Providence Medical Research Center

Providence Medical Research Center conducts clinical studies across a range of areas, including endocrinology, infectious diseases, pulmonology, substance abuse and more.

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center was designated one of the 10 regional special pathogens treatment centers in the nation by the U.S. Department Health & Human Services (HHS) in 2015. Our facility was one of the first US locations asked to care for and treat COVID-19 patients in our Special Pathogens Unit.

Other areas of research include:

• Cystic fibrosis (CF)
• Sign up for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Patient Registry
• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and ulcerative colitis
• Infectious disease, including COVID-19
• Interventional radiology
• Pulmonology, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Orthopedics
• Rheumatology
• Substance abuse

The Providence Gynecologic Oncology Center at Sacred Heart Medical Center is the only facility serving patients between Central Washington and Western Montana that’s dedicated to gynecologic cancers. Our researchers study the detection, management and treatment of cancers affecting female reproductive organs.

Cardiology research involves many aspects of the heart and vascular system, including structural abnormalities, diseases of the heart and vascular system and implantable devices that help the heart function. Some of the clinical studies that Providence conducts focus on:

• Abnormal heart rhythms, called arrhythmias
• Congenital heart disease
• Coronary artery disease, including heart attack
• Heart failure
• Heart muscle disease, called cardiomyopathy
• Heart valve disease
• Pericardial disease

Vascular studies use high-frequency sound waves, also called ultrasound, to measure the amount of blood flow in your blood vessels. Our vascular studies have focused on the following conditions:

• Aneurysms
• Atherosclerosis
• Peripheral arterial disease
• Pulmonary embolism
• Stroke

Nephrology is the subspecialty of internal medicine that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the kidney. Because the kidney performs so many critical functions, nephrologists maintain expertise in primary kidney disorders, but also the management of the systemic consequences of kidney disfunction.

• Chronic kidney disease (CKD) – Providence collaborates with UCLA on advancing CKD research and long-term outcome discoveries through one of the nation’s largest patient registries.
• Diabetic kidney disease – Our research studies look at how kidney function is affected by diabetes and how innovative approaches may slow disease progression and better protect kidney health. Learn more about diabetic kidney disease.
• Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) – Providence studies aim to improve our understanding of FSGS, a rare kidney disorder, and identify more effective treatment options for patients.
• IgA nephropathy – Providence researchers study IgA nephropathy, also called Berger’s disease, with a focus on improving detection, management and treatment. Learn more about IgA nephropathy.
• Kidney transplant – Our kidney transplant research study efforts explore improving outcomes before and after transplant surgery to support a patient’s long-term health.

Research in the field of neurology studies a variety of disorders and aspects of the nervous system, including:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) – The Providence Multiple Sclerosis Clinic participates in patient registries and new drug trials to improve health outcomes and quality of life for MS patients.
• Neuromuscular diseases – Providence conducts research on a range of neuromuscular diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Charcot-Marie-Tooth and muscular dystrophy. Our research team studies investigational drug trials registries following patient outcomes.
• Neurosurgery – Our neurosurgery research includes new device trials and registry studies following patient outcomes after spinal surgery.
• Parkinson’s disease – Providence research includes studies on new surgical treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
• Stroke – Providence conducts studies in Spokane that include patient registries and genetic research regarding strokes.

We’re proud of the research programs conducted at Providence St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Medical Center.

We’re part of the National Cancer Institute’s Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a nationwide collaborative group focused on eradicating childhood cancers.

Currently, Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital participates in more than 70 studies in the COG network, offering treatment for a wide variety of children’s cancers. New studies are constantly underway to provide children and adolescents at Inland Northwest access to new cancer therapies.