CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for medical laboratories in Montana
21 medical laboratories operated in Montana in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 21CBP 2023
- Employees
- 101mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 1.8U.S. 4.9
- State rank
- 47th of 51by count
The medical laboratory industry in Montana
County Business Patterns counts 21 establishments in Montana classified as Medical Laboratories (NAICS 621511) for 2023. They employed 101 people in mid-March and reported $6,597,000 in annual payroll. That is the 47th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Medical laboratories make up 0.05% of the 42,566 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Montana has 1.8 medical laboratories, 62.2% below the national rate of 4.9. The average establishment has 4.8 employees against 14.0 nationally. Payroll per employee is $65,317, 11.9% below the U.S. figure of $74,156.
| Measure | Montana | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 21 | 16,635 |
| Mid-March employees | 101 | 232,333 |
| Annual payroll | $6,597,000 (moderate noise) | $17,228,940,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 4.8 | 14.0 |
| Payroll per employee | $65,317 | $74,156 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 1.8 | 4.9 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Where medical laboratories in Montana are concentrated
Census published medical laboratory counts for 4 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Montana. The largest is Billings, MT, with 7 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 86% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings, MT | 7 | 69 | 3.6 |
| Missoula, MT | 4 | — | 3.1 |
| Great Falls, MT | 4 | — | 4.7 |
| Butte, MT | 3 | — | 8.3 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at medical laboratories in Montana
100.0% of Montana's medical laboratories with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 69.4% nationally. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 17 | 100.0% | 69.4% |
| 5–9 employees | not published | — | 13.6% |
| 10–19 employees | not published | — | 7.5% |
| 20–49 employees | not published | — | 4.8% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 4.6% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a medical laboratory in Montana has to catch
Labs answer calls from both patients and ordering providers, and the questions differ: hours and preparation instructions on one side, specimen and result status on the other. Routing those calls separately keeps both groups from waiting. That holds for medical laboratories in Montana as much as anywhere.
Calls a medical laboratory in Montana might handle in a typical week include:
- A provider calls to add a test to an existing order.
- A courier calls to confirm a pickup.
- A patient calls to ask whether fasting is required before a blood draw.
After-hours calls
After-hours calls are mostly about the next day's hours and preparation, which a clear greeting can answer.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
Phone system pricing for a 5-person medical laboratory
Medical laboratories in Montana average 4.8 employees, so the comparison uses a 5-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $124.75 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $150.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 5 people cost $99.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $612. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $99.00 | $1,188.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $95.00 | $1,140.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $115.00 | $1,380.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $124.75 | $1,497.00 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $135.00 | $1,620.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $150.00 | $1,800.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Montana
Montana has 1 geographic area code in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your patients and providers know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 406 | 754 | Mountain | 1947 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for medical laboratories in Montana
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
If you already have a number in Montana, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Practices that handle protected health information should review their own privacy obligations before recording calls, enabling AI summaries or texting appointment details, and keep clinical conversations out of text messages unless their policies allow it.
Frequently asked questions
How many medical laboratories are in Montana?
21 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 101 people in mid-March.
Which Montana metro area has the most medical laboratories?
Billings, MT, with 7 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 5-person medical laboratory?
$150.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $124.75 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $99.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Montana number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.