Residents in Williston, ND, are Happy and Healthy
A recent health expansion in Williston, ND, creates new care options for residents.
Williston-area residents can feel secure regarding their region’s health care. A mix of old and new — from those with traditions of decades of care to new ventures bringing innovation — jobs and a vision for the future are found here.
Longtime Health Anchors
Williston health care anchor CHI St. Alexius Health Williston is a trusted provider, bringing more than a century of quality care to the community. In 2022, Dr. Wayne Anderson, chief medical officer, received the Outstanding Rural Health Provider Award at the annual Dakota Conference.
St. Alexius is a 25-bed critical access facility with a 24-hour emergency department and a walk-in clinic. A full range of clinic and hospital services are available, including primary care, women’s health, 3D mammography, pediatrics and general surgery. Various clinics — Leonard P. Nelson Cancer Center, MedQuest Home Medical Equipment and others — help meet specific health needs in the community.
The Great Plains Women’s Health Center was opened in 2006 by Drs. Beverly Tong and Sara Solberg are two of Williston’s most established OB-GYNs to transform women’s health services for every patient. The all-female team of board-certified physicians and surgeons, highly trained sonographers, and nursing staff provide high-quality obstetric and gynecologic care through a personal approach that invests in understanding what patients are going through in every phase of life.
“I love the people of this community and feel fortunate to be raising my children in the same community that raised me,” says Lisa Peterson, the center’s physician assistant and a Williston native.
Clinic Achieves ‘Milestone’
Another talented group of women health professionals in Williston — Drs. Alyssa Suess, Amanda Erickson and Lindy Kirby — own Milestone Health Partners. The practice offers behavioral health and physical and occupational therapy for pediatric and adult populations.
“We are a team of therapists offering a range of services to provide comprehensive care across the lifespan,” says Kirby, a physical therapist. “We strive to encourage and promote a supportive and safe environment for all individuals to reach each important milestone of life.”
The three partners will soon reach their own milestone when they open a new state-of-the-art facility on 14th Street West that will house 12 private treatment rooms, an engaging pediatric gym, a fully equipped gym and a large conference room.
“We wanted to open a private practice that provided much-needed services for the entire family under one roof and be a part of the growth our community,” Kirby says.
The women say they balance their professional and personal lives by sharing business responsibilities and support from their husbands and extended family.
Kirby says they “feel empowered and proud to show our children that you can be a young successful entrepreneur and still raise a family. We are very blessed to get to experience the best of both worlds.”
Multispecialty Clinic Coming Soon
Anticipation is building in the local health and wellness arena with the recent groundbreaking by Sanford Health on a new multispecialty clinic in Williston Square, an innovative, mixed-use commercial and residential development. The new facility has the potential to include more than 100 exam rooms and offers primary care and specialty services, including a walk-in clinic, infusion center, imaging equipment and lab.
“A multispecialty clinic in Williston is the first step in a long-term investment in northwestern North Dakota and eastern Montana,” says Dr. Todd Schaffer, CEO of Sanford Health, Bismarck region. “We are committed to improving the patient experience, quality of health care, and access to better medical services for the communities we serve.”
Williston Square is an 800-acre development located on the former Sloulin Field International Airport site.
“Our goal is for Williston to be a regional center for health care, and we are excited to further this vision,” Schaffer says.
If you’d like to learn more about the Williston area, check out the latest edition of Livability Williston, North Dakota.