KELLOGG — A new partnership between Shoshone Medical Center and Kootenai Imaging is expected to bring faster, higher-quality diagnostic imaging services to patients across the Silver Valley. 

On Wednesday, Shoshone Medical Center CEO Shane Sanborn announced the Kellogg-based hospital will partner with Kootenai Imaging to enhance radiology services for local patients, a move officials say will improve both efficiency and the quality of imaging interpretations. 

Sanborn said the collaboration combines the imaging services at SMC with the expertise of Kootenai Imaging's radiology staff, creating quicker turnaround times for diagnostic results, helping providers make timely decisions and patients receive care sooner. 

“Our goal is simple: to provide our patients with the highest quality care possible, right here in the Silver Valley,” Sanborn said. "Partnering with Kootenai Imaging allows us to enhance the quality and reliability of our imaging interpretations while improving the speed at which our providers receive those results. This allows our physicians to make informed decisions more quickly and helps our patients receive the care they need without unnecessary delays.” 

According to Sanborn, Kootenai Imaging, a joint venture with Kootenai Health, offers some of the fastest turnaround times for diagnostic imaging results in the region. Those efficiencies can be especially critical in emergency and acute care settings, where physicians often rely on imaging results to make rapid treatment decisions. 

The partnership also reflects Shoshone Medical Center's continued efforts to expand and strengthen health care services in the rural community. 

Scott Venera, a practice administrator at Kootenai Imaging, said the organization is eager to support those efforts and contribute to patient care in the Silver Valley. 

“We are excited to become part of the Shoshone Medical Center team and look forward to helping the community by providing quality medical imaging in a timely manner,” Venera said. 

The imaging agreement marks another step in a series of recent developments for the hospital. Shoshone Medical Center recently announced expanded behavioral health and substance abuse treatment services, along with growth in wound care, cardiac rehabilitation, pulmonary rehabilitation and endoscopy services. 

For Sanborn, the partnership represents more than a business arrangement. It is part of a broader vision to ensure residents can access high-quality care close to home. 

“This partnership is another step toward our vision of providing valley-wide healthcare that assures quality services," Sanborn said. "We are excited about what this means for our patients, our providers, and the Silver Valley.”