Seattle Sun Newspaper - Vol. 8, Issue 7, July 2004
Copyright 2004 Seattle Sun. Please feel free to use the article below in your research. Be sure to cite the Seattle Sun as your source.
Seattle Sun healthy living briefs
Hospitals discuss possible merger
Two North Seattle hospitals could soon share the same management.
Swedish Medical Center, the Puget Sound region's largest hospital organization with three hospital campuses in Seattle, including one in Ballard, and Northwest Hospital & Medical Center, an independent hospital in North Seattle's Haller Lake neighborhood, recently announced that they have begun talks regarding a possible merger. The deal could be completed by the end of the year, the hospitals said.
Swedish has more than 7,100 employees. Northwest has more than 1,600 employees.
If the merge should take place, both Swedish/Ballard and Northwest Hospital's campuses would remain open, but resources would be consolidated to "best maximize use" of the facilities, the organizations said in a joint statement.
Factors the hospitals mentioned as prompting the merger talks included a decline in recently years of the need for inpatient hospital beds and a shift to outpatient care.
Kevin Kawamoto, a spokesman for Northwest Hospital, said the hospital plans to continue with its current expansion plans, regardless of the outcome of the merger talks with Swedish. Northwest expects to complete construction of a $15 million five-story, 881-parking stall garage in August on the southwest corner of the hospital's campus. In October, it plans to begin construction of a new medical office building near the parking garage.
Support group for new mothers
The Maternity Health Clinic at Swedish Medical Center/Ballard Campus will soon begin offering a support group for mothers of newborns.
Hosted by the clinic's medical social worker, the New Moms Support Group will allow mothers of newborns to share the joys and challenges of parenting with other women going through the same experience. Discussion topics will address an array of issues and challenges faced by mothers of newborns, including how to balance roles as wife/partner, mother and worker.
These 90-minute support-group sessions will be held once a week for eight weeks. They will be held on an ongoing basis, with new groups starting at various times. Each series, which take place at Swedish/Ballard, costs $40 per person.
To register or for more information, call 781-6055.
Free safety awareness workshop
The Washington Karate Association will mark its move to a new location at 8618 3rd Ave. NW with a free Safety Awareness Workshop on Saturday, June 26, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The workshop will include general safety tips for home, auto and work and personal safety for families and children. Featured speakers will include a Seattle police officer and a prominent local attorney.
For more information, call 784-3171.
Sand Point center now open
The Sand Point Community Center, at Sand Point Magnuson Park, is now open. The center is located in two buildings the "Recreation Center" at 7110 62nd Ave. NE (the old Navy Building 47 formerly used for recreation and training), and the "Activity Center" at 6344 NE 74th St. (the old Navy brig, or prison). Both have been renovated the former with funding from the 1999 Community Centers Levy and the latter with funding from the 2000 Pro Parks Levy. For a schedule of programs and events offered at the center, call 684-4946, or visit the web at: www.cityofseattle.net/parks/Centers/SandPoint.htm.