Children's Hospital has appealed to the Department of Health to block Swedish Hospital from building a new, 175 bed hospital on the growing Eastside. It claims that Swedish will put "too many beds" in one place. At the same time, Children's insists that it must build 350 additional beds at its own site, for a grand total of 600 beds in one place.
Somebody is not telling the truth here.
The following excerpts come from a recent Seattle Times article. The article summarizes the appeal filed against Swedish:
Swedish Plans to Build in Highlands (Seattle Times, 1/24/2008)
"Swedish Medical Center will build its future Eastside hospital in the Issaquah Highlands.... The first phase of the 175-bed facility is expected to open by 2012.A bit more food for thought:
Four hospitals filed a joint appeal with the state Department of Health last June over its decision to allow Swedish to build a facility in Issaquah.
Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue, Evergreen Hospital Medical Center in Kirkland, Snoqualmie Valley Hospital in Snoqualmie and Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center in Seattle argue that the state's approval concentrates too many hospital beds in one part of the Eastside.
The $207 million facility would include a pediatrics unit, 10 operating rooms and a neurology department."
- The planned Swedish Hospital location is "greenfield," so construction will be unhindered by existing structures. In contrast, Children's plans will entail decades of disruption to existing hospital facilities during construction. This will impact patient care and escalate costs.
- Children's seeks 600 of its own beds in one place. These beds would be very close to the UW Hospital, which has... you guessed it... even more beds.
- Which area is growing most quickly, so logically needs more beds-- the Eastside or NE Seattle? The Eastside wins hands-down. Issaquah's population just grew 26% in one year alone (see the Times).
