How to Build an Operating Room, or Two

When our two new heart operating rooms open this fall, they will represent state-of-the-art medical technology, innovative techniques and the capacity to care for more patients. They will also represent the generosity and spirit of the Eastside.

The Overlake Medical Center Foundation has been working tirelessly to raise funds for the new ORs since 2016, before construction even began. The need is indisputable—the population of the Eastside is both growing and getting older. The new rooms will enable our doctors to increase the number of heart surgeries performed each year to meet the growing need. Procedures will include the latest minimally invasive techniques as well as open-heart surgery when needed.

Overlake has been a nonprofit, community-supported hospital from its beginnings in the 1950s. The current Eastside has proven itself just as forward-thinking as the folks in those days. When asked to support Project FutureCare, a slate of advancements (including the ORs) that would make Overlake’s already top-tier medical care even stronger, Eastside community members jumped on board.

Making Great Healthcare Even Better

“When my husband, who was 91, passed away at Overlake, they really took the best possible care of him and they took care of me, too,” says Bellevue resident Patty Edwards. “I want to make sure Overlake stays what it is now—a world-class hospital.” Patty’s incredibly generous lead gift of $2.5 million helped launch the fundraising campaign and inspire others to get involved.

“I feel very fortunate to have a good hospital nearby,” says Jim Kesl, who has committed $60,000 to the project. “I’m a big believer in the importance of that. I’ve been using Overlake for 30 years. It’s a good place.”

For Rao Remala, proximity and quality were the key considerations. “If I have a heart attack, I don’t want someone to take me to Seattle driving on busy bridges,” he explains. “Overlake has the best heart care, and it’s less than 10 minutes from my house.” The Satya and Rao Remala Foundation contributed $150,000 to Project FutureCare. “Our gift keeps a high-quality hospital in my backyard. What could be better than that?”

In addition to the operating rooms, Project FutureCare includes a new patient building, a state-of-the-art Childbirth Center, and an updated, expanded mental health unit. Our generous community will be instrumental at every step.

Learn more about Project FutureCare and how to get involved.