Primary Health expanding pediatrics to Canyon County
NAMPA, ID – Primary Health Medial Group has announced plans to expand pediatric care into Canyon County, opening the county’s first Pediatric Urgent Care at 700 Caldwell Blvd. in Nampa, Idaho later this year. The building previously housed Primary Health’s Nampa clinic, which moved to a new facility in April. Crews have already begun the remodel process to turn the clinic into a clinic espe[...]
Idaho Free Clinics rally for Idahoans losing Medicaid
IDAHO — Many Idaho residents are losing Medicaid benefits due to a process of mass re-evaluations known as Medicaid Unwinding. While many deemed ineligible will have access to other insurance options, some Idahoans will not. The unwinding process ends Medicaid Protection, a national policy to keep Medicaid recipients enrolled until the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Idaho's re-e[...]
Saint Alphonsus named among nation’s top performing hospitals
BOISE, ID – Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise and Saint Alphonsus Medical Center in Nampa have received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2023. This is the Nampa hospital’s first time receiving the award, while Boise is a repeat recipient. They are the only hospitals in Idaho, and among only 262[...]
Saint Alphonsus robotic surgery improving outcomes
[caption id="attachment_492675" align="alignleft" width="205"] Surgery underway using advanced robotics at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise.[/caption] As the patient lies on the operating table, surrounded by a team of medical professionals, the colorectal surgeon takes his place at the robotic console. With the aid of advanced technology, the surgeon is able to perform a precis[...]
New program at Saint Alphonsus saves Emmett woman’s life
BOISE, ID – Saint Alphonsus has debuted a lifesaving heart and lung support program–that without having to transfer patients out of state–the hospital and health system are able to treat the most critical of cases. Leah LeBlanc is one patient that received lifesaving care as a result of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) program. Here is her story: LeBlanc didn’t feel right a[...]
Saint Alphonsus modifies masking requirements across health system
[caption id="attachment_291236" align="alignright" width="290"] decline in community COVID-19 transmission rates has led Saint Alphonsus Health System to modify the masking requirements.[/caption] BOISE, ID – A decline in community COVID-19 transmission rates, coupled with the end of the influenza season, has led Saint Alphonsus Health System to modify the masking requirements across its two-s[...]
Saint Alphonsus opens new specialty intensive care unit
Saint Alphonsus cut the ribbon Tuesday for its recently completed neuro, surgical and trauma intensive care unit (ICU). This brand-new ICU could be life-changing, hospital leadership said. Patients will no longer need to be moved from the unit, nor their rooms, for certain scans and tests. "The number-one risk to the patient is the handoff, the move,” Claire Jones, neurosciences servi[...]
Health care innovators can now get connected in Idaho
Health Tech Idaho — a hub that will allow entrepreneurs, startups, early-stage companies and investors to interact and leverage their strengths — held its introductory and first networking event on Feb. 15. At the event, speakers addressed how the organization plans to support local health care innovators, from providing a presence on a website directory to offering event opportunities and ser[...]
18% drop since 2020 in people with reported medical debt
The number of people with medical debt on their credit reports fell by 8.2 million — or 17.9% — between 2020 and 2022, according to a report Tuesday from the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. White House officials said in a separate draft report that the two-year drop likely stems from their policies. Among the programs they say contributed to less debt was an expansion of the Obam[...]
Biz ‘Bite:’ Health Tech Idaho hosts first health care innovation-focused event
Health Tech Idaho — a hub that will allow entrepreneurs, startups, early-stage companies and investors to interact and leverage their strengths — held its introductory and first networking event on Feb. 15. The free event at St. Luke’s Plaza Central Auditorium brought together health care and health tech professionals around health care innovation. [caption id="attachment_289560" align="a[...]
Idaho legislator introduces new bills to remove hospital tax exemptions
A first-year legislator is pushing a new bill in the Idaho Legislature that would give local county commissions the authority to remove the property tax exemptions in place for hospitals. Rep. Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, also is sponsoring a second new bill that would immediately remove the property tax exemption for a hospital’s outlying administrative and medical facilities that are not a part of[...]
A Word With Dr. Schott about St. Luke’s new health insurance plan
Standing as one of Idaho’s largest health care system, St. Luke’s is a not-for-profit health system that has been providing care throughout Idaho since it first opened in 1902. In 2022, St. Luke’s announced its launch of a nonprofit health insurance plan that would offer coverage to individuals and families across 20 Idaho counties beginning in January 2023. St. Luke’s Health Plan opened e[...]