An upgrade to Gritman Medical Center’s Sterile Processing Department is now operational following an 18-month project to enhance services and upgrade surgical capacity.
The project began in September 2024 with construction of a new electrical room on the northeast side of Gritman’s main hospital campus in Moscow.
Completion of the electrical room allowed the hospital to power upgrades to sterile processing. This included relocation of the sterile processing department to the second floor of the hospital’s 1960s wing and purchase of more advanced equipment that helps the hospital increase surgical capacity.
“We were able to complete this project thanks to the hard work and foresight of our surgery, sterile processing and engineering teams, as well as contractor teams who worked for many months to make this upgrade a reality,” Gritman President and CEO Kara Besst said. “Thank you to those teams and thank you to everyone across the organization for adapting to changes caused by construction over the past year and a half.”
Gritman’s sterile processing team ensures that every piece of equipment – from a simple exam tool to the instruments used in a total hip replacement – is completely decontaminated, sanitized and sterilized. The new space went live on Monday, Feb. 9.
“This state-of-the art department is designed to support our surgical services well into the future, with updated technology, strengthened infection control standards, and improved processes that enhance efficiency and safety. The new space also supports our continued growth and helps meet expanding operational needs,” Surgery Director Angie Thomas said. “This milestone represents a significant step forward for our organization and our commitment to delivering safe, high-quality surgical care.”
The expansion of Gritman’s sterile processing space is one phase of a broader surgical upgrade with the goal of improving patient care services and expanding access to meet the needs of a growing Palouse community.
It follows previous advancements, including the purchase of Velys and da Vinci surgical robots in 2022 and 2023, respectively, alongside surgical provider recruitment in general surgery, gastroenterology and orthopedics. Nearly 3,000 surgeries were performed at Gritman in 2024.
The sterile processing renovation happened in tandem with an ownership change at the Palouse Surgery Center on A Street in Moscow. Gritman, which had owned 60 percent of the ambulatory surgery center, purchased the remaining 40 percent ownership stake in 2025 from the physician owners. This transaction allows the hospital to better utilize the Palouse Surgery Center space to meet patient demand and more evenly schedule surgeons across the Gritman System.
“Together, these projects are ensuring more Palouse patients can get the most state-of-the-art surgical care in our region,” Besst said. “We are excited about the ability to better support the community through these upgrades.”
Funding for these projects comes from Gritman’s operating revenue and tax-exempt revenue bonds. As a private, nonprofit community hospital, Gritman does not rely on local tax dollars.
More photos of the project are available at facebook.com/GritmanMedicalCenter.
