Our History

PureView Health Center has a long history of providing comprehensive healthcare to Helena and Lincoln area patients. Founded on the principles that everyone deserves high-quality healthcare services in 1994, PureView, formerly known as the Cooperative Health Center (CHC), delivers on that promise to over 8,000 people each year and continues to grow our list of services and primary care providers. Since we first opened our doors, we have taken pride in providing a full scope of services designed to meet all your healthcare needs.

PureView has been providing healthcare including medical, dental and behavioral health for over two decades.

“PureView has been providing healthcare including medical, dental and behavioral health for over two decades.”

This institution began when a committee formed as a result of the 1993 elimination of General Assistance and State Medical Assistance passed by the Montana Legislature. Representatives in the committee included Lewis and Clark City-County Health Department, St. Peter’s Community Hospital, Helena Indian Alliance, Leo Pocha Clinic, Montana Legal Services, Mental Health Services, the Office of Human Services and Tri-County Family Planning. The committee reviewed the health services provided, envisioned the community after the loss of general assistance and state medical dollars, and created a cooperative proposal for how to best serve those who had lost their financial support.

This powerful collaboration essentially provided a novel medical home for those with and without medical insurance. The clinic originally operated with volunteer physicians working two half-days per week. Later, a physician assistant was hired to see patients on a full-time basis. Dr. Paul Donaldson was our first medical director. Dr. Kenton Sanders, Dr. Will Snider, and Dr. Heather McRee followed as medical directors in the years since we opened our doors.

With 1994 Federal Community Health Center funding, the addition of the satellite Parker Medical Clinic in Lincoln, numerous awards and grants, and a wonderful state-of-the-art renovation, we are now set to provide our community with high quality, comprehensive, compassionate, cost-effective primary healthcare, integrated behavioral health, dental services, and low-cost medicines for many years to come.

In 2021, PureView opened a fourth location in the heart of Downtown Helena. The new clinic provides expanded support for the Healthcare for the Homeless program and offers the same great services patients have come to expect from other locations.