'news' posts

SEATTLE, Sept. 13, 2012 - In light of how unique it is that Swedish's three chiefs of staff - Drs. Mary Weiss (First Hill, Cherry Hill and Ballard campuses), Michelle Sinnett (Edmonds campus), and Lily Jung Henson (Issaquah campus) - are all women, Washington Healthcare News recently published a related article titled 'Swedish Shatters any Vestige of a Glass Ceiling' by Swedish's Chief Medical Officer John Vassall, M.D.

SEATTLE, Sept. 11, 2012 - As they do each year, Seattle magazine and Seattle Met magazines published the results of their annual Top Doctors surveys in their July and August 2012 issues, respectively. To recognize the more than 300 Swedish-affiliated providers who were nominated by their peers for each survey, here is information about both efforts.

SEATTLE, Sept. 11, 2012 - For patients too sick to undergo open-heart surgery, a new, FDA-approved, minimally invasive aortic valve replacement procedure - now being performed by Swedish Heart & Vascular Institute (SHVI) providers - is offering new hope to patients whose life-threatening heart condition was previously inoperable.

SEATTLE, Aug. 29, 2012 - The Issaquah Press posted an article on their web site today headlined 'Issaquah brothers become brain surgeons for a day' about two Issaquah brothers who were among those invited by the Swedish Neuroscience Institute to become brain surgeons for a day on Aug. 24.

SEATTLE, Aug. 27, 2012 – Since its opening in 2008, the Ben & Catherine Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment (the Ivy Center) at Swedish Medical Center's Neuroscience Institute has led the expansion drive of major research projects and expanded treatment options for patients living with brain cancer in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the world. The Ivy Center was founded in 2008 to create a world-class treatment and research facility focused on delivering excellent patient care and advancing progress toward more effective treatments for brain cancer.

World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration held around the world to generate public awareness and support for breastfeeding families. And, in honor of this special week, Swedish/Issaquah Pediatrics and OB are hosting a community celebration – and you’re invited.

Join us on Wednesday, Aug. 1 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for a fun-filled day of activities. Raising a healthy, happy baby is one of the most rewarding things you’ll do. And, it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.

We’re bringing together an impressive group of individuals and vendors to provide you and your family with information about health and education services. Our event will also feature:

• Door Prizes
• Story Telling
• Teddy Bear Clinic
• Massages
• The Leche Lounge
• Live Music
• Yoga
• “Ask-the-Doc” Booth

Event Location:
Swedish/Issaquah
751 N.E. Blakely Drive
Issaquah, WA 98029
2nd Floor Conference Center

As you have likely heard by now, the Supreme Court this morning issued a landmark decision that will allow implementation of the new health-care law to move forward.

Swedish aligned with the Washington State Hospital Association in support of the passage of the Affordable Care Act because it provides for better access to care for more individuals throughout the country. We recognize there are many supporting and opposing voices around this topic, and while not a perfect piece of legislation, the law will provide coverage for 30 million people who otherwise have no access to insurance by 2014.

While the Court’s decision brings additional clarity to national health reform, our commitment to improving health care regionally remains the same. For the past six years, Swedish has worked diligently to improve quality, reduce costs and increase access to health care, and we are fully committed to continuing down this path. We also remain committed to serving all those in need. Last year alone, Swedish provided $146 million in community-benefit activities.

Here is a summary of the ruling on the Affordable Care Act:

The Supreme Court ruled this morning on the constitutionality of President Obama’s health care law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PL 111-148). The Court ruled 5-4 that the Affordable Care Act, including its individual mandate that virtually all Americans buy health insurance, is constitutional. While the Court did not find that the law was constitutional under the Commerce Clause, as argued by lawyers representing the federal government, five Justices agreed that the penalty that someone must pay if they refuse to buy insurance is a tax and that Congress has the authority to impose such a tax.

According to the SCOTUS Blog: “Because the individual mandate survived, the Court did not need to decide what other parts of the statute were constitutional, except for a provision that required states to comply with new eligibility requirements for Medicaid or risk losing their funding. On that question, the Court held that the provision is constitutional as long as states would only lose new funds if they didn't comply with the new requirements, rather than all of their funding.”

The court’s ruling gave President Obama a victory of sorts on a law whose most controversial provision — the individual mandate — is not set to take effect until 2014. Some popular provisions, such as family coverage for children up to age 26, have already taken effect. Congress gave the bill final approval in March 2010 on the strength of a Democratic majority in both the House and the Senate; Republicans gained control of the House in November 2010 in part by capitalizing on opposition to the mandate and vowing to try to repeal the law in its entirety.

Below is a synopsis of some of the key provisions that remain law after today’s court decision...