May 4, 2023
Providence Health & Services and Washington State University (WSU) announced a partnership to establish eastern Washington’s first pediatric medical residency. Donations from Premera, Community Cancer Fund, Providence Inland Northwest Foundation, and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals supported the launch. The first-of-its-kind program east of the Cascades is hosted by Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital and local clinics.
The program’s mission is to improve children’s overall healthcare in Spokane and foster aspiring physicians from the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and other medical schools.
The investment from Premera represents the continuation of a grant awarded to the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine in 2019. It includes support for the new family medicine residency program at Pullman Regional Hospital and new sites for graduate medical residency programs in eastern Washington. This partnership with the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine is part of Premera’s initiative to improve access to care in rural areas by developing the workforce pipeline.
When examining the distribution of medical residency programs and Graduate Medical Education trainees, there is a significant disparity in eastern and central Washington. Of the 168 training programs, 158 (94%) are located west of the Cascades. Just 10 of the programs are located east of the Cascades. This results in approximately 32.7 trainees per 100,000 population west of the Cascades and just 8.6 trainees per 100,000 population east of the Cascades. This program is a step in the right direction to address that disparity.
“With the growing disparity between urban and rural healthcare access, it’s more important than ever to build programs like this residency that will close the gap,” said David Condon, Premera’s vice president of eastern Washington. “Washington State University and Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital are two strong pillars in eastern Washington, both known for their commitment to deliver better healthcare. We are proud to support this new pediatric residency program that will improve the health of our communities for years to come.”