EvergreenHealth and Valley General Hospital approve affiliation that expands health care services to Snohomish County residents

KIRKLAND, Wash., Dec. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- EvergreenHealth and Valley General Hospital of Monroe announced today that the organizations approved an agreement that makes Valley General Hospital an affiliate of EvergreenHealth. The organizations will deliver on a commitment to provide Snohomish County residents greater choice and greater access to the high-quality services offered by EvergreenHealth and its partners, Virginia Mason Medical Center and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

The Boards of Commissioners of Valley General Hospital and EvergreenHealth voted unanimously on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012 to approve the agreement.

The affiliation is governed by a shared governance council and both organizations will remain independent and separately governed, licensed and accredited.

The affiliation provides Valley General the ability to better serve its community through enhanced clinical services and to adopt EvergreenHealth's approaches to clinical outcomes, patient safety and patient experience, which have earned EvergreenHealth national recognition as one of the top-performing hospitals in the nation.

As a first step, EvergreenHealth will develop a robust primary-care practice staffed by EvergreenHealth physicians in the Sky River Medical Office Building, located next to the Valley General Hospital campus.  Additional priorities include support from EvergreenHealth to develop a strong senior leadership team within Valley General, to assist in developing a comprehensive clinical-services plan, and to create connections to the more specialized services of EvergreenHealth.

"This is the beginning of a long-term relationship with Valley General that allows us to focus on the premier goal to enhance patient care and experience. This affiliation positions us in the best possible way to provide Snohomish County residents greater access to comprehensive health care services and it ensures those choices remain where it's most convenient for patients in their own community," said EvergreenHealth CEO Bob Malte.

"We've kept the community at the center of our work, and together we are eager to extend greater access to care and services to our Snohomish County neighbors," said Michael Fraser, interim CEO of Valley General. "Valley General is an important part of the Monroe community and now we'll continue to provide the services our residents and patients need from a familiar location."

The agreement also gives Snohomish County residents increased access to a range of EvergreenHealth health care services beyond those already used by many community members. EvergreenHealth currently serves the residents of Snohomish County through its Level III ER/Trauma Center; obstetrical and women's services; cancer and cardiology care; and 24/7 Nurse Navigators, Home Health and Healthline service.

The affiliation provides patients with increased access to specialty care through EvergreenHealth's partnerships with Virginia Mason Medical Center and the advanced coronary care program it is creating with EvergreenHealth, as well as the Halvorson Cancer Center on EvergreenHealth's main campus, developed in partnership with Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and slated to be fully open in January 2013.

EvergreenHealth's commitment to patient safety was demonstrated earlier this year when it was awarded top marks for Patient Safety by Consumer Reports. Also this year, EvergreenHealth earned a Consumer Choice Award for consumer preference, given by National Research Corporation, a nationally trusted data research firm, which places EvergreenHealth as one of two top-performing hospitals in the Puget Sound area. The organization has received two consecutive HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Awards™ and in 2012 HealthGrades also named EvergreenHealth a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence for the fourth consecutive year.

About EvergreenHealth

EvergreenHealth, a public hospital district and community-based healthcare organization established in 1972, offers a breadth of services and programs that is among the most comprehensive in the region. More than 950 physicians provide clinical excellence within more than 80 specialties, including cardiac, oncology, surgical care, orthopedics, a neuroscience institute, women's and children's services, hospice care, pulmonary care, a sleep disorders center and home care services.  EvergreenHealth serves more than 400,000 residents in its primary service area of northern King and southern Snohomish counties with EvergreenHealth Primary Care, a network of primary and urgent care practices, and its main hospital campus in Kirkland, Wash. EvergreenHealth also provides emergency care at two sites; its main hospital campus and the EvergreenHealth Redmond Medical Center. In addition to clinical care, EvergreenHealth offers extensive community health outreach and education programs, anchored by EvergreenHealth Nurse Navigators & Healthline, a 24/7 nurse consultation service. For more information, visit www.evergreenhealth.com.

About Valley General Hospital

Valley General is an accredited, full-service district hospital located in Monroe, Washington since 1960. The District includes 100,000 people in central and eastern Snohomish County, and provides primary care for community members through the Sky River Medical Group. Valley General's mission is to serve the changing health care needs of its community. It provides personalized patient care known for quality and excellence with a healing environment through caring relationships. More details about Valley General can be found at www.valleygeneral.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Kay Taylor
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
EvergreenHealth
425.899.2604
[email protected]

Collette Reams
Director of Community Relations and Marketing
Valley General Hospital
360.805.6316
[email protected]

Kristi Clough
Firmani + Associates Inc.
206.443.9357
[email protected]

SOURCE EvergreenHealth