Our History

Inland Northwest Spine has provided high quality and dependable spine care to patients of the region for nearly 3 decades. Beginning in 1994, Dr. Bret Dirks started this practice with a goal to form trusting relationships with his patients, and to offer experience and the most innovative options to help anyone who walks through our doors. Through his career, he performed over 10,000 surgical procedures, and did so while always remaining right here in North Idaho. Being raised in Moscow, ID, Dr. Dirks wanted to maintain that connection with his home town. He has done this by forming clinics in Moscow and St. Maries, ID, where he saw patients in the comfort of their home town on a regular basis. In 2022, Dr. Dirks officially retired from practicing medicine, but not before entrusting his practice and patient care to someone who he himself helped guide into the medical field from a young age; Dr. Doug Blaty.

In 2019, Dr. Doug Blaty was welcomed to the team as a board certified orthopedic spine surgeon. Dr. Blaty is a North Idaho native as well, having graduated from Lake City High School as a Valedictorian. With his specialized training and interest in minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS) techniques, he brings a unique background to Inland Northwest Spine, and to that of the region. Interestingly, Dr. Blaty was actually a patient of Dr. Dirks 20 years prior, after suffering a back injury while mountain biking. Dr. Blaty even accompanied Dr. Dirks on a medical mission to Honduras in 2007; several years prior to attending medical school. This medical mission trip led to several conversations about medical school and spine surgery, and at that point Dr. Blaty was convinced he wanted to become a spine surgeon and return to North Idaho to provide quality care to the people of this region. Yet, nobody knew that this would kindle a relationship that two decades later would result in the partnership of two spine surgeons.

Though Dr. Dirks retired in 2022, the team at Inland Northwest Spine and Dr. Blaty continue this exceptional service to all patients. Inland Northwest Spine offers a breadth of options for patients. In addition to satellite clinics in Moscow and St. Maries, ID, we now have satellite clinics in Sandpoint and Kellogg, ID as well. With these additional clinic sites, our hope is to provide accessible and convenient care to patients even outside the Coeur d’Alene area.