Sacred Heart psychiatrists agree to stay on

Five of the seven psychiatrists on staff at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center have agreed to continue their employment at the hospital, officials announced today. All of the psychiatrists had submitted letters of resignation, effective in mid-August. But as a result of changes in the model of care and workload, five psychiatrists agreed to stay and several others have expressed interest in working at Sacred Heart, hospital officials said. The hospital currently 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 psych 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, officials said. As more specialists are hired, those beds will be staffed again. Meanwhile, Sacred Heart is continuing to recruit new psychiatrists and nurse practitioners, but a national shortage has hampered those efforts, hospital officials said.