Klamath Falls, Ore. — This February, Dr. Grant W. Niskanen will retire after 30 years of practicing medicine, including two decades at Sky Lakes Medical Center, where he currently serves as Chief Quality Officer. Described by colleagues as curious, steady, generous, empathetic, and kind, Dr. Niskanen’s retirement marks the end of an era for Sky Lakes and the Klamath Basin community. His encyclopedic knowledge of medical literature, calm presence in the most complex clinical moments, and passion for building sustainable programs have shaped both patient care and physician education across the organization.
Dr. Niskanen’s path to medicine was anything but predictable. As a child, he underwent multiple surgeries to remove a malignant teratoma, leaving him fearful of hospitals for years. After being cleared to play sports at age 12, he threw himself into athletics, eventually competing at the Olympic level as a member of the U.S. national kayaking team from 1979 to 1986. It wasn’t until age 30, after being accepted to both law school and medical school, that he chose medicine—drawn in by what he describes as the “endlessly interesting” science of pathology.
A 1992 graduate with distinction from George Washington University School of Medicine, Dr. Niskanen completed his residency with the first graduating class of the OHSU Cascades East Family Medicine Residency. He embraced full-scope, relationship-based family medicine, spending his early career in northern New Hampshire practicing broad-spectrum care. In 2007, he was recruited to Sky Lakes by then-CEO Paul Stewart, who recognized both his intellect and his humility. “He is arguably the smartest person I have personally ever known,” Stewart said. “What I found unique is that he doesn’t have one of those big egos, and yet he’s incredibly intelligent and a team player.”
At Sky Lakes, Dr. Niskanen built programs that transformed care delivery. He established the hospitalist service to ensure consistent inpatient coverage, helped launch the Almond Clinic to expand access for patients without established providers, implemented the Advanced Practice Provider Orientation program, and championed telehealth innovations including tele-stroke, inpatient tele-dialysis, and tele-ICU capabilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he helped implement one of Oregon’s first drive-through testing systems, keeping the community ahead of rapidly changing science and guidance.
A lifelong teacher and mentor, Dr. Niskanen served as faculty for the Cascades East Family Medicine Residency and other academic programs, embedding evidence-based medicine into the culture of Sky Lakes. Colleagues credit him with setting a high standard of professionalism and clinical excellence. Known for reading leading medical journals daily and mentoring residents with rigor and compassion, he often said, “If you have to teach it, you have to understand it to another level.”
Dr. Niskanen and his wife, Wendy, plan to move to Mesquite, Nevada, where he will continue practicing medicine through locum work while enjoying time with family and pursuing his passions for golf, biking, and cross-country skiing. Reflecting on his career, he shared, “I hope my colleagues and patients remember that I really cared and that I tried to put the patient first.” As Stewart noted, Dr. Niskanen brought “an uncommon intelligence coupled with tireless dedication and a lifelong love of learning” to Sky Lakes — leaving the community stronger and the institution better than he found it.
For more information about Dr. Niskanen’s legacy use this link.
About Sky Lakes Medical Center:
Sky Lakes is a nonprofit health system serving Southern Oregon and northern California. With a commitment to patient-centered care, Sky Lakes delivers a comprehensive range of medical services through 38 clinical locations. The internationally accredited acute-care medical center is also a teaching hospital licensed for 176 beds. With a history of community investment, Sky Lakes promotes preventative care and wellness. Although an independent organization, Sky Lakes partners with OHSU, Cascades East Family Medicine Residency, Oregon Institute of Technology, Cascades Comprehensive Care and others to expand care and training opportunities in the region. With more than 1,700 employees, Sky Lakes is the area’s largest employer.