From expanded services and an increase in patients to the ongoing development of a new assisted living community, Sunshine Health Facilities Inc. has followed an “intentional and mission-driven” growth strategy in recent years.

The Spokane Valley-based health care company expects to open Sunshine on Raymond, a 63-unit assisted living facility, in June, adding to its 7-acre Spokane Valley campus.

Sunshine Health also is advancing plans for Another Ray of Sunshine, a large-scale development in Spokane Valley that will include independent living homes.

The third-generation, family-owned company’s health care division provides a comprehensive range of services including skilled nursing care, enhanced assisted living, memory care, adult family homes, and home health services. Its behavioral health division features an adult residential treatment facility, long-term behavioral health living, and, as of 2024, substance-use disorder treatment.

Founded in 1949, Sunshine Health now serves more than 350 patients throughout the Spokane area.

Has the organization overcome any obstacles in the past year? If so, what were they and how did you do it? One of our most significant operational accomplishments this past year was the successful elimination of agency staffing across our organization. Like many health care providers nationwide, Sunshine relied on agency staff during and following the pandemic to maintain staffing levels. While agency support provided short-term stability, it also created financial pressure, inconsistency in care delivery, and challenges in team cohesion.

How has the organization adapted or innovated in the past year? In the past year, Sunshine Health Facilities launched an organization-wide cultural innovation called the “Make Their Day” initiative — an empowerment-based customer service model designed to elevate quality, responsiveness, and life enrichment across every business line.

What future plans does the organization have for innovation? A key area of focus is the responsible and strategic use of artificial intelligence. Within our home health division, we are actively leveraging AI-supported tools to improve documentation efficiency, care coordination, and data analysis — allowing clinicians to spend more time with patients and less time behind a computer.

Survey responses may have been edited for length and clarity.