Health Care

2026 Large Business of the Year Finalist: Sunshine Health Facilities Inc.

dylanh@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Sunshine Health Facilities Inc. is a finalist for the 2026 Inland Northwest Business of the Year Awards, in the large-business category.

2026 Large Business of the Year Winner: Jubilant HollisterStier LLC

dylanh@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Pharmaceutical contract manufacturer Jubilant HollisterStier LLC has been named the winner of the Large Business of the Year category in the Journal's 2026 Inland Northwest Business of the Year Awards.

2026 Nonprofit of the Year Finalist: Community Health Association of Spokane, dba CHAS Health

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0400

CHAS Health is a finalist for the Inland Northwest Business of the Year Awards, in the nonprofit category.

Prairie Medical Campus work to begin this month

dylanh@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0400

The first phase of construction for the Prairie Medical Campus in Post Falls is expected to kick off this month and conclude in December 2027.

2026 Nonprofit of the Year Winner: Maddie's Place

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Maddie's Place has been named the winner of the Nonprofit of the Year category in the Journal's 2026 Inland Northwest Business of the Year Awards.

More funding sought for Spokane Veterans Home

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0400

To fund design work for a proposed new $146 million Spokane Veterans Home, the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs has requested additional funding from the state Legislature as part of its 2026 supplemental budget.

Cancer Can't prepares to break ground in April

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Cancer Can’t, a Spokane-based nonprofit that supports adult cancer patients and their families in the Inland Northwest, has reached its $6 million fundraising goal and expects to break ground on its oncology lodging project in April, says Cancer Can't co-founder and board president Becky Van Keulen.

Organ recoveries have banner year

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500

LifeCenter Northwest is capitalizing on a year of high performance following a record number of organs donated in Washington state and organs transplanted nationally in 2025.

Excelsior Wellness advances proof of concept

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Construction of Excelsior Wellness’ 25-unit intergenerational apartment complex is underway on Northwest Boulevard and expected to be completed this fall.

Health systems navigate new operating reality

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500

The Pacific Northwest is a microcosm of a national shift. Three main pressures — financial, labor, and technology — are impacting the foundations of the health care industry here.

University of Washington expands access to health care

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500

At a time when the public is questioning the value of higher education, the University of Washington’s contributions in Eastern Washington offer some of the strongest examples of the power of our partnerships — and our commitment to improving the lives of all Washingtonians.

Catching up with Shaun Cross, Maddie's Place president and CEO

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Last April, Maddie’s Place President and CEO Shaun Cross was worried the Spokane-based neonatal transitional care facility might not secure $2 million from the Washington State Legislature to continue operating. To help prevent a potential closure, the organization launched a social media campaign. The campaign not only helped raise additional funds but sparked national interest, with groups in more than 30 states now exploring how to bring a Maddie’s Place-style facility to their communities.

Inherent Biosciences eyes further growth in Spokane

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Salt Lake City-based Inherent Biosciences Inc., a health care diagnostic startup, is growing its presence in the Spokane area since first expanding here in 2024 through $1.25 million in grants from Health Sciences & Services Authority of Spokane County.

Catching up with Tina Gordon, Ketamine Clinic of Spokane co-owner

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Amid ongoing political, social, and economic uncertainty and tumult, demand for ketamine infusion therapy at the Ketamine Clinic of Spokane LLC has remained steady as patients seek tools to manage depression, anxiety, and emotional overload, often compounded by collective stress.

First phase of Heart Institute modernization kicks off

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 03:00:00 -0500

The first phase of a $42 million modernization project at Providence Heart Institute is now underway.

Cutting costs, not benefits

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 03:00:00 -0500

As the cost of health insurance rises, employers looking to reduce costs while still providing generous health and wellness benefit packages for their employees should explore options like section 125 cafeteria plans or level-funded plans and be willing to accept feedback from employees, industry experts in Spokane suggest.

EWU prepares to launch dental therapy program

tinas@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0500

Eastern Washington University is moving forward with plans to launch a master’s in dental therapy program, a move that would place the university among a small handful of institutions nationwide offering the credential and expand access to oral health care in rural Washington, says Dawn Lewis-Kinnunen, dean of EWU’s College of Health Science and Public Health.

INW health care systems show signs of improvement

dylanh@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0500

Financial challenges continue for the Inland Northwest service areas of Providence Health & Services-Washington and MultiCare Health System, but Spokane’s two largest health care providers have shown signs of improvement.

Rising labor, supply costs challenge health care sector

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0500

This year, the Spokane Journal of Business celebrates 40 years in this community. As the Journal celebrates 40 years chronicling Spokane’s growth, Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center approaches its own milestone — 140 years of caring for this community.

Spokane Eye Clinic joins new network

tinas@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0500

Spokane Eye Clinic has been acquired by PRISM Vision Group, a New Providence, New Jersey-based general ophthalmology and retina practice management services provider.

Employers adjust to rising health-related expenses

tinas@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0500

Many U.S. businesses are bracing for the sharpest rise in health care costs in more than a decade, with employer coverage costs expected to jump nearly 10%, says Melissa Koontz, senior vice president, employee benefits at the Spokane office of Alliant Insurance Services Inc.

Glyciome's clinical trial comes to Spokane

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0500

Glyciome LLC, a biotech startup developing microbiome-based genital health products, has moved a major portion of its federally funded clinical trials away from Harvard Medical School and into the Inland Northwest.

Northern Idaho Advanced Care Hospital converts 17 beds

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0500

To meet increasing demand, Northern Idaho Advanced Care Hospital has converted and relicensed 17 beds from long-term acute care to inpatient medical rehabilitation as part of a joint venture between Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Ernest Health and Coeur d’Alene-based Kootenai Health.

Rebuilding system capacity from the inside out

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0500

A quiet and persistent crisis has taken hold across the American health care landscape. Hospitals and health systems — already stretched thin on both resources and resilience — are facing a structural fragility that short-term fixes can no longer mask.

The business case for neurodiversity in the workplace

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0500

Neurodivergence is used to describe a broad range of neurodevelopmental differences that sometimes can result in a distinct set of challenges for individuals who are interacting with the world around them.

Regional nursing graduates anchor care in Spokane

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Higher education institutions with nursing programs in the Inland Northwest are reporting high graduation rates, with many graduates landing health care jobs close to home.

Providence Sacred Heart announces pause of heart transplant program

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 16:47:16 -0500

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center has announced a pause of its heart transplant program due to key vacancies within the program.

Gonzaga, Providence invest in nurse anesthesia program

tinas@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 03:00:00 -0400

In response to rising demand for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and a national shortage of anesthesia providers, Gonzaga University and Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center are embarking on a major expansion of the jointly owned and operated Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program.

Meet & Greet with Justin Botejue, Joya Child & Family Development

dylanh@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 03:00:00 -0400

After nearly seven years at Shriners Children's Spokane, Justin Botejue has accepted a new position at Joya Child & Family Development. Botejue, a 2022 Journal of Business Rising Star, began his role as clinic manager of Joya JumpStart in July.

Complex Care Center opens new clinic in Spokane Valley

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 03:00:00 -0400

Richland, Washington-based Disruption Healthcare PLLC, which does business as Complex Care Center PLLC, has opened a primary and chronic care medical office in Spokane Valley to help meet a growing demand in Eastern Washington.