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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

MultiCare Pulse Heart Institute executive Wade Hunt named new president of Deaconess and Valley Hospitals

MultiCare Pulse Heart Institute executive Wade Hunt named new president of Deaconess and Valley Hospitals  (Provided by MultiCare)

A longtime health care official in Spokane is taking the top job leading MultiCare Deaconess and Valley hospitals.

“We’re committed to the community. We’re going to be here. We want to be here. Our people live here. They access care here and they want to provide great care,” new Deaconess and Valley President Wade Hunt said in an interview on Wednesday shortly after his hiring was announced.

Deaconess Hospital serves Spokane with nearly 400 beds, while its Spokane Valley counterpart has 123 beds.

He assumes the role on Feb. 10 and replaces former President Greg Repetti, who retired late last year. Wade has been an executive at MultiCare since 2017. He most recently was president of Spokane’s Pulse Heart Institute and before that was Deaconess Hospital’s chief operating officer.

As president, Hunt is responsible for performance at Deaconess and Valley hospitals. He hopes to grow the hospitals in Spokane while maintaining their fiscal sustainability.

“As the president I’m in charge of all operational, strategic and quality across our organization,” he said. “I see my role as breaking down barriers on a day-to-day basis to ensure that our teams have the right tools and support they need to do their jobs.”

Just like many hospitals in Spokane and across Washington, Deaconess and Valley Hospitals are losing money. According to state filings, the two hospitals lost $38 million and $4.5 million respectively.

Hunt said that while MultiCare was not immune to these financial challenges, current projections show the Spokane-based hospitals are “on a great glide path to break even” by the end of 2025.

“This requires a multifaceted approach. That means recruiting and retaining staff, attracting staff who are excited to deliver care. And I think the other thing is just making sure we still deliver on our commitments to the community,” he said.

An area of expansion Hunt hopes to continue is in-patient behavioral health services at the hospitals.

“When people present themselves to our emergency department of elsewhere, it may not just be a behavioral health need. They also have health care needs to be addressed as well. So an inpatient unit allows us to have the right services both physically and mentally,” he said.

Hunt reports to Alex Jackson, senior executive for MultiCare’s Inland Northwest region.

“After a thorough interview process, I’m confident in Wade’s ability to collaborate with staff, leaders and physicians across both hospitals and lead our team to continued success,” Jackson said in a statement. “He is an experienced leader with a performance-focused mindset and a values-inspired approach.”

Hunt previously served as the chief operating officer and interim chief executive officer for PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Utah, as well as a master’s degree in health administration from Saint Louis University.