Health Care

Optometry practice downtown changes hands

Clay Evans takes over; longtime owner stays on

February 25, 2016

Optometrist Dr. Clay Evans has purchased the Eye Care Team practice in downtown Spokane from longtime owner Dr. Rick Kellogg. Evans took over ownership on Jan. 1. He declines to disclose the purchase price for the practice, which operates in 4,000 square

Excelsior Youth Center's founding CEO passes baton

Center plans to add staff, expand some programs

February 25, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

Excelsior Youth Center, one of Spokane's largest behavioral-health nonprofits, has changed leadership, transitioning to a new chief executive officer for the first time in the 34 years since its founding. Robert Faltermeyer, founding CEO of Excelsior Y

Virtual reality company here readies first product

NovaWake founders bet on tech becoming ubiquitous

February 25, 2016

The co-founders of a virtual-reality company here think VR is on the verge of becoming another entertainment and communications platform. Now, the self-funded company is looking for ways to convert the technology into a revenue stream.

Nuvodia expands into more health care fields, energy

Inland Imaging IT division grows after its big move

February 25, 2016

Chris Street

Spokane-based information technology company Nuvodia LLC, having separated geographically from its parent company Inland Imaging last year, is expanding into other areas of medicine and strengthening its newfound foothold in the energy sector. Last June

Health care startup rolls out its first device

MyoBoard allows for portable tension relief

February 25, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

Two Spokane-area health care professionals have developed the first of what they expect to be a suite of pain-relief products. The product, called MyoBoard, is a portable, self-massage tool for relieving tension in various muscle groups.

Beyond Pink pushes for more breast thermograms

Nonprofit expects to fund 500 screenings this year

February 25, 2016

Linn Parish

Spokane nonprofit Beyond Pink is advocating for breast thermography as an early-screening method for breast cancer-and having success in getting more women to take the test. While the American Medical Association and others have yet to embrace the tec

Rebranded INHS division expands its footprint

Engage now works with more than 100 hospitals

February 25, 2016

Chris Street

Inland Northwest Health Services' rebranded information-technology division, called Engage, has expanded its national footprint and accelerated its growth. The 15-year-old, information-management concern needed an upgrade, says new Engage chief execut

Patients learn to embrace technology in exam room

Informaticists train staff in interactive technology

February 25, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

With more medical practices recording patient data electronically rather than on paper, health care officials here say they are now focused on training staff in how best to use technology in patient interactions. Dr. Kirk Rowbotham, chief medical office

WSU medical school plans are on track, inaugural dean says

Tomkowiak starts program focused on community

February 25, 2016

Mike McLean

Dr. John Tomkowiak, Washington State University's inaugural dean for the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, is carrying on the legacy of the medical school's namesake by implementing a few innovative ideas of his own. Tomkowiak, whose medical backgr

Group Health sought partnership with Kaiser Permanente

$1.8 billion acquisition still at least a year away

February 25, 2016

Continuous change in the health care industry served as the driving impetus for Group Health Cooperative as it started pursuing a partner a few years ago. That pursuit culminated at the end of last year when Oakland-based health insurer Kaiser Permanente