Health Care
Paradigm Shift
Dendreon exploded into national prominence in 2010 for bringing its research discovery, Provenge, into commercial use after receiving Food and Drug Administration approval in April. Provenge is a breakthrough therapy that uses a patients own cells to fight prostate cancer. One expert in the field, Philip Kantoff of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said Provenge will…
Mending the Disconnect
Perhaps what makes Rogelio Riojas so effective at providing health services to socioeconomically disadvantaged Latinos in Washington is that he knows firsthand what its like to be poor, to not speak the dominant language and to feel like a second-class citizen. Riojas grew up in rural Texas, but every spring he and his parents took…
Face Time
Martin Siegel has more than his fair share of accolades and accomplishments. The former director of epidemiology at Swedish Health Services and member of the board of trustees at Swedish, he won Case Western Reserve Universitys Alfred S. Maschke Award for Clinical Excellence, and is frequently selected as one of Seattles top doctors. But in…
Seeds of a Cure
Richland-based IsoRay Medical has developed new products that increase the ease and effectiveness of internal radiation therapy (also known as brachytherapy) in treating various cancers, particularly prostate cancer, while reducing physical and psychological suffering of patients. In brachytherapy, tiny seeds treated with radioactive isotopes are placed near the tumor to target cancer cells from the…
Outstanding Achievement in Health Care Information Technology
Since health care information technology covers an extremely broad spectrum, our judges decided to break this category into subcategories to allow for a more appropriate comparison of nominees: IT providing direct, discrete solutions for specific problems and IT serving large coordinated hospital and clinic systems. Discrete IT solutionsTED TANASE connects individuals and hospitals. Ted Tanase…
Global Solutions
PATH, under the direction of president and CEO Christopher Elias, has harnessed modern science and engineering to develop practical, affordable solutions for health problems in the developing world, where each year millions of people die from preventable diseases. Tailoring culturally appropriate, affordable and sustainable solutions requires a great deal of work and creativity. Recently, for…
Doing the Right Thing
Leo Greenawalt knows what it means to fight for change over the long term. As the president and CEO of the Washington State Hospital Association, he has been in the forefront of resolving heated conflicts over health care costs, reimbursements and availability. His admirers say hes an ethical, committed leader who knows how to find…
Leaders in Health Care 2011
The rising cost of care has become a heavy burden on both business and society at large. But we in this region are luckier than most. Thanks to innovative institutions and a large community of talented and dedicated health care providers, we consistently provide higher-quality care at lower cost than most other areas of the…
Leaders in Health Care Finalists for Lifetime Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award finalilsts (In alphabetic order) Leo Greenawalt President and CEO, Washington State Hospital Association As the president and CEO of the Washington State Hospital Association, Leo Greenawalt has been in the forefront of resolving heated conflicts over health care costs, reimbursements and availability. In his 30 years at the helm of the nonprofit…
Washington State Hospitals Get Good Grades
There’s been some good news about Washington state health care of late. A report released by the Washington State Hospital Association found that Washington state hospitals, on average, had less than half the infection rates following surgery than was the average for hospitals nationwide. Check out the Seattle Times’ coverage of the report. In separate…
Leaders in Health Care 2011 Award Categories
Lifetime Achievement Award: Awarded to an individual for his or her lifetimecontribution to the improvement and advancement of health care inWashington. Outstanding Health Care Executive: Awarded to theadministrator (or team) at a hospital or healthcare provider inWashington state who has made exceptional contributions that raised thequality of health care while reducing costs. Considerations shouldinclude, but…
Keeping on Target
Calypso’s technology allows for precision tumor-zapping. Seattle-based biotech company Calypso Medical TechnologiesInc. is continuing to improve radiation oncology treatment for cancer patients.The company demonstrated its new Dynamic Edge Gating Technology at the 52ndannual meeting of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine in July. One of the problems with radiation therapy is that anymovement by…
Health Care Commitments and Realities
Early in pursuit ofthe presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama acknowledged two health-carereform realities: Covering more people will cost more money, and agovernment-run, single-payer program might not make sense in an establishedsystem with heavily invested stakeholders. How will reform commitments andeconomic realities play out in the new administration? President Obama, ever the pragmatist, must view currenteconomic…