The Post Falls City Council approved final site plans Tuesday for the Prairie Hills Medical Campus, a joint venture between Kootenai Health and MultiCare that broke ground this week on a 30-acre site along Highway 41 and Prairie Avenue. The project represents the largest healthcare infrastructure investment in Post Falls history and responds to population growth that has strained existing medical facilities throughout northern Kootenai County.
The campus will be developed in phases over the next five years, with the first phase including a 60,000-square-foot medical office building, an urgent care center, an imaging and diagnostic center, and a pharmacy. Later phases will add a freestanding emergency department, surgical suites, and additional specialty clinics. At full buildout, the campus is expected to employ over 400 healthcare workers and serve an estimated 150,000 patient visits annually.
Why Post Falls Needs Its Own Medical Campus
Post Falls is one of the fastest-growing cities in Idaho, with its population nearly doubling from approximately 28,000 in 2015 to over 50,000 today. Despite that growth, the city has lacked a comprehensive medical facility, forcing most residents to travel to Coeur d’Alene or Spokane for anything beyond basic primary care. The Prairie Hills campus will bring specialty services including orthopedics, cardiology, women’s health, and pediatrics directly to the Post Falls community.
“Families in Post Falls shouldn’t have to drive 20 minutes to Coeur d’Alene or 40 minutes to Spokane for basic medical care,” said Kootenai Health CEO Jon Ness at the groundbreaking ceremony. “This campus puts world-class healthcare right in the heart of our fastest-growing community, and it’s designed to scale as Post Falls continues to grow.”
MultiCare Health System, which is headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, and operates hospitals and clinics throughout the Pacific Northwest, will manage the urgent care and primary care components of the campus. The partnership leverages Kootenai Health’s deep North Idaho roots with MultiCare’s operational scale and specialty expertise.
Economic Impact on Post Falls and Kootenai County
The construction phase will generate an estimated 600 jobs over the multi-year buildout period. Once fully operational, the campus is projected to add over 400 permanent positions with average salaries significantly above the Kootenai County median. The Post Falls Chamber of Commerce estimates the campus will generate approximately $3.5 million in annual property tax revenue and drive substantial secondary economic activity through employee spending and patient traffic to nearby businesses.
Mayor Ron Jacobson called the project “a transformative investment in Post Falls’ future” and noted that the city has been working with Idaho Transportation Department on road improvements along Highway 41 to accommodate the increased traffic the campus will generate. A new traffic signal at the campus entrance and dedicated turn lanes are included in the project’s infrastructure plan.
What Comes Next
The first phase of construction is expected to take approximately 18 months, with the medical office building and urgent care center opening in late 2027. Kootenai Health will begin recruiting physicians and staff for the Post Falls campus in early 2027. Residents can follow project updates on the Kootenai Health website at kootenaihealth.org. Community members interested in career opportunities at the new campus can sign up for job alerts through both Kootenai Health and MultiCare’s career portals.