Community Impact: Care Closer to Home

When WSU Health Logan Family Clinic was previewed in last year’s Impact Report, it was still a developing idea: a clinic bringing care closer to students, families and residents in Spokane’s Logan neighborhood. In March 2026, that idea became a place of care.

Located inside Logan Elementary School, WSU Health Logan Family Clinic is operated by WSU Health, the university’s academic health network, in partnership with Spokane Public Schools. The clinic provides a new access point for primary care in a familiar setting, helping reduce barriers such as transportation, work schedules, and time away from school.

Lisa Madden, a WSU Health provider and nurse practitioner at WSU Health Logan Family Clinic who earned her Master’s degree from the WSU College of Nursing in 2012, said the clinic was created to improve access to primary care for students, families and residents in the surrounding neighborhood.

People feel comfortable with schools. This clinic is really right in the middle of a neighborhood. I think it’s a very convenient location and also a safe-feeling place for people to come and seek care.

Lisa Madden, WSU Health Logan Family Clinic

The clinic has focused on providing care while introducing itself to the community. Providers have seen patients for sick and well-child visits, preventive care, vaccines, women’s health, chronic conditions, and testing for common illnesses.

“These first few months really are about letting people know that we’re here, introducing ourselves in the community, trying to build trust,” Madden said.

The clinic is building visibility while seeing patients with significant health needs. “We have seen a high rate of medically complex patients. I see this as an indicator of why our presence in the community is critical. Individuals need health care, but due to a variety of barriers, they have not been able to access it. WSU Health wants to be a part of the solution.”

Melissa Bocardo, WSU Health practice manager.

Madden said that access helps families address needs before they become more serious. One recent patient had not been seen for years.

“Being able to come here and have an appointment right away was amazing,” Madden said.

Leah Powell, a WSU Health provider and faculty member with the WSU College of Nursing who earned her BSN from the college in 2005, said the clinic is also creating access for patients covered by Medicaid.

“We’re a clinic that has opened with appointment availability for Medicaid patients,” Powell said. By opening Logan, we now have spaces to take those patients in.”

The clinic also reflects the mission of WSU Health, which connects clinical care, education, and community partnership. That mission is supported by WSU’s health sciences colleges and faculty, including the WSU College of Nursing, and the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. 

For the College of Nursing, that means helping future nurses learn where health care is shaped by community needs, social drivers of health, and accessible primary care. 

As WSU Health looks ahead, leaders are exploring behavioral health and possible telebehavioral health options. Bocardo said WSU Health also expects clinic trafc to grow during the 2026–27 school year as the clinic partners with the school to promote vaccines, sports physicals and general primary care. 

Over the next year, I would love to see lots of growth and to help more families with chronic diseases and preventative care.

Lisa Madden, WSU Health Logan Family Clinic

Interested in making an appointment? 509-505-7481