Spokane-based Inland Imaging LLC has signed a contract to provide radiology services at Samaritan Hospital, in Moses Lake, Wash.

Sarah Russell, chief operations officer at Inland Imaging, says the company started handling the hospital's diagnostic radiology interpretation and image distribution services in early July. In addition, the hospital now has access to Inland Imaging's electronic patient images network.

"Access to the Inland Imaging distribution network should greatly improve care to area patients and open a gateway for collaboration with the Moses Lake regional medical community," Russell says.

Inland Imaging hired Dr. Delacy Lamuth, who recently completed a fellowship at the University of Washington, to work as the onsite radiologist at Samaritan. While Lamuth will provide the bulk of the readings on site, specialty readings—neurological magnetic resonance imaging and high-resolution chest computed tomography scans, among others—will be handled by specialists at the Spokane facility. Readings at night and on weekends will be handled here as well, Russell says.

Samaritan Hospital is a 50-bed facility that has operated in Moses Lake since 1947. It's the sixth hospital with which Inland Imaging has a radiology services contract; the others are Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children's Hospital and Providence Holy Family Hospital, in Spokane; Providence Mount Carmel Hospital, in Colville; Pullman Memorial Hospital; and Walla Walla General Hospital.

In addition, Inland Imaging provides some services to 10 other hospitals, as well as 28 other health care providers, including physicians' groups and urgent-care centers, among others. Its clients are located throughout Washington and Idaho, as well as the Phoenix area.