Marias Medical Ctr

Pros

• Dr. Hamm is wonderful.
• The staff are excellent, professional, and caring.
• Michelle made check-in a pleasant experience.
• Peter the radiologist made helpful posture adjustments and helped avoid repeat imaging.
• The staff were polite, attentive, and answered questions quickly.
• COVID-19 tests provided fast results and the staff were kind and accommodating.
• The team was courteous, friendly, and supportive.

Cons

• The reviewer described NICHE as rude and having an impatient attitude toward the family.
• NICHE spoke so fast and rushed through instructions that the family couldn't understand where to place the urine bottle.
• The apology from NICHE was perceived as insincere and directed only at one family member.
• The family felt uncomfortable, anxious, and frustrated due to the staff's negative energy.
• The clinic was described as inconsistent, with some visits being good and others not.
• The reviewer claimed a past diagnosis was wrong, alleging a ruptured disk had existed for two years.
• They warned others not to obtain a medical card there, claiming it could be sent without consent and that FMCSA standards are not understood.

Review

The collection of patient experiences paints a landscape of care that is at once reassuring and irregular, depending on the encounter and the provider. Across reviews tied to Maria's Health Care and Logan Health in northern Montana and nearby border towns, people describe moments of genuine professionalism, empathy, and efficiency, alongside episodes where communication, mood, and consistency with medical advice left them uneasy. Several patients praise doctors and radiology staff while others recall interactions that felt rushed, impersonal, or confusing. Taken together, the narrative suggests a clinic system capable of delivering strong care in some circumstances, but also a need for improved consistency in others.

One particularly sharp thread in the feedback concerns a nurse identified as NICHE who assisted a family during a 10:00 a.m. appointment. The reviewer notes that the phone call notifying them of the appointment went out at 10:16 a.m., and during the in-person visit NICHE appeared markedly rude, speaking quickly and moving through instructions with little patience. The family was directed to receive a urine sample and to place the bottle in a specific location - an instruction they say was unclear because it was delivered so fast. When the reviewer asked if NICHE was okay or having a bad day, the response was a terse, quiet "oh no," delivered in a tone that felt disingenuous to the critic. With nine years in customer service behind them, the reviewer argues that a medical professional's job is to educate and guide patients until instructions are understood, not to respond with attitude. This particular encounter left the family feeling uncomfortable, anxious, and retrospective about the overall patient experience.

Another strand concerns long-running back issues and a perceived misdiagnosis. The reviewer recalls a visit two years prior with Dr. Hamm, who described a very small bulging disk. Fast forward two years, and a specialist reportedly reinterpreted the MRI as showing a ruptured disk for two years. The author characterizes this as a misdiagnosis or at least a disagreement about the seriousness or the nature of the problem, concluding with a caution not to rely on Maria's Health Care for certain diagnoses. This account underscores how critical accurate imaging interpretation and diagnosis can be, and it contributes to a broader sense among some patients that care quality can be inconsistent across visits and clinicians.

The reviews also describe a range of pediatric and urgent-care experiences that underscore the variability in care. One family recounts an extended examination aimed at figuring out what was wrong, followed by a troubling decision to turn away their six-month-old child who had a fever of 105, with instructions to simply give medication already administered at home. In another case, a child suspected of pink eye was found to have sinus drainage, leading to a different treatment plan involving drops to ease symptoms. These stories illustrate how outcomes can swing from concerning to corrective, depending on the moment and the clinician involved. Still, the same pool of reviews frequently returns to praise for specific clinicians and the functioning parts of the clinic that worked well, suggesting a hospital system that can be highly effective when the right team is on duty.

Across multiple entries, the praise for particular individuals and moments stands out. Dr. Hamm is described as wonderful by several patients, and a number of reviews applaud the staff for their courtesy and professionalism. The radiologist Peter is singled out for his careful approach, including small posture adjustments that improved the quality of imaging, a detail that impressed a reviewer on a Christmas Eve visit. Front-desk staff like Michelle are credited with making check-in a pleasant experience, even on busy or emotionally charged days. These positive notes recur beside the criticisms, painting a more nuanced portrait of a clinic where kindness, expertise, and effective communication do exist in abundance, but where inconsistencies in how information is conveyed and how patients are treated can still arise.

Another consistently positive thread concerns the clinic's responsiveness and support for urgent needs, particularly around COVID-19 testing and cross-border travel. Several reviewers describe quick, courteous service from the entire team - admin staff, nurses, and doctors - who answered questions about the testing process and delivered results promptly. The ability to obtain same-day, reliable COVID-19 results was especially meaningful for patients needing to cross the Canadian border for emergencies, and many reviewers express gratitude for the staff's patient and understanding approach during stressful circumstances. In these accounts, the clinic's strengths shine through: clear communication, thorough testing, and fast results that enable families to plan and respond to urgent needs.

Taken as a whole, the reviews suggest a health system that can be excellent when the stars align - where compassionate clinicians, patient-focused staff, and efficient testing come together to create a smooth, supportive experience. They also reveal the fragility of a positive experience when communication is hurried, instruction is unclear, or cognitive empathy seems to fall by the wayside. For patients navigating the system, the message is twofold: lean on the parts that consistently show up as helpful and kind, and be prepared to seek clarification or alternative opinions when encounters feel rushed or misaligned with expectations. The end result is a complex portrait of care that balances commendable professionalism with genuine opportunities for improvement in how information is conveyed, how diagnoses are communicated, and how every patient, including children and anxious families, is treated in the moment.

Located in the heart of Shelby, Montana, this area offers convenient access to transportation options such as the Amtrak station and local flying services. Within close proximity, you will find a variety of dining options including Montana Club, Oasis Bar, and Kow Loon Chinese Restaurant. For those seeking spiritual fulfillment, there are several places of worship nearby including Southern Baptist Convention and St. Luke's Lutheran Church. Nature enthusiasts can enjoy the nearby parks like Williamson Park and Cut Bank Park & Rest Stop. In terms of healthcare, Marias Medical Center is conveniently located for any medical needs. Additionally, there are pharmacies like Olson's Drug available for medication needs. Overall, this part of Shelby provides a well-rounded community with easy access to amenities and services suitable for senior living.

Transportation

• Amtrak (0 miles)
• Shelby Amtrak Station (0.1 miles)
• Shelby Flying Service (0.6 miles)
• Burlington Northern Railroad (0.8 miles)
• Amtrak (0.8 miles)
• Bnsf Railway (22.8 miles)
• Rent-A-Wreck (22.9 miles)

Restaurants

• Shelby Alamo (0.1 miles)
• Montana Club (0.1 miles)
• Oasis Bar (0.1 miles)
• Kow Loon Chinese Restaurant (0.1 miles)
• Tap Room (0.1 miles)
• The Griddle (0.1 miles)
• Dash Inn (0.4 miles)

Places of Worship

• Southern Baptist Convention (0.2 miles)
• Living Faith Baptist Church (0.2 miles)
• St Luke's Lutheran Church (0.2 miles)
• United Methodist Church (0.2 miles)
• Saint Williams Catholic Church (0.3 miles)
• First Baptist Church (0.4 miles)
• General Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists (0.4 miles)

Parks

• Williamson Park (0.2 miles)
• Cut Bank Park & Rest Stop (23.1 miles)
• Montana Department-Fish Wildlife (23.9 miles)
• Legion Park (24 miles)

Hospitals

• Marias Medical Center (0.4 miles)
• Northern Rockies Medical Center (23.1 miles)
• Glacier Care Center (23.1 miles)
• Pondera Medical Center (23.4 miles)

Physicians

• Dr Rock Svennungsen, O.D. (0.6 miles)
• Family Practice (23.7 miles)

Cafes

• Latte Da (23.3 miles)
• Java Hut (23.3 miles)
• Folklore Coffee (23.7 miles)
• Folklore Coffee (23.7 miles)

Theaters

• Glacier Cinemas (23.4 miles)
• Orpheum Theatre (23.7 miles)

Pharmacies

• Olson's Drug (23.7 miles)
• Drug Mart (24 miles)