Plains family moving medical clinic south

The Costner Family Clinic is moving back to the vicinity of where their medical studies and home life began.

The clinic opened in July of 2021 and has served more than 3,000 people and provided primary care to some 2,000 on a regular basis, but David Costner, owner and operator of the clinic, said they wanted to get back to the site of their family roots.

"I went to my grandmother's funeral a few months ago, and given the family Bible as the oldest of many cousins, realized there was a calling to minister to our extended family, and that we should be close by to be a part of family events, encouraging each other," said the 48-year-old Costner, who graduated from Southern Adventist University in Tennessee in 2010. "After a year of reflection, prayer, and conversations with immediate and extended family, we have decided it's time to move back to our roots in Arkansas and Tennessee and closer to the universities our young people are considering attending," he added.

The Costner family is moving its clinic to Mountain Home, Ark., where he'll be taking on a dual role. While building his own clinic there, he will be serving at an urgent care clinic a few days a week. "I've had many people say congratulations, but this is not a promotion, rather a desire to resume my role, obligations in our larger family back east," he said.

Costner, a family nurse practitioner, said they will continue to see patients in Plains up to Dec. 20. Meanwhile, they are asking their patients to let them know where to send their medical records. He noted that he was particularly appreciative of Clark Fork Valley Hospital's Dr. Gregory Hanson and Dr. John Drye and Physician Assistant Randy Mack, who helped lay the foundation for a trusting medical relationship when he first arrived. "Patients were conscientious, already attentive to their healthcare, so my role was simply to come alongside the well informed patients and facilitate care," said Costner.

Costner started out in Plains at the Clark Fork Valley Hospital in 2016 before opening his clinic less than a mile away from the hospital. The practice was doing well and grew in patients through the years. "God ministered scripture to us during COVID-19," said Costner, citing the Bible verse 1 John 4:18, which says, "Perfect love casts out fear." He said he realized that if he got sick and died he was doing what God called him to do. "It's worth the risk to be part of reaching out to alleviate illness and suffering," Costner said. He and his wife, Julie, both rely on their Christian values to help guide them in their lives and it's that faith that gave him the courage to reach out in the first place.

Julie, a registered nurse at the clinic, will continue at the new clinic as an RN and as clinic manager. Their oldest son, Elijah, is a registered nurse and a licensed X-Ray technician and though he has served at the Plains clinic, he plans to remain in the area with his wife, Ashlyn Auker Costner, who is from the Plains area. David's remaining children are considering colleges in the vicinity of Arkansas and Tennessee and will help with the new clinic. Simeon, his youngest, is the only other one who has an interest in following his parents in the medical profession.

He plans to move his medical equipment and supplies to Arkansas, but will put the Plains building, which he converted from a residential home to an office, up for sale. Costner said he will miss the people of Plains and is grateful to them and those of the western Montana community, especially Sanders County. "This includes the school co-op, coaches, healthcare colleagues, and most of all the patients entrusting us with their care since our arrival eight and a half years ago," he said.

"We will always cherish the memories and hope for the best for you and your family," he wrote in a letter to his patients. "Most people live here for a purpose. It's much more than a retirement community or a place to hunt. People genuinely care for each other." Costner added that he's most excited for the opportunities in Arkansas for his children and that they will be closer to family.

He said that because they will maintain their Montana healthcare licenses, people will be able to follow them on the Costner Care Family Clinic website and most likely they will be providing telemedicine services to Montana for low acuity episodic care. "I want to thank everyone for going above and beyond the call of duty caring for the sick and vulnerable in our community."