2019 Leaders in Health Care: Washington Health Alliance Community Checkup Award

This article appears in print in the March 2019 issue. See more about the winners of the 2019 Leaders in Healthcare Awards here. Click here for a free subscription.

In 2007, the Washington Health Alliance began issuing a recurring report on health care performance across the region and the state of Washington. Called the Community Checkup, it has become the umbrella under which the alliance releases public reports on the quality of health care.

The Community Checkup uses the Washington State Common Measure Set for Health Care Quality and Cost, a tool established by state legislation to enable the tracking of such elements as access to primary care, acute care, disease prevention and chronic care. Data are analyzed and reported by the alliance, based on support from more than 185 member organizations, which not only provide the data for much of the alliances work but also participate in determining what the alliance studies and how it is communicated.

Achieving excellence in health care improvement requires continued hard work and commitment, says alliance Executive Director Nancy Giunto. The Washington Health Alliance is grateful to those members and stakeholders who have been diligently working alongside us for the past 12 years to achieve high-value, evidence-based health care and better health outcomes in our state.

Since implementation of the Common Measure Set in 2015, three medical groups have ranked in the top five for quality of health care in each of the past four years. Two others have reached the top five in three of the four years. Each was recognized with Seattle Business magazines Leaders in Health Care Awards honorees at a celebration on February 28 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Pioneer Square.

Washington Permanente Medical Group
Stephen Tarnoff, M.D., president and executive medical director
Multispecialty group practice of more than 1,100 physicians, physician assistants, optometrists, midwives and psychologists in Washington state.

Swedish Medical Group
R. Guy Hudson, M.D., CEO
Jack Cox, M.D., chief medical officer
Largest nonprofit health care provider in greater Seattle with hospital campuses in Edmonds, Issaquah and First Hill, Cherry Hill and Ballard in Seattle.

Virginia Mason Medical Group
Gary S. Kaplan, M.D., chairman and CEO
Michael Glenn, M.D., chief medical officer
Established in 1920. System includes Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, Bailey-Boushay House in Seattle and a regional network of outpatient medical facilities.

The Everett Clinic
Aric Coffman, M.D., CEO and market president
Alka Atal-Barrio, M.D., chief medical officer
Founded in 1924. Operates 30 care sites throughout Snohomish and King counties caring for more than 330,000 patients and employing about 2,400.

UW Medicine/Valley Medical Center
Rich Roodman, CEO
Timothy Dellit, M.D., chief medical officer
The oldest and largest public district hospital in the state of Washington, founded in 1947. Serves more than 600,000 residents in South King County.