November 25, 2025
St. Peter’s Health has signed letters of intent with Helena Orthopaedic Clinic (HOC) outlining plans for its longstanding Helena practice to become fully integrated into St. Peter’s Health Orthopedics. Pending final agreements, the two organizations anticipate completing the transaction on December 1, 2025.
“This partnership marks an exciting and important milestone for orthopedic care in our hometown,” said St. Peter’s Health Chief Executive Officer Wade Johnson. “By bringing together the talent and expertise of both organizations under one roof, we are building a unified orthopedic service line to better serve this growing region.”
Orthopedic surgeons Dr. Erik Bergquist, Dr. John Michelotti and Dr. Calvin Schlepp along with Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist Dr. Joshua Lider will join St. Peter’s already robust orthopedic care team including board-certified orthopedic surgeons Dr. Kerry Hale, Dr. Jeff Dickson, Dr. Patrick Curry, and Dr. Annie Knierim, as well as specialists Dr. Kelsey Hoffman, Dr. Zachary Klinger, Dr. Anita Lowe Taylor and recently welcomed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Cardinal.
Additionally, seven HOC Physician Assistants, athletic trainers, and support staff members from HOC are joining the St. Peter’s orthopedic team, which currently includes six Advanced Practice Providers located at the St. Peter’s Health Medical Group Broadway Clinic.
Now one of the largest orthopedic practices in Montana, St. Peter’s offers a full spectrum of expert orthopedic and musculoskeletal treatments, including joint replacement, upper extremity surgery, spine surgery, trauma surgery, pediatric orthopedics, sports medicine, physical medicine, interventional pain management, and orthopedic urgent care.
Included in this agreement is the integration of HOC practices located in Butte and Conrad.
Patients should experience little to no disruption in care during this transition. For more information, patients are encouraged to visit sphealth.org/HOC for answers to frequently asked questions.
About St. Peter’s Health Orthopedics
St. Peter’s Health was recently designated as a DNV Orthopedic Center of Excellence asserting it has met the highest standards of quality and excellence in all aspects of orthopedic care including surgery, diagnostic services and therapies. Prior to this expansion, St. Peter’s comprehensive orthopedic care team offered both surgical and non-surgical treatments, specializing in conditions of bones, joints, muscles and nerves, including pain and injury.
In addition to their two Urgent Care locations, St. Peter’s operates an Orthopedic Urgent Care in their Broadway Clinic offering immediate, walk-in access five days a week to orthopedically trained providers and specialists to treat acute joint, bone and muscle injuries.
Earlier this year, St. Peter’s announced the addition of the DePuy Synthes VELYS™ Robotic Assisted Solution to assist orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kerry Hale in knee replacement surgeries. Spine Surgeon Dr. Patrick Curry will soon use the same technology alongside Teligen Spine to assist in advanced and minimally invasive spine procedures.