Community Programs
As a charitable, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, Swedish invests its resources in programs and services that improve the health of the community and region, from building partnerships with community clinics that serve the underprivileged to providing free and low-cost health-education classes to the public.
From newly arrived immigrants and at-risk teenagers to low-income seniors and families, Swedish compassionately reaches out to those who might not otherwise get the health-care services they need.
Here you'll find the many invaluable community programs and services available through Swedish.
Global to Local
In support of Swedish’s mission to improve the health and well-being of each person we serve and continuing Swedish’s long-standing commitment to improve the health of our region, Swedish has partnered with Washington Global Health Alliance, Public Health – Seattle & King County, and HealthPoint to address disparities in local healthcare through a groundbreaking initiative: Global to Local.
The Global to Local initiative is a new approach in applying global solutions to local healthcare challenges in underserved populations.
Charity Care
Swedish offers free or discounted hospital services for people who cannot afford care. At Swedish, a patient making two times the federal poverty level will qualify for a full uncompensated-care write-off. We provide financial assistance on a sliding scale for uninsured patients whose yearly family income is between 0 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level, and we ensure that financial constraints are not a barrier to the provision of care. More info
Swedish Community Specialty Clinic
In September 2010 the SCSC clinic opened on First Hill. The former Mother Joseph and Glaser specialty clinics combined and expanded specialty care services to the uninsured in our community. The clinic is partnered with King County Project Access and is a testament to Swedish Medical Center's commitment to serve the uninsured and underinsured patients in our community.
SCSC provides a workable solution to one of the most pressing health care problems facing low-income and uninsured people in our community - access to specialty care services. This program builds on the safety net of primary care provided by the community health and public health clinics in King County. Through KCPA and a volunteer staff of over 180 Swedish specialty physicians, low-income uninsured patients have access to needed specialty health care and donated ancillary, in- and out-patient hospital services.
Our goal is to set a new standard in community health and to highlight that Charity care is a core part of our nonprofit mission which will continue even in a down economy.
Residency programs for the economically disadvantaged
Swedish Family Medicine Residency clinics select residents from the nation's top medical schools to provide the best care to people of all ethnic backgrounds and financial situations. Physician residents treat patients regardless of their ability to pay, logging more than 41,000 patient visits each year. In addition to seeing patients at our First Hill and Cherry Hill campuses, the Family Medicine Residency also provides care through partnerships with the SeaMar, Indian Health Board and Downtown Family Medicine Clinics.
Services for low-income mothers and newborns
Every year, Swedish delivers more babies than any other hospital in the state. And 2010 was no exception. More than 7,500 babies were born at Swedish last year. From the moment a mother finds out she's expecting to when the baby leaves the hospital, Swedish is dedicated to making sure mom and baby are as healthy as possible. With such a strong and comprehensive Women and Infants program, we're here to care for moms of all backgrounds - and to ensure each baby delivered at Swedish gets a healthy shot at life.
Swedish SafeRide provides car seats for families whose infants are born or receive care at Swedish. The SafeRide program was created to help families with limited incomes buy car seats. However, families of any income level can buy car seats through SafeRide at wholesale prices. The program has grown to include education, training on proper car seat use and installation not only for patients, but for all community members.
In addition, Swedish also partners with community programs such as St. Joseph's Baby Corner and the Women, Infants and Children's (WIC) Supplemental Feeding and Nutrition. With these programs, Swedish is able to provide fundamental needs like shelter, food and clothing to mothers and their young ones. In addition to partnering with St. Joseph's Baby Corner, Swedish donates space on its First Hill campus to this organization which provides basic baby necessities to families with newborns.
Swedish Pregnant Women Services
This program assists expectant mothers with drug and alcohol addictions and works with Swedish Perinatal Medicine to make sure these women get the extra medical attention they need to reduce the risk for complications with their pregnancy and health problems in their newborn.
Clinical services for low-income seniors
The Swedish Ballard Community Nursing Clinic offers free vaccinations, blood pressure checks, foot care and other basic services to low-income seniors. Each Tuesday, the clinic sees patients at the Ballard campus. And on each Monday and Wednesday, the clinic sees patients at various locations throughout the community, including 16 different senior apartment complexes, Ballard Northwest Senior Center and Ballard Manor. Each year, the clinic logs more than 8,000 visits both onsite and in the community. Other activities include water aerobics, jazzercise and nutrition classes at no cost to the elderly and those members of the community who are poor in health.
Health-care services at Ballard High School
The Ballard Teen Health Center is a partnership between Swedish and Ballard High School to provide students at the school with physical and mental-health services. Teens visit the center for treatments ranging from illnesses and injuries to confidential family-planning services, STD testing and mental-health counseling. The center, which was started by Swedish in 2002, also provides smoking-cessation programs, nutrition and exercise counseling, general health information and school-wide health promotion and classroom presentations. The center targets adolescents who are uninsured or underinsured and those who have no other options for medical care and counseling.
Support for patients and families
The Swedish Patient Assistance Fund provides patients and their families with financial support for a range of items and services, including utility bills, wheelchairs and walkers, rent and mortgage assistance, skilled nursing and home care, and more. Food banks, clothing banks, patient transportation and comfort therapies for hospice patients are also part of this program.
Family violence program
Many of our staff members are specially trained to identify patients who may be victims of family violence and connect them with community agencies that can provide the help they need. In addition, Swedish provides financial support and donates space to organizations, such as New Beginnings and the YWCA, that support battered women and their families.
The Social and Health Justice Program
This program is a partnership between Seattle University Law School and Swedish Medical Center, known as the Public Benefits Assistance Project, Medical Legal Partnership between Seattle University School of Law and Swedish Medical Center. Modeled after the preeminent national model of medical legal partnerships—National Center for Medical Legal Partnership—the SU SMC program started in spring of 2010.
The main task of the SU SMC Public Benefits Assistance Project—Medical Legal Partnership (PBAP-MLP) is to identify and enroll eligible Swedish Family Medicine, 1st Hill Clinic patients age 50 and above into a public benefit program known as the COPES program. Both Swedish Medical and Seattle U School of Law have a strong commitment to financial justice, believing it to be a direct contributor to health and wellness. SMC patients live in the greater Seattle urban area, including many in the urban core.
The immediate impact of community members’ enrollment is to build a social safety and wellness net. First, specific patient needs are systematically addressed in the formal assessment tool. Medical transport, hygiene, nutrition, medication reminders, medical appointment reminders, and concrete medical devices are just some of the customized care plan. Second, the patient perceives a stronger sense of social connection. Third, a coordinated care team enhances provider collaboration and communication. Finally, unmet needs due to financial paucity are eliminated.
Community health education
The Patient/Family Education and Community Health Program is committed to helping patients, families and the community make informed choices about their health. The program offers classes on topics such as cancer, childbirth, diabetes, orthopedics, nutrition, safety and injury prevention, stress management and more. These community health educations classes are available to patients, families, community members, physicians, nurses and clinical staff.
Arming patients with health information they need allows them to make informed decisions and be advocates in their care. One way Swedish provides access to health information is through education and resource centers at our three main campuses.
The largest and most comprehensive resource center is the James B. Douglas Health Education Center, located at the First Hill campus. Here, patients, family and community members can find information about support groups and health resources, register for classes, access online health information, pick up free education brochures, and purchase car seats.
In addition to hosting hundreds of health education classes each year, Swedish offers the community many supports groups on a range of topics from cancer to bereavement to childbirth.
Swedish Mobile Mammography Program
The Mobile Mammography Program is dedicated to bringing high-quality mammography services to women throughout Western Washington, primarily those in underserved and hard-to-reach areas. The program includes two Breast Care Express coaches which deliver experienced technologists and mammography equipment to locations convenient for women - places in their community or at their workplace. In 2010, the Swedish Mobile Mammography Program provided mammograms to 7,656 women. To reach women who need these vital - and often life-saving - breast-health services, Swedish joins with important community partners such as the YWCA, Center for Multicultural Health, Senior Services of Seattle/King County, the Rainier Park Community Clinic and North Seattle Public Health Center. Swedish also works closely with Planned Parenthood of Clallam County and various health fairs through the International Community Health Services.
Physicians at the GYN Clinic performed 200 procedures in 2007 and had more than 200 patient visits. Although primarily a charity-care clinic, this clinic also receives funding from the Washington Breast and Cervical Health Program. The GYN Clinic partners with several organizations around the area to provide women with vital services. These organizations include Seattle King County Public Health, Kitsap County Public Health, Planned Parenthood of Washington, First Hill Family Medicine and 45th Street Clinic.
Job training for developmentally disabled students
A special program at Swedish provides job training for students with disabilities.
Bereavement support groups
Swedish provides a number of support groups for people who have lost loved ones.
Spiritual care events
The Spiritual Care Department at Swedish offers several community-based educational events, including a workshop for pastoral caregivers that focuses on hospital visitation, as well as other workshops open to the public on such topics as end-of-life issues and access to health care.
Other community programs
Swedish also made donations to nearly 50 local organizations and groups to support the vital work each is doing in the Puget Sound area. These organizations include the American Heart Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Gilda's Club, Eastside Fire and Rescue, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center, Seattle University, United Way of King County and the YWCA of Seattle/King County.
