Missoula County is home to over 20,000 children under the age of 18. That is not just a number—these are our sons, daughters, grandchildren, classmates, teammates, and neighbors. Our children deserve the very best care when they need it the most, especially in critical moments when they face life-threatening illnesses or injuries. Our community represents more than just a line-item of profitability in the portfolio of a private equity firm.

Community Medical Center in Missoula, MT, has long been a pillar of support for families in our region, offering specialized Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) services that are crucial for saving young lives. The hospital's recent decision to transition from in-person PICU physician care to a teleICU model is dangerous.

PICU physicians bring specialized knowledge and skills crucial for managing severe and complex conditions. Their presence at the bedside means our children receive immediate, life-saving interventions.

We understand the pressures of financial sustainability, but the value of our children's health and lives far outweighs any monetary considerations. It is imperative that Community Medical Center continues to prioritize pediatric critical care by maintaining staff who are not only board-certified but have a proven track record of providing compassionate, effective medical care to our community’s youngest members.

We are standing at a crossroads—between investing in the future health of our community's children and sacrificing their wellbeing for short-term financial gain. We urge the decision-makers at Community Medical Center to make the right choice by keeping board-certified Pediatric ICU physicians in place.

Please sign this petition to show your support for maintaining specialized pediatric ICU care in our hospital. Our children deserve nothing less.

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FYI for the community: the pediatric department as a whole is not closing. The hospitalist team will continue to manage patients appropriately admitted to their service - what is being lost are in-person PICU physicians.