About Overlake
Print
Share
About Us
Overlake Medical Center is a 349-bed, nonprofit regional medical center offering a full range of advanced medical services to the Puget Sound region. Led by a volunteer board of trustees, we employ nearly 3,000 people and have some 1,000 active and courtesy providers on our medical staff, including more than 200 providers who are employed by the organization.
We were the first Level III Trauma Center on the Eastside and we are known for providing award-winning, compassionate and patient-centered care. Our commitment to maintaining the highest standards in medical care is a major reason our patients and their families choose Overlake. It is also the reason why we've received many awards and recognitions both regionally and nationally.
Values
Guiding principles that drive our behaviors and decision making — I-CARE:
Integrity
We are honest—true to ourselves and truthful to others, which creates a trusting and safe environment.
Compassion
We enter into every interaction with the goal of demonstrating kindness and openness, with the goal of alleviating suffering and anxiety.
Agility
We embrace change and are nimble in a dynamic environment, and we do so with a thoughtful approach.
Respect
We value that every person is defined by unique life experiences. We strive to understand and learn from our diverse backgrounds, creating a sense of belonging and inclusion for our staff and patients. We embrace and demonstrate that diversity is a strength and equity is an imperative.
Engagement
We are fully present in all of our actions and work together as a team to provide exceptional, safe care to our patients. We have the ability and interest to make Overlake better.
Measuring Quality
At Overlake, our paramount goal is to provide the safest, highest quality care to every patient. Providing safe care means protecting patients from errors, injuries, accidents and infections. Many factors impact a healthcare system’s quality of care, and it takes a team of dedicated professionals, working in partnership with our patients and their families, to deliver exceptional, safe care.
Most, if not all, hospitals pledge their commitment to delivering high-quality care. But you may wonder, how can patients determine a hospital’s quality? Quality metrics, such as infection rates, hospital readmission rates and patient surveys, are the gold standard by which healthcare is measured. These measures help us monitor how well we are doing at providing safe, quality care. These data guide our ongoing efforts to improve processes to ensure we care for our patients using the most up-to-date practices.
Hospitals monitor and measure their own quality and rely on outside organizations for quality evaluations. Many quality rating agencies provide assessments at both the state and national levels. For most healthcare organizations in the country, the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program is a core measurement. This program, which is run by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, measures performance of hospitals across the nation based on a variety of factors, and rewards or penalizes hospitals through its Medicare reimbursement program. Overlake Medical Center has consistently been the top hospital for VBP in the Puget Sound region. VBP looks at our performance over time, and it also compares us with other hospitals around the nation. This helps us learn from each other and share our best practices for various processes and protocols that are important for patient safety, quality and experience.
Other independent organizations provide patients with objective, evidence-based assessments of their options when looking for treatment. Please visit any of the sites below to view Overlake’s quality and safety record.
Patient Safety
We believe safety is everyone’s responsibility. We support and foster a “just culture,” where all employees are encouraged to come forward when mistakes are made, allowing Overlake the opportunity to improve care and prevent potential errors. Having a strong reporting culture allows us to be informed, learn and grow.
The Patient's Role
We believe patients should take an active role in their healthcare, and evidence shows that patients who are involved in their care heal quicker. Working together as a team, we can make a difference. We ask patients to participate in their care by:
Keeping Us Informed
- Provide all information about your medical history and report any changes.
- Bring an updated list of all your medications.
- Speak up if something does not feel right.
- Report concerns.
Asking Questions
- Write down questions you have to ask your caregivers (nurses/physicians).
- Clarify what you do not understand.
- Ask about the medications you are receiving.
- Ask for assistance with getting out of bed. As a patient you may be at a higher risk for falls.
Helping to Prevent Infection
- Wash hands; it’s the best way to prevent the spread of germs.
- Ask family/friends with cold-like symptoms not to visit you while in the hospital.
- Speak up if anyone on your care team does not wash their hands. Your caregivers welcome your reminders to wash their hands or wear gloves.
The Power of Collaboration
While Overlake care team members work together to provide patients with the best care, we also work with neighboring healthcare organizations to improve the overall quality of care available to the community. Our partnership with EvergreenHealth in forming the Eastside Health Network is one such example. This partnership creates a single provider network, which increases value and choice for patients. As a result of this partnership, Overlake and EvergreenHealth share safety and quality data as well as best practices to raise the quality and safety bar for all Eastside patients.
