Under a new agreement, Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center clearly lays out its commitment to serve the poor. Staff from the University of Washington will continue to provide care.
Harborview Medical Center in Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood is the only Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center in a four-state region. King County Councilman Rod Dembowski said it’s also the hospital that will not turn a patient away because of cost.
“This agreement ensures that on a go-forward basis that our most vulnerable populations will continue to receive the best healthcare in the county at Harborview, whether they can pay for it or not.”
Healthcare services for the poor will be expanded by extending Harborview’s care to three King County public health clinics, as well as hospitals outside of Seattle where low-income populations can afford to live. The agreement between Harborview, King County Public Health and the University of Washington is for the next 10 years, with the option to extend it for 30 years.
Labor is happy about this agreement. The new document is a blueprint for how the UW will manage its employees at the hospital.
“The university will seek to maintain — and you'll see this in there — positive employee and labor relations, that they will maintain collaborative working relationships; they’ll support mutual respect. And they’re going to be accountable, because there are going to be metrics to show are they doing it or aren’t they,” said Diane Sosne, the president of SEIU Healthcare 1199 Northwest, the union which represents many of Harborview’s workers.
Sosne said the union plans to use the language in the agreement to push UW to hire more nurses and staff for Harborview's operating rooms.
The agreement now goes before the King County Council and the University of Washington’s Board of Regents for final approval.
Last year, Harborview admitted more than 17,000 patients, had nearly 250,000 outpatient visits, and more than 62,000 emergency room visits. Harborview also provided $60 million in charity care.
