Health Care

More women diagnosed with depression

Rate among Spokane females said higher than national average

June 7, 2018

Women are being diagnosed with major depression at twice the rate of men, and Spokane women are being diagnosed at a rate higher than the national average, according to a recent report. The report released by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, major

An issue of substance

More Spokane women use drugs, alcohol, tobacco when pregnant, according to health district stats

June 7, 2018

LeAnn Bjerken

Recent data show prenatal use of marijuana, opioids, and other drugs is on the rise in Spokane County and could be a factor in increased cases of low birth weights here, say Spokane Regional Health District officials. In 2016, the most recent year for wh

Excelsior Youth Center leads formation of new care collaborative

Network designed to ease integration of health care

May 24, 2018

LeAnn Bjerken

Spokane nonprofit Excelsior Youth Center has teamed with two companies to establish Integrated Managed Care Collaborative, a new network tool aimed at helping behavioral health organizations prepare for the integration of health care in the Spokane region

Psychiatric Solutions seeks to fill mental health gaps

Partial hospitalization program meant to help recently released patients

May 10, 2018

In an attempt to fill in what's believed to be a gap in psychiatric care here, Spokane Valley-based Psychiatric Solutions opened in January with its mission to help patients recently released from psychiatric hospitals transition more effectively back i

Cancer Care Northwest grows its stem-cell transplant program

CCN could handle up to 40 transplants this year

May 10, 2018

Samantha Peone

Since Spokane Valley-based Cancer Care Northwest opened the first autologous stem cell transplant program here in 2005, it has conducted 271 transplants on patients ranging from 15 to 78 years old. Dr. Hakan Kaya, an oncologist, hematologist, and senior

Medex Northwest: An assist to the provider gap

Medex classes in Spokane approach student capacity

May 10, 2018

Treva Lind

Trained as an emergency room technician, Eric Anderies, 28, worked at a Spokane hospital for about three years before deciding to enter a regional physician assistant program. He's among 31 students now studying in a Spokane classroom through Medex N

A fast expansion of rapid-care health services in Spokane

Providence, MultiCare plan more same-day clinics here

May 10, 2018

LeAnn Bjerken

Spokane's biggest health care providers are adding rapid-care clinics in the Spokane market, well, rapidly. Providence Health Care has opened one such clinic in the Spokane area, called Providence Express Care Clinic, and has plans to open three more

Helping caregivers understand dementia

Business offers services for families, pros

April 26, 2018

Samantha Peone

Rick Bennett, administrator of the Bennett House adult day care center in Coeur d'Alene, says he's about to start up a new business to help caregivers of people with cognitive loss. The new venture, to be called The Dementia Coach, is designed to hel

Nursing to be most in-demand profession in Spokane, forecast says

Managers, accountants are runners-up in county

April 12, 2018

Samantha Peone

An annual occupational forecast from the Washington state Employment Security Department suggests that registered nurse will be the most in-demand occupation in Spokane County for jobs that requires at least a bachelor's degree, says D. Patrick Jones, w

Courtney Law nurtures young UW-GU health partnership

Director aims to grow community resource

April 12, 2018

LeAnn Bjerken

Although she is already more than two years into her position as the director of the University of Washington School of Medicine-Gonzaga University Regional Health Partnership, Courtney Law says she's really just getting started. 'I've always enj