Health Care

Navigating the Medicare Haze

Health insurance experts say beneficiaries don't have to go it alone

September 26, 2013

It can be a daunting task for an individual to enroll in Medicare and stay abreast of annual premium and benefit changes that occur in dozens of plan options in any given year, say sources here who work with government and private health insurance

Care Cars drives support for elderly

rogram arranges to take hundreds of seniors a year to doctors' appointments

September 26, 2013

Treva Lind

Around 300 Spokane County residents receive more than 4,000 rides to their medical appointments each year courtesy of Care Cars, a program here that is seeking to increase significantly its number of volunteer drivers by January.The program is a

Rooftop-grown greens help Sacred Heart spice up menu

Hospital starts using herbs cultivated on its campus in its cafeteria offerings

September 12, 2013

Katie Ross

The Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children's Hospital Green Team has a fresh take on the old idea of hospital food: growing herbs in rooftop planters for use in cafeteria and patient meals. The planters, located on the east roof of a

Inland Imaging installs new MRI machine at Holy Family

$1.3 million device said to be more comfortable, produce sharper images

September 12, 2013

Katie Ross

Inland Imaging LLC, of Spokane, has added a new wide-bore magnetic resonance imaging machine to its operation in Providence Holy Family Hospital, on Spokane's North Side.Inland Imaging installed the new device earlier this month, and company the

Six key areas of focus for evolving health care industry

Giving certain segments more attention could help to improve sector

September 12, 2013

Mark Barglof

Everyone knows the health care industry is evolving dramatically. Change is a common occurrence in the health care delivery system. For the health care industry in our country to advance progressively and improve upon the quality of care to its

Spokane trauma program to be replicated in Seattle

Grant awarded to pay for expanding on model piloted in schools here

September 12, 2013

Staff Report

A school-based trauma intervention program developed and being used here will be expanded to Seattle through a collaborative effort and with the help of a three-year, $651,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Spokane-based says.

COHE here expands, opens to self-insured employers

Worker rehab program to cover 19 counties total with recent state contract

September 12, 2013

Treva Lind

The Spokane-based Eastern Washington Center of Occupational Health & Education is broadening its service area with the addition of Benton, Franklin, and Kittitas counties.Daniel Hansen, Eastern Washington COHE director, says the program recently

Seattle-based pain-treatment provider opens Valley clinic

Center aspires to restore functionality to patients suffering from discomfort

September 12, 2013

Mike McLean

Seattle Pain Center Medical Corp., a specialty medical practice doing business here as Spokane Pain Center, has opened a clinic in Spokane Valley, says Jodi Hoffman, the practice manager based at the new clinic.Spokane Pain Center is located of

VA clinic in Cd'A to expand at new medical building

Outpatient facility will add physical therapy, optometry to services

September 12, 2013

Mike McLean

Parkwood Business Properties, of Coeur d'Alene, is developing a $1.8 million medical office building, where Spokane-based Mann-Grandstaff Veterans Affairs Medical Center plans to move its Coeur d'Alene Community-based Outpatient Clinic, Spokane at

Exchange certifies new health plans

More than 40 expected to be offered in the state through online resource

September 12, 2013

Staff Report

The Washington Health Benefit Exchange reached a milestone last week when its board provided final certification of health plans to be offered through Washington Healthplanfinder, the new online marketplace that opens Oct 1.Following initial by