KIRKLAND, Wash. –EvergreenHealth has been named among America's 50 Best Hospitals™ by Healthgrades for 2024. This is the fourth straight year the community-owned hospital system has earned the distinction and puts EvergreenHealth in the top 1% of hospitals nationwide for overall clinical performance.
EvergreenHealth Board Sees Multiple Commissioner Changes Following General Election
KIRKLAND, Wash. – The EvergreenHealth Board of Commissioners is bidding two commissioners farewell while congratulating and welcoming three others after the King County General Election in November.
Norman Seabrooks, who retired from Aetna, Inc. after a 47-year career in the health care insurance industry, was elected by the EvergreenHealth community to a six-year term. Seabrooks is taking Position #3 on the EvergreenHealth Board, which was vacated by retiring commissioner Tim McLaughlin. He will be representing Redmond and Sammamish. Norman has lived in Redmond for 22 years, and his entire family receives care at EvergreenHealth.
KIRKLAND, WA – The EvergreenHealth Board of Commissioners has appointed Ettore Palazzo, MD, FACP, CEO of EvergreenHealth, the community-owned public hospital district and two-hospital healthcare system effective Dec. 10, 2023. Dr. Palazzo assumes the role following the retirement of CEO Jeff Tomlin, MD.
“Over the past 20 years, some of the greatest, as well as most challenging, moments of my personal and professional life have taken place at EvergreenHealth,” said Dr. Palazzo. “It is the honor of a lifetime to work for this organization and serve its community as the next Chief Executive Officer.”
Dr. Palazzo has served EvergreenHealth and its community for 20 years. He joined EvergreenHealth in 2003 as a hospitalist and most recently served as the Chief Medical and Quality Officer.
"On February 28, 2020, EvergreenHealth's Kirkland campus became the first hospital in the U.S. to respond to the first known cases of community spread of COVID-19, marking the beginning of the global pandemic in the U.S. Given that we had been actively engaged in disaster readiness planning for many years prior to the pandemic, our hospital system was ready to face the challenge."
Read more about EvergreenHealth's response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
I'm standing next to one of many Commissioner Jeffrey Cashman's political signs. The number he staked was enormous. I endorsed both Jeff and his opponent, Amber Wise. I supported Amber.
Mr. Cashman planted his campaign signs heavily throughout Evergreen Public Hospital District No. 2 -- Redmond, Kirkland, Woodinville, Mill Creek, Kenmore, Duval, Sammamish, and parts of Snohomish county. Never has a local candidate spread their political signs so far and wide.
If the residents of EvergreenHealth Public Hospital didn't know they lived in a taxing district they certainly do now.
Currently, residents and landlords are levied ~ 2% / $1,000 appraised property value. Total Levy Revenue in 2022 was $28,556,467.
Do you know how this money is spent? 70% goes towards capital projects, 30% towards programs like referral networks, CHATT, and North Shore Senior Center. The commissioners keep this close to their chest. I learned about the 70% / 30% split at a Board meeting. A full report is forthcoming.
Commissioner Cashman defeated PCC meat-cutter Amber Wise, a union worker and mental health advocate, by roughly 58%.
-- Bob Yoder, 11/9/2023
I was struck with Covid a few days before the election; this, after 6 vax. It hit me very hard.
"Connections Health Solutions" is King County's first of five immediate access multi-service behavioral health crisis response centers. It will be located in the 405 Kirkland Corporate Center behind Olive Garden Restaurant, two blocks from the Kirkland police. It's scheduled to open June/July of 2024.
Heather Genovese, V.P. Clinical Operations of Connections Health Solutions held this ZOOM forum on 9/26, to inform viewers of the facility. Donna Lurie, Board President of NAMI Eastside led Q&A. Notable items from their Tucson facility:
24/7 Urgent Care Mental Health Clinic open to all. Treats adults over 17 years of age.
15+ chairs for observation by psychiatric providers. No triage. Individuals are seen within 90 minutes.
65% stabilized within 24 hours. 65% have comorbid substance abuse.
16-bed unit for crisis stabilization; stabilization is usually within 24-hours.
16-bed unit for sub-acute crisis stabilization usually within 4 days.
60-70% of involuntarily committed individuals convert to voluntary commitment.
accepts 100% of those coming through the door, regardless of insurance.
50-55% are brought in through the back door by police. No one turned away. Peer support specialists remove remove hand cuffs with care compassion and dignity.
90% receive outpatient care by a mental health provider within 7 days off discharge.
45-Day Transition Program: "warm hand-off to community care" - recovery, support, and coaching.
For profit.
EvergreenHealth isn't funding the Center.
"King Countyinvested$11.5 millionof state and local dollars toward this crisis center located inKirkland. It will service five North King County cities. It's the start of what we can achieve together when it comes to community behavioral health." -- King County Executive Dow Constantine.
The League of Women Voters offers Vote411.org where candidates are given the opportunity to submit written answers to their questions.
Go to Vote422.org, enter your address, and find and compare your candidates' answers. They are very informative; a good read!
As of this date, (10/20/2023) David Carson, Jeff Cashman, Angela Birney, Osman Salahuddin, Janel Schermerhorn, and Linsey Yocum have submitted answers.
Please know, "Redmond Neighborhood Blog" is NOT endorsing candidates this election cycle, rather presenting the facts without bias, to the best of it's ability.
EvergreenHealth Public Hospital District No. 2
Position 6 Candidate Websites
Jeffrey Cashman, At Large (currently appointed, not elected)
The proposed North Tower will have 12 floors: 2 underground parking, 1 underground mixed-use, 2 above ground facility and ancillary, 7 inpatient care floors (3 will be left vacant.)
At the EvergreenHealth Commission's May retreat, the V.P. of Operations reviewed the proposed Master Facility Plan projects, including a 12-story North Tower expansion with 255,000 square feet and adding another level of parking to the Central Parking Garage. He also reviewed the bed capacity status and current shortage.
The proposed North Tower would have:
two underground parking floors
1 mixed-use underground floor
2 above ground support and ancillary care floors
7 floors of inpatient care
expanding capacity and modernizing surgical services,
address community health needs for behavioral health services (how?)
increasing seismic resilience
improving Emergency Department capacity,
and improving energy efficiency and environmental stewardship
The V.P. of Operations noted that they are in one of the better places in the greater Seattle
area to serve the public in the event of a large seismic event and
we may be one of few facilities operational.
He stated, " the anticipated UTGO Bond amount is approx.
$798,500,000, and would include a new North Tower. We would plan to buildout 6 of the 9 floors in the new North Tower to start and keep the remaining 3 floors for future expansion as needs arise or change. The levers used to achieve break-even Net Income over the 10-year proforma period were labor and overhead."
It was noted the UTGO BOND would equate to a tax rate of $.13 per $1,000 of assessed value (or $156.24 incremental tax increase per year for a $1.2M home in Kirkland, which is the 2023 median assessed home value). (However, 2024 King County appraisals for homes are reduced by ~ 20% from 2023. Thus, the hospital commissioners will probably launch the bond measure in 2024.)
Additionally, it was noted that the public hospital district taxes are 2.1% of the entire King County levy.
PUBLIC COMMENT: Paul Hess, Kenmore resident, asked if EvergreenHealth has implemented lean organizational strategies, noting that it will help close the gap. Additionally, he spoke about the Foundation, how their staff report to EvergreenHealth, and hopes that no Foundation funding will be used for a UTGO Bond. He also spoke critically about how he and other District residents pay taxes to fund the hospital but don’t use the services, while others who don’t pay taxes to fund the hospital use the services.
EvergreenHealth Board Selects Nancy Stewart as Newest Commissioner
She has been selected to replace Al DeYoung in Position #1 after he retired in June 2023
KIRKLAND, Wash. – The EvergreenHealth Board of Commissioners recently appointed Nancy Stewart to fill a vacant position on the board, serving in Position #1, which represents the communities of Bothell, Duvall and Woodinville. Stewart joins the board effective Aug. 15, 2023, and replaces Al DeYoung, who previously served in Position #1 for over 40 years before retiring in June.
Stewart is a longtime resident of EvergreenHealth’s public hospital district and is a former employee of EvergreenHealth, having joined the organization in 2012. Over her tenure, she served in varying progressive leadership roles, most recently as executive director of hospital and *specialty medicine. She left the role in 2023 to spend time with her family but is eager to be back at EvergreenHealth as a commissioner to help serve her surrounding community.
“Nancy is a successful health care professional with a broad skill set that supports our shared work as we embark on our second 50 years as providers of exceptional care and service for our community,” said EvergreenHealth Board Chair Virgil Snyder. “Her experience as an EvergreenHealth leader and her expertise in emergency and health services management make her a valuable addition to our community-owned hospital system’s Board of Commissioners. I look forward to working with her and our fellow commissioners as we continue to ensure EvergreenHealth meets our community’s critical, changing needs.”
Stewart holds a master's degree in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Servant Leadership from Gonzaga University, along with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Services Management & Communications from Eastern Washington University. She also holds several certifications, including FEMA’s certification for Emergency Management (Healthcare Leadership for Mass Casualty Incidents); a professional coach certification in wellness, relationships, bereavement and addiction recovery; and a certification of business development from the University of Washington Foster School of Business.
“My time at EvergreenHealth, along with being a patient myself and advocate for others seeking care, provided incredible insight into the needs of our patients and families and fuels my desire to join the Board of Commissioners to help develop solutions to ensure everyone in our growing community has access to our quality care and service,” Stewart said.
Stewart joins six other board members – Virgil Snyder, board chair; Tim McLaughlin, board secretary; Rebecca Hirt, Charles Pilcher, M.D., David Edwards and Jeff Cashman. The elected Board of Commissioners governs EvergreenHealth, providing oversight, counsel and accountability to EvergreenHealth’s leadership team, ensuring the public hospital district fulfills its mission and values and provides high-quality care for everyone in the community.
Stewart’s appointment completes the seven-member Board of Commissioners. She will serve the remainder of the current term through Dec. 31, 2025.
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About EvergreenHealth
EvergreenHealth is a community-owned hospital system serving more than one million residents in King and Snohomish counties. Since 1972, EvergreenHealth has evolved alongside the Eastside community into a two-hospital health system with a network of primary care practices, urgent care centers, specialty clinics, extensive home care and hospice services and 24/7 emergency care in Kirkland, Monroe and Redmond. As a public hospital district, EvergreenHealth actively provides equal access to high-quality, high-value care, partnering with local organizations to perform outreach and offer health education to address our community’s needs now and for generations to come. The hospital system is named one of Healthgrades America’s 50 Best™ Hospitals in clinical excellence and holds a 5-Star Overall Rating from the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS). Learn more at www.evergreenhealth.com.
* EvergreenHealth has over 20 Specialty Clinics. Behavioral Health is not one of them.
EvergreenHealth Medical Center in Kirkland partners with EvergreenHealth - Monroe to provide addiction recovery services. Commissioner Mclaughlin says mental health beds in Monroe are not far away.
EvergreenHealth's current levy is ~2% of King County property tax. An increase may be proposed Spring of 2024.
EvergreenHealth's Board of Seven Commissioners has the final say on the distribution of levy funds each year with the recommendations of a standing levy committee.
While many of the levy-supported programs specifically address the special needs of under-served and high-risk community members, most of the programs are for use by the entire community.
Levy-Funded Program Directory
Supporting Students in Crisis
EvergreenHealth provides social workers to Lake Washington School District high schools to assess students with high-risk behaviors and mental health concerns for free. The EvergreenHealth social workers meet with students 1:1, conduct groups, provide support to parents, and coordinate with school officials to keep students safe and connected to community providers. In 2021, our social workers helped 401 high school students during mental health crises.
High School Mental Health Therapists
Community funds also help the Northshore School District provide students access to mental health counselors. They meet individually and in small groups to address student needs. Supportive resources are also made available to students grieving the loss of a loved one. In 2021, our therapists served 1,264 students and responded to 47 crisis visits.
Youth Mental Health First Aid
EvergreenHealth's free Youth Mental Health First Aid training provides educators, coaches and other volunteers who work with students the tools to help adolescents experiencing a mental health crisis or addiction challenge.
Participants are taught how to recognize signs and symptoms of mental health challenges and crises, what to say and how to talk with someone, and how to refer to professional resources for help.
[NAMI Eastside and LWSD also provide free Youth Mental Health First Aid training. I took it - great program]
STEM Global Health Education Partnership
EvergreenHealth partners with our local school districts to give students the opportunity to learn about global health initiatives through job shadowing, attending Grand Rounds and hearing from guest speakers. These kinds of partnerships give students the opportunity to immerse themselves early on in learning about careers in science, health care and so many other industries.
Community Health Needs
EvergreenHealth Nurse Navigator & Healthline
In 2021, our 24/7 Nurse Navigator & Healthline served more than 108,000 calls from our community for free, helping you with scheduling, referrals and answering those health-related questions even Google can't help with.
Healthline played a pivotal role in 2021, connecting thousands of neighbors with accurate information on COVID-19 and pandemic resources. More than 50,000 callers received nursing triage advice, getting help with home remedies for common ailments as well as diagnostic support for various illnesses.
EvergreenHealth's Community Health Education Services provided more than 790 community-funded classes and programs in 2021. Roughly 4,300 community members participated, taking the opportunity to enrich their lives with the kind of lessons only we can teach. As a community-owned health system, our curriculum and programs look to address the diverse needs of our region while building a sense of community for you and your neighbors around common interests.
The Gene & Irene Wockner freestanding hospice center has 15 beds and serves hospice patients in King and Snohomish counties. It is the only hospice center in both counties and provides you or your loved ones with short-term acute care, with the goal of discharging home once symptoms have been stabilized.
"King Countyinvested$11.5 millionof state and local dollars toward a crisis center located inKirkland. It will service five North King County cities. It's the start of what we can achieve together when it comes to community behavioral health." -- King County Executive Dow Constantine.
PHOENIX, March 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Connections Health Solutions, the leading innovator of immediate access behavioral health crisis care, is proud to announce it has secured a location in the 405 Kirkland Corporate Center in Kirkland, WA, for the county's first person-focused, multi-service behavioral health crisis response center. Within a safe, dedicated space for high-quality care, the center will provide a spectrum of care services, from walk-in behavioral health urgent care to continued stabilization, to individuals experiencing all types of behavioral health or substance use crises.
EvergreenHealth Medical Center - supported by District taxpayers
A month ago I was transferred from Fairfax Behavioral Health Hospital to EvergreenHealth Emergency Department (ED) for a concussion evaluation and incidental mental health care. For ED services I was charged.
$2,024 for a Level 4 Visit, $515.00 for intravenous hydration, $1,687 for a CT scan, $270 for an acetaminophen blood level, $270 for a urine toxicology screen, $379.00 for an ECG, $270.00 for an alcohol blood level, $309 for a lactic acid blood level, among other charges, totaling $7,079. (Not counting the radiologist fee.)
My insurance company had a contract with EvergreenHealth which helped. I read somewhere on Evergreen's website tax-payer funds (via the levy) sometimes kick-in when insurance companies can't. Our Emergency Department charges at Overlake were high, as well. It seems ED physicians always need to take a CT; at least for us. We've had four CT's at four visits. Stay out of ED's at all costs (no pun intended.) Go first to Urgent Care or your Primary Care physician, if possible.
As we all know, the cost of healthcare has sky-rocketed everywhere. It's come to the point that people have had to resort "medical credit cards." Yahoo Business has an excellent article on these cards.
-- Bob Yoder, 5/16/2023
May is "Mental Health Awareness Month." Under "comment" (below in blue,) I wrote in detail my recent experience of treatment and recovery at Fairfax Behavioral Health Hospital. I hope you read it. Bob
Twenty-one staff from the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) and
the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare
1199 NW spoke to the Board and expressed concerns and complaints regarding:
wages,
working conditions,
patient and staff safety,
recruitment and retention,
excessive patient wait times,
cost of living in the area,
the reputation of EvergreenHealth,
medical benefits coverage,
and safety and support for home health
nurses.
A patient expressed concerns about the current direction of
EvergreenHealth and shared that she and other patients are looking
for other healthcare providers.
Several speakers expressed their pleasure in working for
EvergreenHealth and their desire to partner with EvergreenHealth to
resolve the issues, but all indicated that changes are needed.
The guests provided the Board with a stack of letters and notes from
union members expressing their concerns and desires. Comm. McLaughlin thanked the guests for attending and providing the Board with their perspectives and assured them that the Board takes their concerns seriously.
Source: EvergreenHealth Board of Commissioner Regular Meeting Minutes, March/April, 2023
The large, proposed bond measure would significantly expand the EvergreenHealth campus:
Seismic upgrades, parking lot expansion, Cath lab, new building, and surgical services in the top two vacant stories of the Silver Tower.
Evergreenhealth
"Interested in learning about our community's future health care needs and EvergreenHealth's plans to meet them? The Board of Commissioners will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.in Red Auditorium for the purpose of hearing public comment regarding King County Public Hospital District No. 2 growth plans and a related potential levy measure."
View our Visitor Guidefor maps, information on where to park and location information (zones and floors). Enter the Red Zone from the Emergency OB and Emergency entrance.
"Jeff is a trusted, experienced community leader with an impressive financial background," said EvergreenHealth Board Chair Virgil Snyder. "His experience in financial strategy as well as in leading various nonprofit and philanthropic organizations in our region will be a tremendous asset. I look forward to collaborating with him and the other commissioners as we continue to evolve to meet our community's growing and changing needs."
EvergreenHealth - King County Public Hospital District #2
This "Silver Tower" and a 2nd Emergency Department were funded by the district taxpayers of Redmond, Sammamish, Kirkland, Woodinville, Bothell, Mill Creek, Kenmore, Shoreline, Duval, Carnation, and Snohomish County.
EvergreenHealth serves it's community well. An exception is their almost complete non- performance in treating mental illness. COVID removed stigma, raised awareness; uncovering the high incidence of those struggling. They should do better and they're not.
Overall though, we are blessed to have EvergreenHealth in our community and region. They led the Nation through the pandemic onslaught and are deserving of every award earned, For a hospital with their pandemic experience, they should have no problem finding bandwidth for Mental Health hybrid programming.
Below, is decade's long news and my accounting of EvergreenHealth's lack of progress towards the implementation of mental health treatment and care: