King County Report On George Floyd Drama And Covid-19

In recent days, community members joined protests locally and across the country in response to the death of George Floyd and so many Black lives that have been taken through senseless, violent and racist acts. This racism and hate comes on top of the stress, burden and illness being inequitably experienced by Black, Indigenous, Latinx and other people of color during the pandemic, the result of centuries of systemic racism.

Public Health recognizes the difficult choices that people were faced with this past weekend. Many in our community grappled with attending protests to stand up against these injustices while also wanting to keep our community safe from further spread of COVID-19.

Statements by public health leaders and answers to key questions are available at our recent blog post, Answering questions about protests and COVID-19.

Two Ultraviolet Sanitizing Machines Donated to EvergreenHealth

Anonymous Donor Gifts EvergreenHealth Foundation Two Ultraviolet Sanitizing Machines to 

Support the Health and Safety of Patients and Staff

Advanced UV-C technology kills infection-causing pathogens to provide another layer of protection

Kirkland, Wash. – An anonymous donor recently provided a generous grant to the EvergreenHealth Foundation for the purchase of two additional Clorox Healthcare^® Optimum-UV™ Enlight Systems in recognition of the hospital’s comprehensive infection control plan and adept response to COVID-19. Following standard cleaning and disinfecting procedures, the mobile Optimum-UV™ Enlight System is used to ensure even hard-to-reach areas are thoroughly treated with short-wavelength ultraviolet light, or UV-C, which eliminates dangerous pathogens in 20 minutes or fewer.

EvergreenHealth Prepares for Second Arm of Clinical Trial After Initial Findings Show Promising Results for Remdesivir as Potential Treatment for COVID-19

Kirkland, Wash. – Following yesterday’s announcement from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), EvergreenHealth is preparing to move forward with the next phase of clinical research studying the anti-viral Remdesivir as a potential treatment for COVID-19. The trial known as the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial, (ACTT), sponsored by the NIAID, part of the National Institutes of Health, is the first clinical trial launched in the United States to evaluate an experimental treatment for COVID-19. 

The second phase of the trial, ACTT II, will eliminate the placebo group, and instead provide all study participants with Remdesivir to further evaluate its effectiveness against the virus. The new protocol will also allow for patients currently enrolled in the study and receiving the placebo, to roll over into the group receiving open-label Remdesivir. This means that the nine patients currently in EvergreenHealth’s care and enrolled in the study will now all be eligible to receive open-label Remdesivir, as opposed to the placebo. 

According to Gilead and the NIH, results from the trial’s primary ACTT phase, which included 1,063 participants across 68 trial sites, showed that hospitalized patients with advanced symptoms of COVID-19 who received Remdesivir recovered 31% more quickly than those who received the placebo. Results also suggested a survival benefit, with a mortality rate of 8.0% for the group receiving Remdesivir versus 11.6% for the placebo group.

“We are very pleased by the initial findings of the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial, and incredibly honored to contribute to this significant body of research in the fight against COVID-19,” said Jeff Tomlin, MD, CEO of EvergreenHealth.

Kirkland, Washington-based EvergreenHealth was the first site on the west coast, and the second site globally, to enroll qualifying patients in the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT) in partnership with the NIH’s Division of Microbiology and Infectious Disease (DMID). Normally an eight- to 12-week onboarding process, the hospital was able to launch the trial within only six days in collaboration with DMID partners, who arrived on site on March 7. EvergreenHealth has remained one of the top-enrolling trial sites throughout the first arm of the study, with 34 patients enrolled at present.

“From the very beginning, I’ve been inspired by the way every one of our staff members has jumped into action to come together and launch these research efforts as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Diego Lopez de Castilla, EvergreenHealth infectious disease specialist and lead investigator for the ACTT. “From our nursing to pharmacy teams, it is amazing and humbling to witness this level of teamwork and dedication to exploring new opportunities to potentially advance our ability to provide treatment options for critically ill COVID-19 patients.”

UPDATED: I Won't Get Taxed Out Of The City I Love - This Year

OPINION:  Said the Seattle Times on January 28th,, "a group of Harborview County hospital stakeholders is likely to vote Wednesday to recommend that County Executive Dow Constantine and the County Council place a $1.7 billion bond measure on the November ballot to revamp Harborview."  The stakeholders voted yay.

Once passed, the Harborview Medical Center bond will cost about $90 / year on property assessed at $580,000.  There's a strong provision for expanded Behavioral Health facilities.  

We still await the LWSD Superintendent and Board's decisions on their planned 2022 and 2026 bond measures.  In the meantime, we continue to pay the school district a 6-year levy of $20M/year.

I recently learned King County property taxes will increase 13.7% in 2020.  Also, the King County Parks, Recreation, Trails and open space levy was approved for 2020 at a higher level. It's a 6-year property tax led lift priced at .1832/$1K property value.

Not to forget, Sound Transit 3 (ST3) taxes are approximately $1,000 per year for a family with an annual salary of $90K with vehicles worth $45K and a property valued at $450K.

At a council meeting last night our leaders said there may be a levy to pay for the regional aquatics center.

Will  EvergreenHealth propose a reasonable bond measure for funding seismic upgrades this year?  Will car tab prices remain as is? Will the city propose their safety levy this year?  Will the city raise their 1% property tax to 3% to account for inflation.  Any of these I can live with despite my fixed income, at least for this year. Then, I may be on my way.  

  -- Bob Yoder
     3/5/2020

Mayor Birney To Represent North Caucus Of SCA

Redmond Mayor Angela Birney elected to represent the North Caucus on the Sound Cities Association Board of Directors

Redmond Mayor Angela Birney has been elected to represent the North Caucus on the Board of Directors of the Sound Cities Association (SCA), which represents 38 King County cities and provides a regional voice for more than one million people.

“Mayor Birney is known for her ability to connect people, communities, neighborhoods, and businesses to address local and regional issues,” said Deanna Dawson, SCA Executive Director. “She will be a tremendous voice for Redmond and residents throughout King County in helping to ensure SCA’s success in meeting the challenges facing our region.”

The SCA Board of Directors has thirteen directors, with four from the North Caucus. North Caucus cities include Beaux Arts Village, Bellevue, Bothell, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Medina, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Redmond, Sammamish, Shoreline, Woodinville, and Yarrow Point. SCA provides regional leadership in areas such as economic and community development, transportation, land use, health, government operations, the environment, education, public safety, social welfare and other public policy issues.

EvergreenHealth Receives "A" Grade For Patient Safety

EvergreenHealth Receives “A” Grade for Patient Safety Kirkland, Wash.

EvergreenHealth  announced that it has again received an “A” grade for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group, a leading national nonprofit watchdog on hospital quality and safety. The EvergreenHealth is one of only 15 hospitals in Washington to achieve an A rating this fall, according to Leapfrog’s latest Hospital Safety Grades report.

 “Earning recognition from respected health care quality organizations, including The Leapfrog Group, is affirmation of the commitment and results achieved by our staff in providing safe, high quality care and service. We are grateful for the recognition, knowing that safety and quality are continuous journeys,” said Jeff Tomlin, MD, CEO of EvergreenHealth.

EvergreenHealth receives safety award

EvergreenHealth Receives “A” Rating for Hospital Safety

Kirkland, Wash. –The Leapfrog Group, a leading nonprofit watchdog organization on hospital quality and safety, has announced that EvergreenHealth once again received an “A” rating for patient safety. Leapfrog’s Hospital Safety Grades score hospitals across the country on how safe they keep their patients from medical errors, injuries, accidents and infections.

"RE-elect LWSD School Board Director Siri Bliesner"

I believe that an excellent public education is a right for all individuals. A strong democracy requires an active, engaged community, and we achieve that with excellent public education. My extensive experience and the relationships I have built throughout the community combine to give me a strong voice to continue moving forward with the District’s initiatives and advance new, innovative opportunities for all of our students.

Lake Washington School District (LWSD) is an outstanding public school district with talented staff, teachers, and an involved community supporting the opportunities and achievement of our students.

It has been a pleasure to serve on the school board for the last eight years in a variety of roles – Legislative Representative, Vice President, and President. This has provided an opportunity to deepen my understanding of school organization and funding, as well as issues surrounding educational equity.

Laurene Burton, EvergreenHealth Executive Director, Governance & Community Affairs retires after 27 years

Laurene Burton has shared her plans to retire from her position as Executive Director, Governance & Community Affairs. After 27 years working on behalf of our patients and community, she looks forward to traveling, kayaking, spending more time with her family and reading a good book or two. For a while, she says she’ll enjoy “every day being Saturday.” Laurene’s last day with EvergreenHealth is July 5.

Since Laurene joined EvergreenHealth in 1992, she has been widely recognized for her commitment to building relationships in our community. Initially hired to write curriculum for Community Health Education, she quickly acquired additional skills and was selected to become Director of Community Health Education in 1998. In 2005, she joined our administrative team, where she developed an affinity for governance activities and enjoyed working closely with our Board of Commissioners, whose work she deeply admires. Laurene continued her practice of active community-building through oversight of EvergreenHealth’s art program, volunteer program, community service programs and levy-funded programs – and carried out our organization’s commitment to transparency in her role as EvergreenHealth's Public Disclosure Officer.

It was EvergreenHealth’s culture that first appealed to Laurene. “It’s what drew me and what kept me here,” she says. With our origins and history of sustaining strong community ties, Laurene could freely follow her own natural instincts: “When I saw areas where we needed to have a connection, I tried to make one; I looked for needs in the community that EvergreenHealth could fill and pursued partnerships. In my experience, good relationships are crucial to any achievement. I’ve had the privilege of working with so many wonderful people in my role here, and I value every single one of them.

Laurene’s proudest achievements, not surprisingly, involve partnerships and a sense of satisfaction in helping these relationships grow and thrive:

May is "Mental Health Awareness Month"

Prevalence Of Mental Illness

• Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. (46.6 million) experiences mental illness in a given year.1 
• Approximately 1 in 25 adults in the U.S. (11.2 million) experiences a serious mental illness in a given year that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.2
• Approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their life. For children aged 8–15, the estimate is 13%.3
• 1.1% of adults in the U.S. live with schizophrenia.4
• 2.6% of adults in the U.S. live with bipolar disorder.5
• 6.9% of adults in the U.S.—16 million—had at least one major depressive episode in the past year.6
• 18.1% of adults in the U.S. experienced an anxiety disorder such as posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and specific phobias.7
• Among the 20.2 million adults in the U.S. who experienced a substance use disorder, 50.5%—10.2 million adults—had a co-occurring mental illness.8

Social Stats

• An estimated 26% of homeless adults staying in shelters live with serious mental illness and an estimated 46% live with severe mental illness and/or substance use disorders.9
• Approximately 20% of state prisoners and 21% of local jail prisoners have “a recent history” of a mental health condition.10
• 70% of youth in juvenile justice systems have at least one mental health condition and at least 20% live with a serious mental illness.11
• Only 41% of adults in the U.S. with a mental health condition received mental health services in the past year. Among adults with a serious mental illness, 62.9% received mental health services in the past year.8
• Just over half (50.6%) of children with a mental health condition aged 8-15 received mental health services in the previous year.12
• African Americans and Hispanic Americans each use mental health services at about one-half the rate of Caucasian Americans and Asian Americans at about one-third the rate.13
• Half of all chronic mental illness begins by age 14; three-quarters by age 24. Despite effective treatment, there are long delays—sometimes decades—between the first appearance of symptoms and when people get help.14

Consequences Of Lack Of Treatment

• Serious mental illness costs America $193.2 billion in lost earnings per year.15
• Mood disorders, including major depression, dysthymic disorder and bipolar disorder, are the third most common cause of hospitalization in the U.S. for both youth and adults aged 18–44.16
• Individuals living with serious mental illness face an increased risk of having chronic medical conditions.17 Adults in the U.S. living with serious mental illness die on average 25 years earlier than others, largely due to treatable medical conditions.18
• Over one-third (37%) of students with a mental health condition age 14­–21 and older who are served by special education drop out—the highest dropout rate of any disability group.19
• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., and the 2nd leading cause of death for people aged 10–34.20
• More than 90% of people who die by suicide show symptoms of a mental health condition.21
• Each day an estimated 18-22 veterans die by suicide.22

Citations

EvergreenHealth Named Among America's 100 Best Hospitals

EvergreenHealth Named Among America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Three Years

Kirkland, Wash. – For the third year in a row, EvergreenHealth has been named as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades for consistent, year-over-year superior clinical performance across a broad spectrum of care. [Comprehensive psychiatric care is not available, BY] The distinction places EvergreenHealth in the top two percent of more than 4,500 hospitals nationwide. 

Council President Angela Birney is running for Mayor

I'm experiencing technical difficulties in posting Angela's headshot.  Regrets.  To see her picture "Read More"  

Angela Birney's Experience

Local

Redmond City Council President
Redmond City Councilmember
Redmond Parks and Trails Committee Chair
LWSF Junior High Science Grants and Grant Review
Norman Rockwell PTA
Lake Washington School District Boundary Review

Regional
Hopelink Board Chair
King County Board of Health, Sound Cities (SCA) Caucus Chair
Regional Policy Committee, SCA Member
Cascade Water Alliance Board, Secretary/Treasurer
Eastside Rail Corridor Regional Advisory Committee
Eastside Transportation Partnership
SCA Public Issues Committee Alternate
Redmond Nourishing Networks
Governing for Regional Equity and Inclusion Working Group Member
Education
BAE Biology, MEd Professional Development
Leadership Eastside Class of 2017
Leadership Eastside Executive Insight 2018

Mentoring at Lake Washington School District

Apply to become a LINKS Lunch Buddy!

Redmond, WA, November 5, 2018 – At first, it might not seem like meeting with a local student for lunch once a week can make that much of a difference. “From the get-go, my Lunch Buddy and I would do crafts together,” recalled local resident Laura Spencer, who volunteers as a weekly LINKS mentor at Juanita Elementary School. “We’d sit there quietly and do crafts and we wouldn’t talk much. And then after a couple weeks she started really opening up and sharing and just talking to me. It was just amazing how much she would share with me.”

That kind of patience turns out to be just what some kids need. Structured mentoring programs like the Lake Washington School District’s LINKS Lunch Buddies program have a real and measurable positive effect on the social, emotional, and academic lives of children.

A 2014 national survey conducted by MENTOR, the National Mentoring Partnership, found that young people who have a mentor are more likely to participate in sports or extracurricular activities; hold a leadership position in a club, sports team, or other group; and are more likely to volunteer regularly in their community.

The effects of mentoring show up in academic achievement, too. Not only will young people with mentors set higher goals for themselves, but they’re also more likely to attend college than children without a mentor. The impacts of mentoring are reported most strongly by students who struggle with circumstances that would otherwise render them at risk of dropping out of school. “You could be that one thing that changes the path for them for the rest of their lives,” added Laura Spencer. But the biggest bonus? According to “The Role of Risk,” a 2013 report that examined seven Washington State mentoring programs serving 1,300 children, the strongest and most consistent benefit from mentoring is a reduction in depressive symptoms.

EvergreeenHealth commissioner steps down

EvergreenHealth Board of Commissioners Representative, Jeanette Greenfield, Steps Down Early from Board

I am hopeful the Board will appoint a resident who will move Mental Health care forward.  BY

Kirkland, Wash. – Jeanette Greenfield has announced her plans to resign her position as EvergreenHealth Board of Commissioners, At-Large effective December 18, 2018. Greenfield will be traveling extensively over the next year and unable to fulfill her board obligations.

While Greenfield’s term ends on December 31, 2019, she has opted to end her term this year in order to allow the board to appoint her replacement. The Board will select a representative later this year for the at-large position to fill Greenfield’s post.

Water Tenders "Salmon Seeson" Cancelled, No Rain

Water Tender President Susan Wilkins at 
 Issaquah fish hatchery 

Lexie was a member of Water Tenders 

At tour of the Salmon Fish Hatchery with Water Tender President Susan Wilkins.  . 

Every year from September - October during the "Salmon Seeson" you will find the Water Tenders at North Bear Creek educating children, families and adults about the life cycle of salmon.  This Fall was the 4-year cycle for sockeye so we were expecting a good run.  The Water Tenders put up sandwich board signs along Avondale Road to direct viewers to the creek. We usually see a lot of  returning salmon but this year owing to a prolonged drought there were none to be seen so the exhibit was shut down. Usually over 100 viewers walk up the trail to see coho, sockeye and chinook salmon.

Every year the Water Tenders pick up 1-2 Chinook salmon from the Issaquah fish hatchery for their Bear Creel exhibit.  Susan Wilkins, Water Tenders President says," this is an excellent way for viewers to see and touch the gills, scaling, and fins for show and tell."  Here's a picture of Susan at the hatchery standing by two chinook she was saving for the exhibit.

Salmon docent holding chinook 

According to their mission statement, "The Water Tenders are a group of individuals who care about the wetlands and streams in King County. We are your neighbors, friends, and family. All of us are willing donate our time and energy to preserving, protecting and restoring the wonderful natural  heritage of Washington State. We believe that it is our community’s responsibility to be good stewards of our natural resources in order to preserve them for the next generations. Water Tenders was founded in 1989 and is proud to have spearheaded and accomplished many efforts towards those ends."

A few other Water Tenders projects are removal of invasive Knotweed and Blackberry shrubs from wetlands and creeks, monitoring the Western Pearl Schell populations -- an indicator of stream health -- measuring rainfall within the Bear Creek Basin, and activism to protect wetlands and streams from proposed environmental sensitive land-use developments.   

If you'd like more information about the Water Tenders or want to join this non--profit ($25) please e-mail Bob at redmondblog@gmail.com  

 -- Bob Yoder, Fall of 2018
    Photos, Yoder

EvergreenHealth Announces Appointment of New Chief Executive Officer

Kirkland, Wash. – EvergreenHealth’s Board of Commissioners announced today its selection of Amy E. Beiter, MD, to lead the Kirkland-based integrated health system as its chief executive officer. The appointment comes after EvergreenHealth CEO Bob Malte announced his planned retirement from the organization this spring.

Dr. Beiter is a respected senior physician executive with 25 years of experience in the health care field as a leader in both clinical and administrative capacities. She most recently served as president and CEO for Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital in Tucson, Arizona, a 400-bed acute-care hospital within the comprehensive Carondelet Health Network, where she led strategic initiatives resulting in significant transformation and growth. Under Dr. Beiter’s leadership, Carondelet St. Mary’s evolved from a community hospital to a tertiary care hospital providing expanded, increasingly complex services to the Tucson community.

 “Dr. Beiter is a proven, exceptional leader with an impressive career dedicated to serving her community through the development and expansion of services and programs, designed to meet the needs and advance the health of its residents,” said Al DeYoung, chairman, EvergreenHealth Board of Commissioners. “This experience will advance a progressive vision for the future of EvergreenHealth and will help us continue to meet the needs of our growing community here in the Puget Sound region. We are honored and extremely pleased to welcome this seasoned executive, with her impressive ability to align the clinical and business aspects of health care, and we are confident that these strengths will guide our health system in realizing our vision of being the community’s most trusted source for health care solutions.”

While at Carondelet, Dr. Beiter was integral to a successful transition in hospital ownership, stabilized operations to achieve financial growth, and expanded the complexity of services provided within the system. During the ownership transition, Dr. Beiter achieved a reduction in turnover rates, retention of management staff and strengthened the organization’s culture to increase physician and employee engagement scores.

Prior to serving as CEO, Dr. Beiter held several clinical leadership positions including a four-year tenure as chief medical officer at Carondelet St. Mary’s. As CMO, her collaborative, evidence-based approach drove measurable improvement across key quality metrics and patient experience scores, which helped the organization solidify its position among Healthgrades’ top 5 percent of hospitals in the country for quality.

She was also medical director for utilization management at St. Mary’s, a role in which she successfully developed programs to address changes and challenges in compliance, reimbursement and length of stay management.

After completing a combined internal medicine and pediatric residency, Dr. Beiter practiced both specialties in inpatient and outpatient settings for many years. She subsequently became a hospitalist and eventually served as her group’s lead physician.

Throughout her career, Dr. Beiter has remained highly engaged in her community, volunteering her time and expertise as a board director for the Tucson Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Arizona American Heart Association, Catholic Community Services, Arizona Health Information Exchange and other organizations.

She was named among an esteemed list of Most Influential Women by Arizona Business, and Becker’s Hospital Review has recognized her as a “Physician Leaders of Hospital and Health Systems to know” and as a “Women Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know.”

Dr. Beiter earned a Bachelor of Science at Purdue University and attended medical school at Indiana University, where she received her medical degree. She also holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts Isenberg School of Management.

The selection of Dr. Beiter followed a four-month national search by the EvergreenHealth Board of Commissioners that included the screening of hundreds of highly qualified candidates. She and her family are in the process of preparing for their relocation to the Pacific Northwest and she is expected to officially join EvergreenHealth on August 22, 2018. Malte will remain with the organization until Dr. Beiter’s transition is complete and the Board of Commissioners has retained him in an advisory capacity through March 2019.

Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run

REDMOND, WA – Law enforcement personnel from the Redmond Police Department will be joining officers from across the nation to escort the “Flame of Hope” torch to the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games as part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg® 

Before competition begins on July 2, an elite group of law enforcement officers and Special Olympics athletes will escort the Special Olympics “Flame of Hope” on a journey across Washington State. From June 27 through July 1, 47 law enforcement officers representing 47 states, along with six Special Olympics athletes, will make up the prestigious “Final Leg” team for the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games Law Enforcement Torch Run®.

LETTER: The city should reconsider fluoridating our water

Mr. Welton wrote the Mayor of the negative health effects from putting fluoride in our drinking water.  Below, is the Mayor's response and a copy of Mr. Welton's letter.  

Mr. Welton,

Thank you for the article you sent for review along with your request for the City of Redmond to reconsider adding fluoride to its drinking water. I want to assure you that I do appreciate your concern.

Staff and I understand that fluoride has been controversial for many years, with countless studies and activists both for and against the ionic compound being added to water. In reviewing the article you provided, the basis of concerns comes from studies conducted in China on the effect of naturally occurring fluoride in drinking water where concentrations are much greater than 1.0 mg/l.

As you may know, the City’s well water that serves roughly 40 percent of Redmond has naturally occurring fluoride, as most natural water does. A small amount is added to reach a level of 0.7 mg/l, which meets the City’s community fluoridation objective set forth by the Department of Health. Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency issued a news release to recommend a slightly lower optimal level (from 1.0 mg/l to 0.7 mg/l) of fluoride in drinking water because Americans now have increased access to fluoride from other sources such as toothpaste and mouthwash.

Redmond follows the guiding principles of the Primary Drinking Water Regulations to meet the guidelines of the Department of Health, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The safety and effectiveness of fluoridation of public drinking water has been studied for over 65 years, and the City has been adding fluoride to its drinking water since 1975. (About 60 percent of Redmond's drinking water is purchased from Seattle, and a 1968 referendum vote directed Seattle to fluoridate its drinking water.)

The fluoride used in treatment meets the quality and safety standards of the American National Standards Institute and the American Water Works Association. The most respected health agencies in the world, including The American Dental Association, the American Medical Association, the American Water Works Association, the CDC, and the World Health Association, continue to support this public health practice. The CDC encourages all public water systems to fluoridate to protect people from tooth decay and dental disease. Nationally, just shy of 80 percent of all drinking water is fluoridated.

The City will continue to monitor the research and required standards to see if the recommended concentration of fluoride in drinking water is lowered and will respond accordingly.

John Marchione, Mayor, City of Redmond

###

Dear Mayor Marchione,

First of all, thank you for answering this E-Mail about the negatives of fluoride in our drinking water. I’m skeptical as to whether the any efficacy or safety studies have been performed since:

1) Study after study is coming out, numerous of them I have sent to you in the past, showing the harm that is caused by fluoride including dentalfluorosis and osteofluorosis as well as may be linked to Hashimoto’s Disease causing elevated cholesterol and underactive thyroid.

As a child I was riddled with cavities and had three root canals. As an adult, I continued with issues until I started taking better care of my teeth but still had a cavity or two a year. About 7 years ago I quit drinking city water, quit using fluoridated toothpaste, and started a regular regimen of brushing and flossing twice a day. My first visit to a dentist in well over four years resulted in significantly reduced Periodontal Pockets and no cavities. Yes this is anecdotal evidence but it is the case. I take thyroid replacement medication daily for treatment of Hashimoto’s Disease, my thyroid has returned to normal activity and cholesterol is down significantly. Elevated Cholesterol led me to take Crestor which is a Statin Drug. There are numerous Statin Drugs on the market and they all have the same possible side effect, Type II Diabetes. Since being Diagnosed with Type II Diabetes I’ve quit taking Statin Drugs but I believe it is too late and the harm caused is permanent. So to recap, since being off most of the fluoride in the average American’s life I have less cavities. I have Hashimoto’s Disease that could have been caused by fluoride, the Hashimoto’s Disease caused elevated Cholesterol which caused me to be prescribed a statin drug that most likely caused Type II diabetes.

EvergreenHealth receives "A" Grade for Patient Safety

Kirkland, Wash. – The Leapfrog Group, a leading national nonprofit watchdog on hospital quality and safety, today announced that EvergreenHealth received an “A” for patient safety in the latest Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades. It is one of only 11 hospitals in Washington and 750 of 2,660 nationwide to achieve an A rating this spring.

“At EvergreenHealth, our more than 5,000 employees, providers and volunteers are dedicated to what we call our Community of Absolute Safety,” said EvergreenHealth CEO Bob Malte. “This dedication helps to ensure our patients receive the safest care, with the best quality and most exceptional service – it is at the core of what inspires us. We are proud that this commitment has resulted in earning the highest rating from The Leapfrog Group once again; however, recognition is not what drives us. We are continually focused on partnering with our patients to achieve the best outcomes.”

EvergreenHealth CEO, Robert Malte, Announces Retirement Plans

Robert "Bob" Malte CEO
EvergreenHealth

Kirkland, Wash. – Robert “Bob” Malte today announced he plans to retire from his position as Chief Executive Officer of EvergreenHealth, by the end of 2018, after nearly eight years in the role and a 42-year career in health care leadership.

“Bob has been at the helm of our system during a period of immense growth and change,” said Al DeYoung, chairman, EvergreenHealth Board of Commissioners. “We are grateful for his exceptional leadership, commitment to our organization, and dedication to advancing the health and well-being of this community, alongside our over 5,000 employees, providers and volunteers.”

In a message to staff today, Malte shared: “This was a difficult decision and one that I have been contemplating for a while. I love EvergreenHealth, my work, the people, and all that we have accomplished together. I know I will miss my work here and all of you who make EvergreenHealth such an amazing organization – both to me and to our entire community.

“Yet, I am also ready to pursue aspirations not yet fulfilled in my life, and to pay it forward. These include teaching health administration at the graduate level, volunteering in the community, and most importantly, spending more time with my wife Susi and our family, here in the Northwest where we’ve made our home.”

During his tenure as CEO, EvergreenHealth has gained both regional and national recognition as one of the top health systems for its performance and commitment to quality, safety, service, and value. For nine of the past 10 years, Healthgrades recognized the hospital among the top 5 percent in the nation for clinical excellence, and for the past two years, it was rated among the top 2 percent. EvergreenHealth was also the first in the state to receive a five-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, among many other awards and achievements.

Under Malte’s leadership, EvergreenHealth also expanded substantially into a two-hospital system, with a 310-provider multispecialty medical group, 12 primary care locations and five urgent care locations, as well as becoming the largest home care and home hospice network in the Puget Sound region.