Spokane, Wash.-based Shriners Children's has opened a pediatric orthopedic outreach clinic in Yakima, Wash., according to a Feb. 17 report from YakTriNews.
On the third Friday of every month, Shriners will fly a medical team to Yakima to treat children with pediatric orthopedic injuries and conditions at New Life Clinic.
The goal is to provide orthopedic access for families who typically drive an average of three and a half hours to see a medical provider, according to the report.
Shriners opened a second pediatric orthopedic clinic in Richland, Wash., years ago, and demand for appointments has remained high, according to the report.
Appointments have an average waiting time of six months to one year.
"The backlog of kids we're seeing, they're already kind of off the chart," Shriners administrator Peter Brewer told YakTriNews.