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Group targets drugs most needing study for off-label use

Unapproved prescriptions of medications raise safety, effectiveness concerns

May 7, 2009

Physicians and policy-makers know that drugs frequently are prescribed to treat certain diseases despite a lack of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval—a practice known as off-label prescribing. Yet, they say the problem is so big they a

Induced hypothermia eyed as possible stroke treatment

Cooling of body currently used here to protect brain following cardiac arrest

May 7, 2009

Mike McLean

Body-cooling techniques that are being used here to treat some heart-attack sufferers might prove beneficial for certain stroke patients, says Dr. Madeleine Geraghty, the director of the Primary Stroke Center at Providence Sacred Heart Medical & on

Fresenius begins nighttime dialysis at Sherman center

Service frees up patients to pursue other activities during lost daylight hours

May 7, 2009

Kim Crompton

Fresenius Medical Care North America, a Waltham, Mass.-based operator of a nationwide network of kidney dialysis facilities, says it has launched a night-time dialysis program at the Fresenius Medical Care Spokane Kidney Center, at 610 S. new to in

Valley dentist, others, help families save stem cells

Stem cells from extracted baby teeth are preserved by cryogenic lab in Boston

May 7, 2009

David Cole

Spokane Valley pediatric dentist Dr. Molly Gunsaulis, along with other dentists here, has begun offering the families of her young patients an intriguing new purpose for extracted baby teeth—a possible role in saving the child's life in the to

Valley Hospital upgrades CT images with 16-slice scanner

New machine there is four times faster, more capable than one it will replace

May 7, 2009

Mike McLean

Valley Hospital & Medical Center has bought a new computed-tomography (CT) scanner that's faster and more versatile than the well-used machine it's replacing.The General Electric Co. BrightSpeed Elite scanner, which cost $545,000, is scheduled

Rockwood Clinic to open North Side eye-care center

Allergy specialty care now is offered again at facility near downtown

May 7, 2009

Jeanne Gustafson

Rockwood Clinic PS, of Spokane, plans to open a satellite eye-care center next month near Providence Holy Family Hospital. Separately, the big Spokane medical practice recently reopened its allergy clinic within the main Rockwood location near new

Sleep research lab tops expectations

Director says WSU lab at Riverpoint here has landed $7.5 million in study grants, contracts

May 7, 2009

Richard Ripley

Three and a half years after Washington State University launched its Sleep and Performance Research Center here, the lab has conducted studies for a host of clients while securing grants and contracts to cover its $1.5 million annual center, in a

Happiness with health plan low at smaller firms

J.D. Power study finds buyers of individual policies also less satisfied than at big concerns

May 7, 2009

Health plan members who buy their plans individually or who work for small employers are considerably less satisfied with their health plan experience than those who work for larger organizations, says the J.D. Power & Associates 2009 National Plan

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Spokane is falling behind in attracting, retaining primary-care physicians

May 7, 2009

David Cole

Spokane is falling behind other communities in its ability to attract and retain primary-care physicians, the main source of health care for most Americans, a recent study here says.Meanwhile, a large majority of primary-care doctors here no are

Small Business Watch: May 7, 2009

May 7, 2009

Eco-friendly cleaning service opens here Eco-Green Kleening Solutions LLC, a carpet cleaning and janitorial service that uses "green" cleaning products rather than those that contain potentially harsh chemicals, has begun operating of