Family caregivers in Washington state provide an estimated $25 billion worth of unpaid care each year, according to a new report from AARP. 

Safety improvements. Wage increases. Restful breaks. Nurses at Kadlec Regional Medical Center secured key gains in working conditions under a new contract ratified by members of the hospital’s nurses union on March 31, according to a release. 

Certified nursing assistants at a Richland nursing home and others in the Yakima Valley unanimously approved a new labor contract that would increase wages 8% over two years if ratified. 

For more than 40 years, a local nonprofit has helped keep the elderly and the developmentally disabled moving and engaged through their day services. The organization’s work helps keep clients in their homes and cuts down on hospitalizations. 

From specialized medical equipment to scholarships, the March 26 fundraising breakfast for the Kadlec Foundation secured donations to support Kadlec Regional Medical Center and help it serve the region’s health care needs. 

Those working on the Mid-Columbia’s first inpatient residential behavioral health facility know they are blazing a trail.

As Kadlec and other health care providers work to meet the growing and diverse needs of the region, they’re also trying to navigate perennial and increasingly difficult challenges in the industry related to workforce management, growing costs and shrinking reimbursements for federally subsidized care.

Some Tri-Citians seeking elective care are turning to smaller hospitals rather than large health systems, citing shorter wait times, lower costs, and the perception of more personalized attention. At the same time, providers facing growing burnout are also drawn to these facilities for better work-life balance. The trend is shaping the region’s health care landscape, affecting staffing, patient access and the way local hospitals operate.

Anyone who’s ever wanted to try a Lagree workout soon will have more options when the Tri-Cities’ only licensed Lagree Miniformer studio, Bluecarrot, opens two new locations in central Kennewick and west Pasco.

A Washington State University Tri-Cities alumna is not only helping people through her emergency medical residency, but also shedding light on complex health issues on her popular website.