Overlake Medical Center CEO talks health care at Bellevue Chamber event

Hospital will break ground on new $250 million project in April.

Overlake Medical Center is continuing to open doors on new projects — and opportunities to address the community’s health care needs.

Last September, the hospital opened its new $20 million Overlake Cancer Center, offering patients comprehensive treatment and therapies in one convenient location.

And this April, Overlake will break ground on its new $250 million Project FutureCare campus renewal project.

Both projects were largely funded by private charitable donations.

“As we have been since our inception in 1960, we continue to be a hospital that was built for the community by the community,” Overlake President and CEO Michael Marsh said as keynote speaker of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce’s luncheon on Thursday at the Westin Bellevue.

Marsh gave a sneak peak of an architectural rendering of the Project FutureCare campus, which includes a new, 5-story inpatient tower featuring a new Childbirth Center and Mom/Baby Center, new operating rooms and more inpatient mental health space and services.

During the event, Marsh underscored Overlake’s role in the Eastside and how it’s addressing the community’s needs.

The fifth-biggest medical system, Overlake served about 100,000 patients last year at the hospital and 281,000 visits were made to Overlake’s ambulatory or outpatient clinics.

Marsh acknowledged how much pressure everyone from health systems, to employers to patients is facing in this rapidly changing health care environment. To that end, he reported that each month Overlake tracks nearly 800 quality and value metrics.

“We are ranked the highest value provider for a mid to large health system in the state,” Marsh said. Furthermore, “Our quality is top notch, fitting for a community of this caliber.”

He went on to explain that quality health care is not just for the wealthiest among us, rather Overlake provided more than $25 million in community benefit last year, including more than $5.2 million in outright charity care. “I want to share about our progressive charity care policy, offering it to patients making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty limit and we are proactive, seeking to help those in need,” he said.

Throughout the presentation, Marsh highlighted Overlake’s emphasis on compassionate care.

During a Q&A, a couple of audience members stood up and shared their own stories of positive, personalized experiences. Other questions included one about behavior health services and what makes the Overlake Cancer Center unique.

Marsh noted all of the care team from radiology oncologists to social workers come to the patient rather than patients having to travel to different offices.

For more information, visit www. overlakehospital.org.