Trusting Care Close to Home: Keith Goehner’s Story

For Keith Goehner, what began as an ordinary Saturday morning became a reminder of how quickly life can change, and how much it matters to have skilled, responsive care close to home. As a lifelong Wenatchee Valley resident, Washington State Senator for the 12th Legislative District, and Confluence Health Foundation Trustee, Keith has long believed in the importance of strong local healthcare. But that morning, quality local healthcare was no longer just part of his vision for a thriving region. It was the care he needed most.

In April, Keith was getting ready for a familiar Saturday routine: heading to the gym to play basketball. As the morning unfolded, he noticed something wasn’t right. He had lost part of his peripheral vision in his right eye. His vision returned soon after, but he decided to go to Confluence Health, just to be on the safe side.

Nick Belanger, the Direct Care nurse practitioner who saw Keith first, was attentive and thorough. Keith’s vision changes raised concern, so Nick ordered scans. The results made it clear that this was serious. Keith needed to go to the hospital.

At first, Keith was not alarmed. As he waited for a bed, he had no other obvious symptoms and did not feel particularly concerned. Then, once he was shown into his room at Confluence Health Hospital Central Campus, everything changed. The room began to spin. He became nauseated. A clot had interrupted blood flow to part of his brain, causing a stroke. Because his care team had taken his symptoms seriously from the beginning, Keith was already where he needed to be when he urgently required care.

Keith spent about eight days at Confluence Health while his care team monitored him closely. One clot, located near his brainstem, was especially concerning because of its location and limited backup blood supply. His physician explained that, because of the clot’s location, one option was to coordinate early with Harborview Medical Center so they were prepared if the situation changed and later a different step became necessary.

In consultation with his physicians and his wife, Lisa, Keith agreed and chose to transfer to Harborview before the situation became more urgent. Looking back, it was then that Keith realized the seriousness of the moment.

“You hear about people getting airlifted to Harborview and you think, ‘It must be bad,’” he said. “I was that guy.” Even in the middle of uncertainty, Keith said he felt confident in the care he was receiving. He spoke highly of the physicians and nurses who cared for him, including Dr. Jennifer Wax, a neurologist, and Dr. Rocky Behniwal, a hospitalist. He emphasized the professionalism, skill, and compassion he experienced throughout his hospitalization.

“The care at Confluence was superb,” Keith said. “We always talk about quality care close to home, and this really reinforced that.”

That confidence extended beyond the walls of Confluence Health. Keith’s physician stayed in communication with Harborview, helping make the transfer smooth and coordinated. Keith said he never felt as though he and his family were on their own. His care team helped map out the next steps, and the transition felt seamless.

When asked why he chose Confluence Health, Keith’s answer was simple: trust. “I have the utmost confidence in the physicians at Confluence Health,” he said. “I had no doubt I’d get quality care.”

Despite the uncertainty and stress of those moments, Keith said he found peace. “I felt complete peace about what was happening,” he said. “We just had to trust the doctors and trust God.”

Keith’s experience also underscored an important lesson he hopes others will remember: timing matters. When something feels wrong, it is important not to ignore symptoms or wait and hope they pass. Getting to a caregiver quickly, especially one close by, can make all the difference.

For Keith, being close to excellent care and having confidence in the physicians treating him mattered deeply, not only as a patient, but as someone who has long believed in the importance of strong local healthcare. His story is a reminder that quality care close to home is not an abstract idea. It is the care that is there when a Saturday morning takes an unexpected turn. It is the expertise that recognizes warning signs, the judgment that errs on the side of caution, the coordination that connects patients to the right next step, and the trust that helps families face frightening moments with steadiness and hope.