Flu season starts slowly; shots, mist still available
Reports of influenza remain scattered, but health officials in Eastern Washington and North Idaho said there’s still time to ward off the worst of the flu season.
About 500 doses of flu vaccine are available through the Spokane Regional Health District, and another 600 doses remain at regional offices of the Panhandle Health District, officials said. Another 100 doses of FluMist also are available in Spokane for children and teens.
Only a few confirmed cases of influenza – two in Spokane, six in Idaho – have been reported by sentinel doctors in the region. No complete count of influenza cases is kept because illness is so common.
Influenza season peaks in January and February. Flu shots and FluMist are available in Spokane to walk-in clients. Those interested should call the Spokane Regional Health District Flu Hotline before they come, however. Call (509) 324-1643.
For information about flu shots in North Idaho, call the Panhandle Health District at (208) 415-5100.
Heart expert Piscatella to speak at KMC
Joe Piscatella, author of 10 books, including “Take a Load Off Your Heart” and “The Road to a Healthy Heart Runs Through the Kitchen,” will speak at Kootenai Medical Center on Feb. 15. Registration is required for the event.
Piscatella will offer two presentations in KMC’s Fox Auditorium at 2003 Lincoln Way, Coeur d’Alene. At 4:30 p.m., he’ll discuss “Effective Stress Reduction.” At 6:30 p.m., he’ll present “Live Health in a Double Burger Dot.Com World.”
To register, call KMC’s educational services department at (208) 666-2030.
Acute care hospital admits 100th patient
Less than a year after its opening, the Northern Idaho Advanced Care Hospital in Post Falls has admitted its 100th patient for long-term care of acute illness.
The hospital was credentialed by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations – JCAHO – in October, and received Medicare and Medicaid approval soon after.
Unlike nursing homes and skilled nursing centers, the long-term acute care hospital moves patients from a traditional hospital setting to provide stabilization, advance medical care and rehabilitation.
The Northern Idaho Advanced Care Hospital is part of a network of similar hospitals in the western states operated by Earnest Health Inc.