Focusing on the affordability of care for Washington residents is core to the mission of the Washington Health Alliance. So when we had two interns from Seattle’s The Bush School – Dahlia Wandasiewicz and Abigail Goldberger – join us this month, we asked that they look at the issue with their unique perspective.

Below is a blog post the interns wrote after speaking to WHA staff and Emily Brice, co-executive director of the Northwest Health Law Advocates, a WHA member organization.

We appreciate the time these interns took to dig into a nuanced and complex topic. And we value their voice in our ongoing effort to ensure everyone in Washington has affordable care. Join the conversation!

St. Clare Hospital named Leapfrog Group Top Hospital

This month, the Leapfrog Group named St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood as one of 75 top teaching hospitals nationwide. St. Clare Hospital was the only Washington hospital to receive this honor in 2024.

Leapfrog Group, a leading national nonprofit focused on hospital safety and quality, recognized St. Clare Hospital, part of WHA member organization Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, at the organization's annual conference in Washington, D.C.

Read more.

Alliance Welcomes New Member: Visana Health

The Alliance would like to welcome our newest member, Visana Health, a comprehensive women’s healthcare organization.

Visana Health is a virtual-first women’s healthcare company that provides comprehensive, whole person, coordinated care from menstruation through menopause.

Read more.

April 2 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Through collective action, we can ensure health care purchasers, health plans and health care providers are best equipped to drive substantial change in the market to improve quality, cost and equity of care.

Keynote speakers include Cora Opsahl, Health Fund Director at Building Services 32BJ Benefits Fund, and Ge Bai, PhD, CPA, Professor of Accounting at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and Professor of Health Policy & Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

In-person attendance is strongly encouraged.

If you are having issues accessing the registration link, please contact Nicholas Rondinone, Senior Communications Manager, at nrondinone@wahealthalliance.org. 

Get involved next year

The Washington Health Alliance invites you to partner with us for our 2025 educational forum, "Balancing the Value Equation in Healthcare."

The Alliance is considering panels touching on these topics and others:

• Value-based contracting (primary care, surgical, disease management)

• Outcomes-driven disease management programs

• Hospital fair pricing

• AI’s impact on employee benefits and health care

• Gap closure in disparate populations

• Pharmacy benefits  (fiduciary responsibilities – risk management; high-cost claims)

• Mental health (outcomes-based measurement; substance use disorder; going upstream to improve access)

Our members and supporters can be the best ambassadors for our work. If you know someone who would like to learn more about membership in the Alliance, contact Denise Giambalvo, Director of Member Engagement & Business Strategy, at dgiambalvo@wahealthalliance.org.