Source: CMS Care Compare, July 2026 releaseER figures are medians, not live waitsAbout the data
Visiting VA Montana Healthcare System
Fort Harrison, MT 59636
County: Lewis and Clark Directions Apple Maps Call (406) 447-7900
- Photo ID and your insurance, Medicare or Medicaid card
- A list of your medicines, doses and allergies
- Your doctor's name and phone number
- A phone charger
Nearby hospitals
- 5.6mi St Peter's Hospital Helena, MT · Emergency room · median ER visit 2 hr 59 min Call St Peter's Hospital Directions to St Peter's Hospital (Google Maps) Details for St Peter's Hospital
- 5.9mi Shodair Children's Hospital Helena, MT Call Shodair Children's Hospital Directions to Shodair Children's Hospital (Google Maps) Details for Shodair Children's Hospital
- 33mi Deer Lodge Medical Center Deer Lodge, MT · Emergency room · median ER visit 2 hr 2 min Call Deer Lodge Medical Center Directions to Deer Lodge Medical Center (Google Maps) Details for Deer Lodge Medical Center
Quick answers about VA Montana Healthcare System
What is the phone number for VA Montana Healthcare System?
The main phone number for VA Montana Healthcare System is (406) 447-7900, from Medicare's hospital records.
Call (406) 447-7900What is the address of VA Montana Healthcare System?
VA Montana Healthcare System is at 3687 Veterans Drive, Fort Harrison, MT 59636.
Directions (opens Google Maps)Does VA Montana Healthcare System have an emergency room?
Yes. VA Montana Healthcare System has an emergency department, according to Medicare data.
What is VA Montana Healthcare System's Medicare star rating?
VA Montana Healthcare System has an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Star ratings come from CMS quality and safety measures, not patient reviews.
Quality and performance
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · data as of July 2026
CMS has not reported an emergency department wait time for VA Montana Healthcare System. That usually means too few cases to report, or no emergency department.
Source: CMS Hospital General Information and Timely & Effective Care. Wait times are a median over a past 12-month reporting period, not live data. Not affiliated with CMS or with VA Montana Healthcare System. For a medical emergency, call 911.
How Montana hospitals rank on star ratings · How we source this data · Something wrong on this page? Tell us
What patients say
CMS patient survey (HCAHPS) · 180 completed surveys · patients discharged Oct 2024 – Sep 2025
Patients gave VA Montana Healthcare System a 5-star patient experience rating out of 5. 86% would definitely recommend it (U.S. average 71%). 83% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10.
The patient survey (HCAHPS) asks a random sample of adult patients about their recent hospital stay. CMS adjusts the results for the mix of patients and how the survey was done, so hospitals can be compared fairly. About the data.
Infections, complications and deaths
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · compared with hospitals nationwide
Its rate of serious complications was same as national.
Serious complications
Death rates within 30 days
| Patients treated for | This hospital | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Heart failure patients | 10.4% | 11.1% |
| Pneumonia patients | 12.8% | 15.2% |
| COPD patients | 9.6% | 8.6% |
| Hospital-wide, all conditions | 3.6% | 3.9% |
Risk-adjusted rates. CMS has not published a statistical better/worse comparison for these death rates in the current release, so small differences from the U.S. rate may be chance.
Other complications
None of the other safety indicators CMS compares was statistically better or worse than national.
All 8 complication measures
| Measure | This hospital | U.S. | CMS comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure ulcers (bed sores)per 1,000 patients | 0.48 | 0.63 | Same as national |
| Falls in the hospital that caused a broken boneper 1,000 patients | 0.31 | 0.27 | Same as national |
| Collapsed lung caused by a medical procedureper 1,000 patients | 0.21 | 0.21 | Same as national |
| Bleeding or blood clot under the skin after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 2.33 | 2.34 | Same as national |
| Kidney injury needing dialysis after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 1.67 | 1.67 | Same as national |
| Respiratory failure after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 9.25 | 9.42 | Same as national |
| Blood clots in the lungs or legs after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 3.46 | 3.52 | Same as national |
| Accidental cuts or tears during abdominal surgeryper 1,000 patients | 1.06 | 1.06 | Same as national |
"Better" or "worse" means CMS found the difference from the national benchmark statistically significant; most hospitals are "no different". Infection results compare the infections a hospital reported with the number predicted for a hospital of its size and type (a ratio below 1 means fewer than predicted). Death and complication rates are risk-adjusted for how sick patients were. Each death rate counts deaths within 30 days of a hospital stay, pooled over one to three years of Medicare patients depending on the measure. About the data.
Health care eligibility at VA Montana Healthcare System
VA Montana Healthcare System is a VA medical center. VA hospitals care for veterans enrolled in VA health care; contact the VA to check your eligibility before you go.
Adults in Montana qualify for Medicaid up to 133% of the poverty line. Ask the hospital which Montana Medicaid plans it takes.
Source: the insurers' 2027 machine-readable provider files listed in the CMS Marketplace public use files, loaded November 4, 2026, matched to hospitals by NPI from CMS Hospital Enrollments. How we match networks to hospitals Networks change; confirm with your insurer before you go.
Readmissions and return visits
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Medicare patients · Jul 2023 – Jun 2025
Back in the hospital within 30 days
| After a stay for | This hospital | U.S. | CMS comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart failure | 20.9% | 21.3% | Not compared |
| Pneumonia | 16.9% | 17.3% | Not compared |
| COPD (chronic lung disease) | 19.4% | 20% | Not compared |
Return trips after a stay or procedure
Readmission rates count Medicare patients who were admitted to any acute-care hospital within 30 days of leaving this one, adjusted for how sick they were. "Better" or "worse" means CMS found the difference from the national rate statistically significant; most hospitals are "no different". Return-day and outpatient-surgery measures compare the hospital with what CMS expected for its own patients. The Readmissions Reduction Program ratios are shown as CMS publishes them; whether a hospital's payments are reduced depends on how its ratios compare with similar hospitals, so a ratio above 1.00 alone doesn't mean a penalty. About the data.
Timely and effective care
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · all patients unless noted · Oct 2024 – Sep 2025
VA Montana Healthcare System's emergency department is classed by CMS as low volume.
| Measure | This hospital | U.S.* |
|---|---|---|
| Sepsis: got all recommended early treatmentPatients with severe sepsis or septic shock who received every step of the recommended early care bundle. Higher is better. 19 patients. | 74% | 65% |
| Patients who left the ER before being seenLower is better. 4,958 patients. | 0% | 2% |
| Health care workers vaccinated against fluHigher is better. 1,656 patients. | 83% | 78% |
| Colonoscopy: right follow-up interval for average-risk patientsHigher is better. 49 patients. | 98% | 93% |
| Blood clot prevention givenHigher is better. 403 patients. | 77% | 90%* |
| Blood clot prevention given in intensive careHigher is better. 42 patients. | 74% | 97%* |
CMS publishes these process-of-care measures without a better/worse verdict, so the U.S. figure is shown for context; small differences, or results based on few patients, may not mean much. *Median of all hospitals CMS reports, where CMS publishes no national figure. About the data.
Care after a stay at VA Montana Healthcare System
Medicare-certified providers near this hospital, with their CMS ratings. A hospital discharge planner can make the referral.
Skilled nursing facilities nearby
- 5.4mi Mount Ascension Transitional Care of Cascadia Helena, MT · 108 beds Medicare overall 1 of 5 stars · Short-stay quality 2 of 5
- 5.8mi Cooney Healthcare and Rehabilitation Helena, MT · 90 beds Medicare overall 1 of 5 stars · Short-stay quality 3 of 5 Abuse citation (CMS) SFF candidate
- 13mi Elkhorn Healthcare and Rehabilitation Clancy, MT · 70 beds Medicare overall 2 of 5 stars · Short-stay quality 2 of 5
Skilled nursing ratings and inspections at Nursing Homes In Each State
Dialysis centers nearby See more
- 7.6mi St Peter's Health Dialysis CenterHelena, MT
Home health agencies nearby See more
- 7.6mi Enhabit Home HealthHelena, MT · 81% would recommend
- 7.6mi St Peter's Health Home Health and HospiceHelena, MT · 80% would recommend
Hospice care providers nearby See more
- 7.6mi Enhabit HospiceHelena, MT · 87% would recommend
- 7.6mi Hospice of St Peters Comm HospHelena, MT · 85% would recommend
- 7.6mi Headwaters Hospice and Palliative CareHelena, MT · 80% would recommend Not rated
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.
The area around VA Montana Healthcare System
HRSA shortage designations and BLS pay data
Primary care: Parts of Lewis and Clark are federally designated health professional shortage areas (1 designation). Highest shortage score 8.
Mental health: Lewis and Clark is a federally designated health professional shortage area. Highest shortage score 12.
Nurse pay: registered nurses in Montana earn a median $85,280 a year. Healthcare salaries in Montana.
Shortage areas are designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration where there are too few primary care, mental health or dental providers for the population; scores run from 0 to 25 for primary and mental health care and 0 to 26 for dental care, higher meaning greater need. Montana shortage areas
Closest other hospitals
Healthcare pay in Montana
Registered nurses across Montana (all employers) earned a median of $85,280 a year (BLS, May 2025).Registered Nurse (RN) salary in MontanaNurse Practitioner salary in MontanaRespiratory Therapist salary in MontanaHealthcare salaries in Montana
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Cite this data
Writing about VA Montana Healthcare System? You're welcome to quote these figures. They are free to use under CC BY 4.0: please credit HospitalsInEachState.com and link to this page.