Overlake Hospital Medical Center Expands

Ken Graham, CEO of the Overlake Hospital Medical Center, made one of his periodic visits to bring Rotarians up to date in what is happening to healthcare in Bellevue. “Healthcare is expensive,” Graham observed. “A recent worldwide survey in 56 countries showed that healthcare is the top concern of people everywhere, but they have different ideas of how it should be delivered. Everyone wants someone else to pay for it, either by employers (from a majority of developed nation’s respondents); by the government (second tier countries); or by the First World (from responses from the Third World).”

Overlake Hospital CEO Ken Graham

Ken, who is a Bellevue Rotarian and chairperson of the District’s Rotatcare Committee, informed the audience that a second clinic for low-income people will be opened soon in Renton, to serve South King County. The clinic at Hopelink in Bellevue continues to serve a growing number of people and families who have no health coverage.

The mission of the Overlake Hospital Medical Center is to “provide exceptional patient care and medical excellence every day through a locally governed, non-profit regional medical center serving the grater Puget Sound in partnership with our physicians.”

The components of the hospital are the Overlake Hospital Association, the Medical Center, Medical Clinics and the Overlake Venture Center. The Hospital employs 2,161 people, has a staff of nearly 800 medical professionals, and 491 volunteers. The Medical Center serves 17,000 inpatients per year and 141,000 outpatients annually. There are an additional 52,000 emergency visits per year.

Growing from one doctor in 1953, the hospital has grown to receive a series of important National and Regional awards. Just recently, the hospital was named one of the top 100 community hospitals for heart patients. In 2000, the hospital received its first award for excellence in the cardiac care field.

Graham noted the hospital has 26 clinics operating on the Eastside. One serves 75,000 people in the Issaquah-Sammamish area and soon will be expanded to offer additional services.

The CEO noted that with the country’s aging population, healthcare needs increase exponentially. “It takes five years to build a hospital bed,” a phrase that shows the detail which is needed when expanding services. “In 2007, Overlake Medical Center will open an 80-bed expansion. Construction will begin by March of 2005. This will be the South Tower, which will replace the original hospital built in 1953.”

One of the major projects facing the hospital is a plan to develop the main entrance off of 116th street as the hospital campus develops in a south direction. “There’s a proposal by the city and federal transportation groups to extend 10th street to the east over I-405, which would dissect the hospital campus. This would be a 5-lane road, so this is no small proposal. We are actively involved in this multi-agency discussion on how to identify solutions that make sense for all involved.”

Mr. Graham received a certificate indicating a book has been delivered in his name to a youngster on the Eastside to celebrate Rotary’s project to improve literacy. Thanks to Dick Swanson for his introduction.