May 22, 1997
State approves agreement between UW Academic Medical Center and Northwest Hospital for first of joint clinical programs
The state Department of Health has granted a certificate of need to University of Washington Medical Center and Northwest Hospital, approving an application filed last summer to develop a collaborative cardiac care program.
The collaborative program will offer a full range of services, from routine diagnosis to sophisticated interventional cardiology procedures and open-heart surgery. A significant outgrowth of the program will be the addition of open-heart surgery to the services offered at Northwest Hospital.
While the initial focus of the agreement is on a collaborative heart program, other possibilities for cooperative clinical programs also are being explored. The goal is to provide top quality medical services at the lowest cost to patients, while enhancing teaching programs of the UW Academic Medical Center by providing medical students and residents access to a broader range of patients and care settings.
“This is a major step in the UW Academic Medical Center’s evolving relationship with community health care providers,” said Dr. John Coombs, acting vice president for medical affairs and acting dean of the School of Medicine. “It will bring cost-effective, state-of-the-art medicine to the community while securing our position as a preeminent teaching and research site by diversifying and strengthening our clinical practice and research bases.”
“The addition of a collaborative open heart program on the Northwest Hospital campus will greatly benefit patients seeking quality cardiovascular services,” said Northwest Hospital President James D. Hart. “Basing the program at Northwest is especially beneficial because our Emergency Department has one of the highest volumes of cardiology patients in the area. These patients will now receive a full spectrum of services through the combined programs of Northwest and UW Medical Center.”
The state Department of Health has granted a certificate of need to University of Washington Medical Center and Northwest Hospital, approving an application filed last summer to develop a collaborative cardiac care program.
The collaborative program will offer a full range of services, from routine diagnosis to sophisticated interventional cardiology procedures and open-heart surgery. A significant outgrowth of the program will be the addition of open-heart surgery to the services offered at Northwest Hospital.
While the initial focus of the agreement is on a collaborative heart program, other possibilities for cooperative clinical programs also are being explored. The goal is to provide top quality medical services at the lowest cost to patients, while enhancing teaching programs of the UW Academic Medical Center by providing medical students and residents access to a broader range of patients and care settings.
“This is a major step in the UW Academic Medical Center’s evolving relationship with community health care providers,” said Dr. John Coombs, acting vice president for medical affairs and acting dean of the School of Medicine. “It will bring cost-effective, state-of-the-art medicine to the community while securing our position as a preeminent teaching and research site by diversifying and strengthening our clinical practice and research bases.”
“The addition of a collaborative open heart program on the Northwest Hospital campus will greatly benefit patients seeking quality cardiovascular services,” said Northwest Hospital President James D. Hart. “Basing the program at Northwest is especially beneficial because our Emergency Department has one of the highest volumes of cardiology patients in the area. These patients will now receive a full spectrum of services through the combined programs of Northwest and UW Medical Center.”
The two institutions already share an excellent working relationship. Northwest Hospital has shared cardiac catheterization laboratory services with UW Medical Center for many years. The UW welcomes the opportunity for a broad-based relationship with a financially sound, well-managed community hospital, said Coombs.
The UW Academic Medical Center includes the UW School of Medicine, UW Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, UW Physicians, and the UW Physicians Network. Northwest Hospital is a 345-bed non-profit hospital located in north Seattle. Special features of patient care include the Deke Slayton Center for Brain Cancer Studies and the Easy Street Environments for rehabilitation.
The two institutions already share an excellent working relationship. Northwest Hospital has shared cardiac catheterization laboratory services with UW Medical Center for many years. The UW welcomes the opportunity for a broad-based relationship with a financially sound, well-managed community hospital, said Coombs.
The UW Academic Medical Center includes the UW School of Medicine, UW Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, UW Physicians, and the UW Physicians Network. Northwest Hospital is a 345-bed non-profit hospital located in north Seattle. Special features of patient care include the Deke Slayton Center for Brain Cancer Studies and the Easy Street Environments for rehabilitation.
