Advanced Heart Disease & Transplant
For more than 30 years, people have trusted Providence Heart Institute of Spokane to provide extensive care for the most critical heart patients – those who suffer from end-stage heart disease. In 1986, we led the way by performing the first heart transplant. Today, we’re a heart destination for patients across Washington, northeast Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
Our Approach to Advanced Heart Failure
For patients with advanced heart failure, standard medical treatments and lifestyle changes may not be enough to prevent severe symptoms or worsening of overall health. That’s why at Providence Heart Institute of Spokane, our experienced team offers the latest innovations, techniques and research trials to support our patients. We provide leading heart therapies, such as ventricular-assisted devices (VADs) and mechanical hearts As a community-based program, we work closely with referring doctors, including your local cardiology and primary care team, to bring you personalized care in the comfort of your own community. You can feel confident knowing our team has an in-depth understanding of heart disease, its complexities and the various stages of care.
Our Services, Conditions and Treatments
Services
- Heart Surgery
- Heart & Vascular Care
Conditions
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Congestive Heart Failure
Treatments
- Artificial Hearts
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
- Heart Transplant
- Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Implantation
Insurances Accepted
- Aetna
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO/PPO
- Aetna PPO
- Asuris Northwest Health Medicare Advantage PPO
- Asuris Northwest Health PPO
- Asuris Northwest Health TRIWEST
- Blue Cross Of Idaho Health Service Medicaid
- Blue Cross Of Idaho Health Service Medicare Advantage
- Blue Cross Of Idaho Health Service PPO
- Cigna Medicare Advantage HMO/PPO
- Cigna PPO
- Coordinated Care Medicaid
- Evernorth PPO
- Ferry County Jail
- First Choice PPO
- First Health-Coventry PPO
- HealthSmart (Interplan) PPO
- Humana
- Humana HMO
- Humana PPO
- Interwest Health PPO
- Kaiser
- Kaiser Medicare Advantage
- Molina Medicaid
- Molina Medicare Advantage
- Naphcare
- Pacific Medical Center TRICARE
- Pacific Source Health Medicare Advantage-HMO
- Pacific Source Health PPO
- Premera
- Premera, Medicare Advantage
- Providence Health Plan
- Providence Health Plan Medicare Advantage-HMO
- Regence Blue Shield Of Idaho Medicare Advantage PPO
- Regence Blue Shield Of Idaho PPO
- Regence BlueShield Of Washington Medicare Advantage HMO/PPO
- Regence BlueShield Of Washington PPO
- State Of Washington Department Of Corrections
- Stevens County Sheriff'S Office
- TriWest - Tricare
- United Behavioral Health Medicaid* * Medicaid product only for Idaho
- United Behavioral Health Medicare Advantage
- United Behavioral Health PPO
- United Healthcare
- United Healthcare Medicaid,
- United Healthcare, Medicare Advantage
- Wellcare Medicare Advantage-HMO
- Wellpoint Medicaid
- Wellpoint Medicare Advantage
Meet the Team
Testing & Diagnostics
Our specialists in heart failure medicine use advanced testing and diagnostic tools to diagnose and monitor your heart condition. By taking a closer look at your heart and how it functions, we can make more accurate diagnoses for better treatment outcomes.
Blood tests give doctors more information about your health, including your risk for common conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Based on your needs, your doctor orders tests that analyze different components in your blood, such as:
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good cholesterol”
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad cholesterol”
- Total cholesterol
- Triglycerides
During a blood test, the phlebotomist inserts a needle into your vein – usually near the inside elbow. They draw blood, which usually takes about a minute, and send the samples to the lab for analysis. Your doctor discusses the results with you and determines how it might impact your treatment and care.
Cardiac enzymes, also called cardiac biomarkers, are proteins that increase in the blood when your heart doesn’t receive enough oxygen. Your doctor may use an enzyme marker blood test to check for heart damage or other heart issues. High levels of cardiac enzymes can indicate stress on the heart or even a heart attack.
A cardiac MRI is a noninvasive way for your care team to obtain detailed images of your heart using MRI technology to help them make a diagnosis. It can show problems with heart structure, abnormal blood flow or tissue damage.
Exercise and pharmacologic stress testing are two ways cardiologists look at how the heart pumps under stress. Both can help diagnose heart conditions, such as coronary artery disease, or predict the likelihood of a heart attack or other serious heart problems.
- Exercise stress testing involves wearing electrodes on your chest while you walk or jog on a treadmill or pedal a stationary bike under medical supervision.
- Pharmacologic stress testing is sometimes an option for people who can’t exercise. You receive medication that dilates your heart’s blood vessels to mimic exercise, so your doctor can compare how your heart functions when stressed and at rest.
Diagnostic procedures, like echocardiograms, allow our doctors to more accurately diagnose and better treat cardiovascular conditions.
Echocardiography uses ultrasound technology to produce detailed images of the heart’s valves and chambers. Through a monitor, your doctor can evaluate how the heart is pumping blood in real time.
An ECG/EKG is a test that uses electrodes to record electrical signals from your heart. The electrical signals detect your heart rate and rhythm and help your doctor accurately evaluate the heart’s function.
A heart biopsy, or endomyocardial biopsy, is a diagnostic procedure in which your doctor removes a small sample of tissue from your heart and sends it to a lab for analysis. You may need a heart biopsy if you’ve had a heart transplant or if your doctor suspects you have chronic heart disease, heart failure, heart cancer or a heart infection.
Advanced Heart Failure Treatments
We offer a wide range of treatment options to our patients, including advanced therapies and procedures. Because no two patients are the same, your care team works with you to design the most effective treatment plan based on your specific heart condition and personal needs.
A total artificial heart (TAH) or mechanical heart is a device that takes over the heart’s lower chambers, pumping blood to the rest of the body. Though a rare, complex procedure, installing a mechanical heart can temporarily restore healthy blood circulation, usually in people waiting for a heart transplant.
A ventricular assist device (VAD) is a mechanical heart pump that’s surgically placed in the body to help a weak heart pump blood. Your doctor may recommend a VAD if you have advanced heart failure and are waiting for a heart transplant or need ongoing help with blood circulation.
There are a few types of VADs, along with smaller devices for pediatric patients:
- Left ventricular assist device (LVAD): Helps the left side of the heart pump blood to the rest of the body
- Right ventricular assist device (RVAD): Helps the right side of the heart pump blood to the lungs
- Biventricular assist device: Helps both sides of the heart
For patients with end-stage heart disease, a heart transplant may be an option when other treatments are no longer enough. Our experienced transplant team provides comprehensive care before, during and after surgery, including evaluation, donor matching, surgical care, recovery support and long-term follow-up to help you manage life with your new heart.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a temporary life-support therapy that takes over the function of the heart and lungs. After pumping blood from the body, ECMO removes carbon dioxide from the blood, adds oxygen and then returns the blood to the patient. This system allows your heart and lungs to rest and heal, which can support you during a treatment, heart transplant or after a procedure.
We often use ECMO in critical cases of severe cardiac or respiratory failure or for post-surgery recovery as a life-saving intervention when conventional treatments aren’t effective.
Patient Resources & Support
Awards and Recognition
U.S. News & World Report - High Performing Hospital in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair (2025-26)
U.S. News & World Report - High Performing Hospital in Aortic Valve Surgery (2025-26)
U.S. News & World Report - High Performing Hospital in Heart Attack (2025-26)
Advanced Heart Disease & Transplant
62 W 7th Ave, Ste 300, Spokane, Washington 99204
Map & Directions
Frequently Asked Questions
Before a heart transplant, your care team will complete a full evaluation, including a physical exam, medical history review and diagnostic testing. You’ll also have time to discuss financial, social and emotional support needs.
If you’re approved for transplant, we’ll look for a donor heart that matches your blood type and body size. You may need a mechanical heart or support device while you wait.
During surgery, your care team removes your heart and replaces it with the donor heart. The procedure usually takes 5 to 6 hours.
After surgery, you’ll recover in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) before moving to a hospital room for continued recovery.
Your transplant team includes specialists who work together to support your care before, during and after surgery, including:
- Heart failure cardiologists
- Heart transplant surgeons
- Mechanical heart engineers
- Research nurses
- Surgical assistants
- Transplant coordinators
Additional support may come from pulmonologists, social workers, dietitians, financial counselors and data coordinators.
Recovery is different for everyone. Your care team will explain how to monitor your health, follow a heart-healthy lifestyle and take anti-rejection medicine after transplant. Possible complications after a heart transplant can include:
- Coronary artery disease
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Infection
- Organ rejection
Your care team will explain which symptoms to watch for and when to call for help.