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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Five Sacred Heart psychiatrists rescind resignations

Five of the seven psychiatrists on staff at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center have rescinded their resignations and will have a role in restructuring how the hospital’s psychiatric department is staffed and run.

All of the psychiatrists announced intentions to quit by mid-August. But as a result of workload changes, five psychiatrists agreed to stay and several others have expressed interest in working at Sacred Heart, hospital administrators said.

The hospital operates the only inpatient psychiatric facility in Spokane, with 48 adult beds and 24 pediatric beds. It’s the facility where police take individuals who pose an immediate threat to themselves or others.

Pending changes involve a temporary reduction in the psychiatric ward’s inpatient capacity to 12 adult patients and 12 pediatric patients. The hospital will work with other behavioral health providers to help patients get care. As new specialists are hired, Sacred Heart will staff those beds again.

Sacred Heart is recruiting new psychiatrists and nurse practitioners, but a national shortage has hampered those efforts, hospital officials said.