Patient Access Technician Per Diem-OCED Union Gap

'Liquid gold' - MultiCare teams up with Northwest Mothers Milk Bank to nourish infants. April 3, 2026 | By Shannon Whitley Northwest Mothers Milk Bank provides roughly 700,000 ounces of milk each year to fragile newborns in need - all thanks to the donations of mothers. At a glance. * Northwest Mothers Milk Bank provides safe donor breastmilk to vulnerable infants * MultiCare hospitals joined the donation effort by opening on-campus milk drop sites * Donor milk supports NICU babies when mothers face supply challenges, ensuring safe, nutrient-rich food Each woman enters motherhood in their own way. Sometimes those circumstances can affect their ability to breastfeed. Some may have trouble producing milk for any number of reasons; others may be recovering from a physically difficult delivery and unable to produce. Some premature newborns need more than mom can supply. NWMMB is the only Pacific Northwest-based nonprofit human milk bank, supplying nearly 700,000 ounces of milk each year to infants in more than 90 hospitals across five states, explains Joanne Ransom, BSN, RN, IBCLC, clinical director for NWMMB. NWMMB was established in 2009 as a nonprofit to offer safe, accredited breastmilk collection, storage and distribution, as well as outreach and education, she says. The organization joins 31 other nonprofits nationwide that collectively distributed 13.1 million ounces of breastmilk in 2025. As long-time partners and recipients of that milk, the MultiCare Deaconess Hospital mother-baby team saw the need growing for safe, antibody-rich breastmilk and wanted to be part of the solution. A collective effort to feed newborns. In 2025, Deaconess and MultiCare Mary Bridge Children's Hospital both opened in-hospital NWMMB drop sites to provide easier access for local mothers to donate breastmilk. "We've used NWMMB for years to provide breastmilk for our infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)... and we wanted to bring that full circle," says Kendra O'Brien, Deaconess clinical dietitian. Deaconess receives approximately 1,500 ounces of donated milk per month for vulnerable newborns, which is equivalent to 140 gallons annually, she says. Interested in donating? They've also received thousands of ounces to put into the milk bank. Between March and December 2025, the Deaconess drop site received 7,357 ounces of donated breast milk, which is safely transported to the NWMMB facility for processing. MultiCare patients are now receiving milk that was likely donated by their neighbors, says Sarah Hurley, BSN, RNC-NIC, Deaconess NICU manager. "It's nice to have somewhere in the community, in a trusted environment to drop if off... and give back to your own community," Hurley says. "Families get to know that their milk is doing something good, right here." It really is a community effort to feed these babies, Ransom says. And mothers have been eager to be part of that. "Our first mom who donated had her baby in our NICU for a few weeks. Breastmilk and feeding was important to her, but she couldn't do skin-to-skin like she wanted, which can harm milk production," O'Brien explains. "Under the stress of that situation, it was so comforting to have this option for her baby. They came back when her child was 1, to the grand opening of the milk drop site, to donate." NWMMB cannot fulfill their goals without the generosity of donors, Ransom says. "They're the ones taking care of these babies," she adds. "Each donation and donation drop site ensures there's enough milk for us to redistribute." Following the NWMMB mission to improve the health and survival of the most vulnerable infants, like those in the NICU, nearly 87 percent of its supply goes straight to NICU babies each year, Ransom explains. "We believe that every baby deserves access to human milk, and the way we do that is by safely collecting and distributing it to medically fragile and vulnerable babies," she adds. The importance of breastmilk and access. For NICU babies, breastmilk is "liquid gold," O'Brien says. Formula has come a long way over the years, but it still doesn't compare to the naturally occurring antibodies, probiotics and prebiotics found in breastmilk. It's also easier on premature newborns' digestion. But not every new mother can produce milk right away, or produce enough of it - and some won't be able to produce at all. The milk bank can give mothers peace of mind and take off the pressure, O'Brien explains. "So we're there to help fill that gap in those early weeks," Ransom says. MultiCare Deaconess Hospital NICU manager Sarah Hurley, BSN, RNC-NIC, shows off the new Northwest Mothers Milk Bank drop site for local moms. While bioidentical breastmilk from an infant's mother will always be best - a mother's body responds specifically to their infant's needs - there's still more benefit from donated breastmilk compared to dairy milk or formula, explains Hurley. The longer a baby is in the NICU, the more likely mothers are to end up with supply issues, she adds. The female body responds differently when producing with a breast pump compared to breastfeeding, causing supply to dwindle. Their supply may come back later or just be delayed, but NWMMB ensures babies don't go without breastmilk in those critical first few days or weeks, Ransom says. On the other hand, milk banks also are a great option for mothers who may have the opposite challenge and want to give back to others. Some mothers produce more milk than their baby needs and find themselves with overfull freezers, Ransom explains. "To take that extra milk and dump it down the drain is disheartening because she knows how valuable it was to her own baby," she says. "The hours she spends pumping, storing it and keeping it safe, it doesn't make sense to discard it. We give her the ability to share that in a way that can make a difference." And for mothers whose newborns have died, donating can also make a huge difference in their grieving process, Ransom adds. "Being able to experience a small part of being a mother when they didn't get to take their baby home, and to help feed another baby, can help them to grieve and cope," she says. "Sometimes the pain of that can be too much and that's OK, but for some it's simply a way to honor their baby." NWMMB ensures trusted, safe milk for your baby. Mothers receiving NWMMB milk can rest assured their newborn is getting safe, nutrient-rich food with each sip - the nonprofit follows strict screening, pasteurization and storage processes. Potential donors go through a four-step screening process, including a health history review signed off by their doctor or other health care provider, a review of their lifestyle and motivation for donating, as well as a blood test, Ransom explains. Once approved, they're assigned a number that will follow their milk through the entire process until it's distributed. Donations must be a minimum of 100 frozen ounces at a time, which can be either dropped a donation site or mailed following strict packaging guidelines. The milk is then analyzed, pasteurized to kill any bacteria or viruses, given an expiration date, and refrozen until it's sent out for distribution. Analysis includes looking at the fat, protein and lactose amounts for proper labeling, which can be used by clinical dietitians like O'Brien to meet the unique nutrient needs of each infant. What's next. * Learn more about Northwest Mothers Milk Bank * Find a MultiCare donation site near you * Looking for breastfeeding support? Check out MultiCare's support services Community Support & Partnerships Kids' Health Nutrition & Wellness Women's Health

Kootenai Health breaks ground on Prairie Medical Campus. March 25, 2026 Kootenai Health breaks ground on Prairie Medical Campus, expanding access to care for a growing region. Post Falls, Idaho - Kootenai Health, in partnership with MultiCare Health System, marked a major milestone in regional health care with the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Prairie Medical Campus, a transformative, multiphase medical development designed to expand access to high-quality care for Post Falls and surrounding communities. The Prairie Medical Campus is a 30-acre development that will be built in phases to meet both the current and future health care needs of the region. Phase one includes a micro-hospital with a 12-room emergency department, advanced imaging services, and rooms for overnight stays, along with a three-story medical office building featuring clinic offices and lab services. Future expansion, including an eventual full-service hospital, is planned as the region continues to grow. "This campus represents our responsibility to plan ahead and serve our community; not after the need outpaces us, but now, when we can meet the need as it arises," said Jameson Smith, CEO of Kootenai Health. "We exist to serve our community and advance medical care in our region. The Prairie Medical Campus is a direct reflection of that commitment." Population growth across Kootenai County and eastern Spokane County is expected to increase dramatically over the coming decades, intensifying demand for convenient, accessible health care. The Prairie Medical Campus is designed to meet that demand, bringing essential services closer to where people live, work, and raise families. "This project builds on Kootenai Health's multi-decade commitment to serving the Post Falls community by creating a premier medical campus with the latest technology and advanced healthcare close to home," said Duke Walker, Chief Operations Officer of Kootenai Health. "This project exemplifies healthcare collaboration at its best." Kootenai Health has served Kootenai County for more than 60 years. Its presence in Post Falls began in 1997 with the opening of the Post Falls Health Park and has steadily expanded over the past three decades through cancer services, facility expansions, physician practices, and, most recently, the opening of Kootenai Health Pharmacy in January 2026. The Prairie Medical Campus is made possible through a collaborative joint venture with MultiCare Health System, whose investment enables care expansion to happen now, rather than years in the future when access could become strained. "The partnership between Kootenai and MultiCare is the perfect example of what can happen when two organizations connect in a common purpose," said Bill Robertson, CEO of MultiCare. "Our combined skill sets and resources can more effectively create the health care capacity that this community needs than we could working alone." "This collaboration allows us to anticipate the needs of our communities and respond with purpose," Smith added. "MultiCare's investment and shared commitment to patient-centered care help ensure we're building the right services, in the right place, at the right time." "MultiCare and Kootenai Health have worked together for a number of years on projects designed to expand local access to health care," said Florence Chang, President of MultiCare. "Today, our partnership is taking a major step forward. I'm incredibly proud to be part of this important work to expand health care services for these communities." The project also reflects strong collaboration with construction, design, and community partners, including Bouten Construction, Parkwood Business Properties, CollinsWoerman Architects, Consertus project management, and numerous design-build consultants and trade partners. Local and regional leaders, including the City of Post Falls, the Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency, Kootenai County Commissioners, and the Post Falls Chamber, also played a key role in supporting the project. "Our community partners, civic leaders, and health care collaborators have all contributed to making this vision a reality," Walker said. "This campus is an investment not just in infrastructure, but in the long-term health and vitality of this region." Construction of phase one is expected to continue through 2027, with the Prairie Medical Campus ultimately serving more patients than Kootenai Health's main campus does today.