Expanded services, new landlord at NW Specialty Hospital

Northwest Specialty Hospital is making plans to expand patient care in Kootenai County with the support of its new landlord, Hammes Partners.

Already, Northwest Specialty Hospital and Hammes Partners are working together to identify improvements to the hospital’s buildings that will expand patient care and give community members more healthcare choices close to home. Hammes Partners has committed to making $20 million worth of improvements to Northwest Specialty Hospitals campus over the coming years.

“We are excited to have a new landlord who wants to support our vision for the future,” said Rick Rassmusen, CEO of Northwest Specialty Hospital. “We are proud to be a locally operated, physician-owned hospital. Hammes Partners understands the value of our model of care, and they want to make strategic investments in our buildings so we can continue to meet the needs of our growing community.”

Northwest Specialty Hospital is working with Hammes Partners to identify how to add a new interventional radiology suite and build 200 additional parking spots in early 2023.

Hammes Partners, a national healthcare real estate investment firm, purchased the buildings occupied by Northwest Specialty Hospital from a group of local doctors, some of whom helped found the hospital. Some of the original owners decided to maintain their ownership in the hospital’s buildings by rolling their ownership interest into the new deal with Hammes Partners.

“When we first started Northwest Specialty Hospital In 2002, we all hoped it would grow into the healthcare system it is today,” said Dr. Roger Dunteman, a founding physician of Northwest Specialty Hospital and original owner of the building. “We wanted to provide high quality healthcare and give patients choices. As the population in North Idaho continues to grow, we wanted Northwest Specialty Hospital to be able to expand to meet the increasing demands of our community. Partnering with Hammes allows us to meet those needs."

Hammes Partners' involvement in Northwest Specialty Hospital is solely a real estate transaction. Northwest Specialty Hospital continues to be physician-owned and operated by the same leadership team that has been a part of the community for decades.