News

Remembering Dr. Stuart Farber: Guest Column by Deborah Swets, VP Membership The end of February brought the passing of a remarkable man, a giant in the health care world to many of us. Dr. Stuart Farber was a prime instigator of palliative and patient-centered end-of-life care in the Pacific Northwest. He died on February 27... Read More >>

While patients have always been the focus for direct caregivers, the health care system as a whole has not always put patients’ needs at the center. Patients felt that employers and insurers were more powerful decision makers than they were, and in many cases, they were right. The Affordable Care Act was an important step... Read More >>

Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed suit against Skagit Regional Health in Mt. Vernon, alleging that the hospital is in violation of the Reproductive Privacy Act (passed by voters in 1991, now part of RCW 9.02). Read the Puget Sound Business Journal and KUOW stories. WSHA, and our partner organization the Association... Read More >>

On Sunday, Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat wrote about vaccines, and whether groups such as foster parents and nurses should be required to get them. Here is an excerpt: “For at least a decade, nurses, both locally and nationally, have been fighting attempts to force them to get the flu shot. Just last month a nurses’ association... Read More >>

Our Board of Trustees has set for WSHA a tremendous challenge in our strategic plan: Lead the transformation of health care in collaboration with key partners to improve the health of the population of Washington, enhance the care experience, and reduce cost. As we have learned from the success in our patient safety work, the... Read More >>

For anyone who watched Sunday’s Seahawks game, the message was clear and thrillingly delivered: Do. Not. Give. Up. We should all have that same sense of fourth quarter urgency when it comes to outreach and enrollment in health insurance. This year’s open enrollment period ends February 15, which is just a few weeks away. This... Read More >>

Last week, WSHA and WSMA launched the Honoring Choices Pacific Northwest website. If you missed the KPLU story, catch it here. We are working to give everyone the tools they need to think through their values and their choices, and to guide people through sharing those plans with their loved ones and health care teams. We’re... Read More >>

The holidays, sadly behind us, marked the end of a long and busy year. We at WSHA are cranking back into gear after two slow holiday weeks and are looking eagerly forward. The legislature convenes on Monday, and we have an ambitious agenda. Particular areas of focus are mental health, telemedicine and clinic fees. Our... Read More >>