During a hospital tour in the mid-80's the Communications manager inadvertently showed me the commissioner's concealed public chambers. She was immediately fired. Suspicious, I began reporting on their meetings (photography and videotaping is forbidden.) A few Public Record Requests were filed.
One Public Record Request shockingly revealed an executive/pediatrician's salary of $600,000 and other misfeasance (1988.) It's unknown how long he was paid to participate in hospital governance. CEO Brown, a likeable fellow abruptly resigned, saying goodbye to all employees by email and flew off to Pennsylvania.
With that, the commissioners then hired Bob Malte from Colorado Springs as CEO. Bob is genuine and a real pro. Mr. Malte reshuffled personnel and re-branded Evergreen to "EvergreenHealth." The hospital began winning regional and national awards under Malte's helm.
It's well known, one in five Americans have a mental health condition in a given year; and only half are treated. Under the Malte Administration, EvergreenHealth developed a new mental health service but the booming EvergreenHealth community still doesn't provide significant behavioral health urgent care treatment. (Their Emergency Department physicians treat patients with anti-psychotics and other drugs.)With Malte's departure, Jeff Tomlin, MD took over as CEO. He practiced anesthesia for years at EvergreenHealth and was a military officer. CEO Tomlin took a national leadership role when the pandemic struck in 2020. He steered EvergreenHealth through some pretty rough waters; we are ever so grateful.
Sadly, the thrust for an "Outpatient Urgent Care Behavioral Health Clinic" lost momentum. Evergreen took Mental Health off the 10-year facilities plan, despite the explosive incidence of mental health conditions uncovered by COVID.
Ettore Palazzo, MD is the current CEO and very active in the community. Dr. Palazzo has lived in Washington all his life and attended University of Washington medical school. He's a very personable, influencial executive. He started off at Evergreen as a hospitalist. In 2024 he was keynote speaker at the "Leadership Eastside" annual luncheon, spoke at Rotary meetings and other community functions. The Hospital has already won significant awards since he became CEO in 2023. The Board and Ettore are now proposing a levy lid-lift to increase hospital beds and introduce out-patient mental health services.
-- Bob Yoder, Opinion 4/19/2025
2 comments:
It’s just irresponsible for a hospital of this size serving the east side which surely lacks enough mental health inpatient facilities, to take it off of the 10 year plan. I will not vote in favor of the levy as a result. It is poor planning IMHO. Overlake is the only tertiary care hospital on the east side that offers inpatient mental health. And they are maxed out, frequently only handling the worst of the worst cases. It’s time the side has more resources for people who just struggle and need inpatient care. I have personal knowledge of trying to get a family member care and it is a horribly difficult experience. Evergreen is burying their head in the sand because they don’t want to offer it. Frankly they can’t have a, “world class cancer center,” as they like to call it, without an on staff psychiatrist to treat cancer patients. They are using illusions and mirrors, and it’s soon going to come crumbling down around them if they don’t do the right thing.
Dear Anonymous - I have been following EvergreenHealth for years on the mental health treatment issues -- speaking at many of the Commissioners' meetings urging treatment services. I've walked in the NAMI parade with three Redmond councilmembers encouraging plans for an outpatient clinic and advertising their community support. BTW, they treat at least one disruptive, psychotic patient/day in their Emergency Department. And, they remodeled the Department with 6-soundproof Harbor Rooms to treat these patients untill stablized and released to their families and the community.
There has been some very good news you haven't heard about --CONNECTIONS in Kirkland -- a crisis center for behavioral health treatment. They have 32 beds, 24 observation chairs, psychiatrists, and case managers. EvergreenHealth is partnering with them to treat these patients!
Finally, EvergreenHealth is proposing a levy lid-lift in the August 5th, 2025 election. Some of the proceeds will fund telehealth and in-person mental health treatment in their 7 urgent care clinics! They even hired a Behavioral Health Director to run the program.
Unlike Overlake Medical Center, EvergreenHealth is a community-owned hosptital. I hope this update helps you and you will vote for the levy. It doesn't cost much for what you get.
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