New doctors, rattlesnake season, recovery center delay. Tri-City health news
Recent health news across the Tri-Cities region spans a delayed recovery center opening, rising measles concerns and a wave of new medical specialists.
Plus, rattlesnake season has started in the Mid-Columbia. Here’s a quick look at what’s happening in local health care.
Click the links to read the full articles.
• The Columbia Valley Center for Recovery in Benton County cannot yet accept patients, despite being on track to open earlier this month.
• Franklin County residents may face longer waits at the new recovery center because commissioners have not entered a partnership agreement with Comprehensive Healthcare, leaving uninsured Pasco residents without guaranteed priority placement.
• Faith Martin encountered three rattlesnakes on a seven-minute walk behind her Benton City home. Did the mild winter boost snake numbers?
• Washington state has confirmed 40 measles cases in eight counties this year, with three hospitalizations and health officials warning of possible undetected community spread east of the Cascades.
• Lifepoint Health, owner of Trios Health and Lourdes Health, has signed an agreement to acquire eight acute care hospitals from ScionHealth.
• Six new doctors and specialists have joined Tri-Cities area clinics, including a general surgeon at Trios Health, a dermatologist at Prosser Memorial Health and a pediatrician at Good Shepherd.
• Gesa Credit Union invested $100,000 to launch the Kadlec Health Care Academy, a paid internship program for Tri-Cities high school juniors and seniors exploring health care careers.
• The Benton Franklin Health District issued eight failing food safety grades during April 18-24, including a restaurant where inspectors found mold in food containers and dirty ice.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by Cory McCoy. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.