October 14, 2010
Why I chose UW Medicine: Convenient locations and the best providers — our UW colleagues
UW Medicine comprises seven entities with a single mission of improving health, both locally and globally. This fall, as part of UW Medicine’s launch of a new brand, we are reaching out to UW employees who choose this system for their health care and asking them a single question: why?
The following is the first in a series of UW Medicine patient stories, in their own words.
Norm Arkans, UW associate vice president for media relations and communications, tells his story:
“A number of years ago when I was quite younger, a wise (and older) colleague involved in the study of health care asked me a simple question: if something were to go seriously wrong with your health, who would you want to choose to provide your care?
“Good question, I thought, one I hadn’t really considered at that point in my life. So I did, and I chose the wealth of talent at UW Medicine. First, I wanted access to the best-trained frontline care providers, those closest to the latest treatments and diagnostic tools available, and where else can you find that but at a first-rate academic medical center?
“Second, since I live fairly close to the University, I wanted easy and convenient access to my health care providers. Unless incapacitated (it’s happened), I can walk wherever I need to for care, whether it is UWMC-Roosevelt, the Sports Medicine Clinic at our athletic campus, or UW Medical Center itself. Everything is right here, from primary care to the most sophisticated specialization.
“And lastly, it is important for me that the doctors, nurses, physician assistants, technicians and others who make up the UW team understand my work life and the environment in which I function every day. They are colleagues at the University and understand what it is like for people to work here.
“What better combination: the best providers, easy access, and a true understanding of what it’s like to work at the University of Washington.”
For information on obtaining your health care at UW Medicine, please visit the patient care portal of the UW Medicine web site. The site includes the interactive databases “Find a Clinic” and “Find a Physician” to locate services, whether you’re looking for primary-care to stay healthy, specialty treatment, or a UW Medicine clinic near your neighborhood.
