Special Report

When older adults go back to school

Career change, love of learning top lists of retirees' motivations

September 25, 2014

Dr. Erik Strandness studied and practiced neonatal intensive-care medicine in Spokane for 25 years before retiring at the age of 51, in 2009, to pursue a graduate degree in theology at Whitworth University. After graduating in 2011, he took a position w

$19.2 million expansion at Sacred Heart advances - Art Only

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September 11, 2014

Mike McLean

Providence Holy Family in mediation with union

Nurses' wages said to lag behind Sacred Heart's

September 11, 2014

Judith Spitzer

The Seattle-based Washington State Nurses Association, which represents more than 400 registered nurses at Providence Holy Family Hospital in north Spokane, are in mediation talks with hospital administrators over pay that they contend lags behind that of

Insurance broker aims to simplify Obamacare

Welk writes book, creates website to aid consumers

September 11, 2014

Kim Crompton

Independent insurance broker Robert S. Welk, who owns Welk Security & Trust on Spokane's North Side, isn't interested in offering his personal views on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as the Affordable Care Act or O

Sacred Heart adds recently approved surgical robot

Newer technology can be used on more procedures

September 11, 2014

Linn Parish

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children's Hospital has bought and installed the newest generation of the DaVinci robotic surgery device, a machine that' it expects will enable it to perform surgeries it hadn't been able to do robotically.

New employer-owned health care plan launches here

Alternative offering stresses primary care, overall health

September 11, 2014

Katie Ross

Spokane-based Rockwood Health System has partnered with Cary, N.C.-based health care technology company Physician Care Direct to offer its Employer Health Ownership Plan (EHOP) here as an alternative to traditional third-party health insurance plans.

Health plans in state rise dramatically in second year

Board approves 82 options, up from 46 in first enrollment

September 11, 2014

Staff Report

The Washington Health Benefit Exchange board of directors last month provided final certification of Qualified Health Plans to be offered through Washington Healthplanfinder during the second open enrollment period.

Inland Northwest Blood Center looks to solve drop in demand

Hospitals are buying less blood as cost-savings measure, center CEO says

September 11, 2014

Virginia Thomas

Spokane-based nonprofit Inland Northwest Blood Center is endeavoring to maintain revenue while hospital demand for blood is decreasing and donations of blood are declining. INBC President and CEO Jeff Bryant says that as hospitals look to cut costs, buy

Davenport approves lot sale at its business park

Proposal intends to extend town's commercial district

August 28, 2014

Mike McLean

The city of Davenport has accepted an offer from an affiliate of Davenport contractor Halme Construction Inc. to purchase and develop five city block-sized lots on the west edge of town, about 35 miles east of Spokane via U.S. 2, says Steven Goemmel, Dave

Deer Park breaks ground on business center project

Infrastructure improvements scheduled to begin shortly

August 28, 2014

Katie Ross

Ground finally has been broken on the long-awaited Deer Park Business & Industrial Center infrastructure improvement project, located at 2800 E. Crawford in Deer Park, about 15 miles north of Spokane.