January 2019 | St. Luke’s – Spokane Pharmacy Association

By: Anastasia Corolenco

Pharmacy Focus this quarter is on the St. Luke Rehabilitation Institute in Spokane.

St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute is considered one of the most technologically advanced and one of the largest rehab centers in the Inland Northwest. Each year more than 7,200 people throughout the state use St. Luke’s to recover after stroke, brain, and spinal cord injuries, as well as chronic pain and workplace or auto injuries. As the only Level 1 trauma rehabilitation hospital in the region, St. Luke’s provides a wide variety of services focused on pain management, occupational, speech and physical therapies, and also cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. It allows each patient to gain the strength, skills, function, and confidence needed to live their happiest, most fulfilling life.

Spokane Pharmacy Association student members and Chris Greer, Pharmacy Manager at St.Luke’s.

pharmacy student in front of a history display

History display of the Nursing School at St.Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute.

customer shopping a product display at the St. Luke's pharmacy

Simulation room provided by Walgreens that helps patient to go back to the life routine.

rehabilitation equipment room at St. Luke's

Physical therapy is used to improve a patient’s quality of life through strength and endurance exercises.

St. Luke’s organizes support groups onsite to assists patients with post-LSVT, dystonia, Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy, etc. on a regular basis. It’s an opportunity for patients, caregivers and family members to share their experiences and concerns, receive valuable advice, enjoy special speakers, and learn from others.

St. Luke’s also has several outpatient programs for patients in all stages of rehabilitation. Aquatic therapy helps speed up and improve the healing and recovery for patients weakened by pain, injuries, surgeries, and other conditions. Treatments take place in a climate-controlled, therapeutic-grade water temperatures and are supervised by St. Luke’s compassionate rehabilitation experts. St. Luke’s provides an assessment for “at-risk drivers.” Patients who need a reevaluation of their driving skills after head injuries, stroke, decline in vision or memory, decreased mobility, etc. St. Luke’s can help patients to restore function after on-the-job injuries and return to work safely and quickly. Onsite clinical psychologists work on teaching patients and their family members to overcome heartbreaking life experiences and traumas by improving communication, implementing pain management techniques or adjusting to lifestyle changes.

Team St. Luke’s are experts, who are committed to making a daily difference in the lives of the patients.