and acquiring materials and planning in conjunction with the new Stevensville Bitterroot Health care facility, which is nearly finished. According to Duce, “the biggest thing we are excited about in Darby are the pharmacy services that will come with it.” She explained that it will start small but will have room to grow and will greatly benefit the community’s needs.
According to a Bitterroot Health press release after the event, “In attendance were Bitterroot Health CEO John Bishop, Bitterroot Health Foundation Board President Tom Grymes, current Bitterroot Health Darby physician Maria Hipp and her staff, members of the Bitterroot Health Board, Bitterroot Health leadership, members from the Bitterroot Chamber of Commerce, Darby Mayor Nancy McKinney, Darby Fire Chief Duane Horvath, Darby Marshals TJ Gibson and Larry Rose, Darby School Superintendent Tony Biesiot, and representatives from Neenan Architects who are designing and building the new facility.”