Health Care

Exchange evolution

Healthplanfinder has success in signups, but users call for improvements

May 8, 2014

Even though the Washington Health Benefit Exchange surpassed the state's health insurance enrollment goals, a lot more work can be done to improve the system, sources familiar with the exchange say. In all, the exchange enrolled more than 1 million p

$15 million health clinic envisioned in Spokane's U-District

Consortium of major players hopes to open facility in '16

April 24, 2014

Linn Parish

A community consortium that includes some of Spokane's largest players in the health care field are planning a $15 million primary-care clinic in Spokane's University District that would serve as a training ground for new physicians and other emerging

Helping children with autism find their voice

Graduate students assist pre-K autistic children with verbalization skills

April 10, 2014

Katie Ross

Washington State University Spokane has partnered with Northwest Autism Center, of Spokane, to launch an interdisciplinary program for speech and hearing sciences graduate students to gain hands-on experience while helping children with autism spectrum di

Health care insurance enrollment here is near top of exchange

Spokane County sign-up numbers rival Snohomish

April 10, 2014

Mike McLean

Washington State Health Benefit Exchange is one of the national leaders among states in enrolling participants in qualified health plans, and Spokane County is one of the top counties for enrollment in the state, based on preliminary data compiled by the

Sacred Heart Children's Hospital attains top designation

Facility is second in state to be tabbed

March 27, 2014

Lucas Thayer

The neonatal intensive care unit at Sacred Heart Children's Hospital has received the American Academy of Pediatrics' level IV designation, which the AAP describes as the highest level of care for premature and critically ill newborns. Sacred Heart s

Rockwood Clinic to open new south Valley office

Location to house primary care and family medicine

March 27, 2014

Katie Ross

Rockwood Clinic PS, of Spokane, has started renovating a 4,800-square-foot space in a strip mall in Spokane Valley and plans to open a primary care clinic there, Rockwood Chief Operating Officer Greg Repetti says. The total cost to renovate the space, lo

Startup aims at reducing waste of medical products

Website is marketplace for users to buy, sell, trade

February 27, 2014

Katie Ross

Spokane startup e-business H-Source LLC, which is promoting its website at www.h-source.com as a marketplace for hospitals and medical providers to buy, sell, and trade medicines and equipment, is pursuing funding to help it to expand the website and attr

Many employers hanging tough with dental coverage

But third of state residents lack oral-health insurance

February 13, 2014

Staff Report

The beginning of the New Year brought a lot of change in our health care system. Business owners and employees had many decisions to make. The changes in medical coverage from the Affordable Care Act and the challenges with enrollment were overwhelming-

Next-generation pathology is close to being reality

Digital review, genomic medicine among changes

February 13, 2014

David C. Hoak

When I was young, my father would take me to the lab on weekends. He would look at smears of blood under the microscope, place samples on circular blood plates to allow bacteria to grow, and type out biopsy and pap test reports by himself on a typewriter

Small-employer health insurance to evolve in '14

Cost, affordability to remain top of mind

February 13, 2014

Bill Akers

The last few months of news have not been kind to the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Implementation of the Exchange has been smooth in Washington state compared with the badly flawed rollout of healthcare.gov nationally. But, regardless of