Monday, December 21, 2009

Overlake Hospital Medical Center rewrites the recipe book on hospital food and it tastes great!

Overlake Hospital Medical Center introduced patients to their new room service program last week, featuring restaurant-quality food and hotel-style service.

The new room service program provides an improved patient experience by giving patients more control over their meals. The new dining program focuses on using the highest-quality, freshest ingredients to create dishes that look appealing and taste great. The new menus have a broad range of ethnic, organic, seasonal and fresh, locally-grown items to choose from. There is a “regular” menu that a majority of patients will use, but other menus to address specific diet needs are also provided. Those menus include a heart-healthy menu and low-sodium and low-fiber menus as well.

On December 16, Head Chef Chris Linaman brought in food samples from the new gourmet menu to the KIRO Radio morning show. Listen to the segment below:



Family's property being taken by the City of SeaTac

You recognize that spinning key at SeaTac? It’s the signature sign of the Park ‘n Fly business near SeaTac Airport, owned by Doris and James Cassan and it is likely being taken in a condemnation action by the City of SeaTac.

The Cassans have owned the Dollar-A-Day rent-a-car and Park ‘n Fly facility across the street from SeaTac Airport since 1968. Now, despite a development agreement with the City of SeaTac and the fact that the Cassans’ Park ‘n Fly has been a part of the City of SeaTac’s economic foundation for almost half a century, the SeaTac City Council just passed an ordinance directing that the Cassans’ property be taken from them by eminent domain.

Two years ago the Cassan Family entered into a six-year development agreement with the City of SeaTac that provided them with the opportunity to evaluate the redevelopment of this particular property for a broad combination of uses. The Cassans, working closely with the city of SeaTac and in good faith, submitted a formal proposal that included a hotel with a park and fly facility below, but the City of SeaTac has refused to endorse it because they have stated they do not “want a city made entirely of park and flys and parking lots.” Nonetheless, the city council now wants to confiscate the Cassans’ property to, believe it or not, build a public parking garage.

This is the sixth parcel of property in SeaTac owned by the Cassans that has been taken from them by eminent domain in the last four years. On Oct. 8, 2009 the Cassans filed a lawsuit against the City of SeaTac, their latest step in the fight to keep their land.

For a more in-depth look at the Cassans' battle with the City of SeaTac, read this article by Eric Mathison of The Highline Times.

The Cassans also appeared on the Dori Monson Show on KIRO Radio, click here to listen to the interview.


Finally, check out the TV coverage of the Cassans' effort to save their property:






Monday, November 9, 2009

Pregnant women receive free H1N1 vaccinations from Overlake Hospital

More than 400 pregnant women who registered to give birth at Overlake Hospital Medical Center received a free H1N1 flu vaccination from Overlake on Sunday, November 8, 2009.The H1N1 immunization clinic was the first of several clinics planned by Overlake Hospital.

Overlake’s unique vaccination program offers free H1N1 immunizations to all pregnant women who have an Overlake-affiliated physician and plan to deliver at the Overlake Childbirth Center. After women pre-register for their delivery at Overlake Hopsital they receive a postcard from their physician with specific directions about scheduling an appointment for vaccination. Future clinics will be scheduled as Overlake receives more H1N1 vaccine.

Check out coverage of the event by KIRO radio here. Also, reporters from KOMO-TV were onsite as well:

Monday, October 12, 2009

Medical Teams International and the Seahawks raise nearly $22,000 for Asia Pacific disaster relief

The Seattle Seahawks partnered with Medical Teams International to collect donations for Pacific Rim disaster survivors yesterday, Sunday, October 11, at Qwest Field prior to the Seahawks big win over the Jaguars.


Before the game, Seahawks three-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker, Lofa Tatupu volunteered to match the first $10,000 donated by the fans in attendance.


Seahawks fans raised more than $11,500 dollars. With Tatupu’s contribution, the effort raised almost $22,000 for the much needed relief efforts.


If you did not make it out to Qwest Field for the game, you can still donate to Medical Teams International’s disaster relief in the Asia Pacific region.





Overlake to provide free swine flu vaccinations to pregnant women

Overlake is introducing a new program to provide free H1N1 immunizations for pregnant women who are giving birth at Overlake. This program is offered to all pregnant women who have an Overlake-affiliated physician and plan to deliver at the Overlake Childbirth Center. Women interested in the program should pre-register for their births at Overlake. They’ll then be contacted by the hospital so their immunization appointment can be scheduled.


The program to immunize pregnant women will get underway once the H1N1 vaccine shot is available in mid to late October. Overlake is also taking steps to educate new mothers about what they should do protect themselves and their babies.




The H1N1 vaccine does not protect from the seasonal flu, so remember to get vaccinated for the seasonal flu as well.


Overlake is sponsoring a one-day seasonal flu shot clinic in which people can get a free flu shot in exchange for a donation to the local food bank. This one-day event will be held in the Community Education classroom in the new Overlake Medical Center Issaquah on October 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or as long as supplies last. Overlake Medical Center Issaquah is located at 5708 E. Lake Sammamish Parkway SE in Issaquah. In addition, Overlake will also be giving free seasonal flu shots to the first 500 seniors who attend the “Home is Where the Heart Is” fair on October 17 in Bellevue.


Seasonal flu immunizations will also be available at Overlake Medical Center Issaquah’s primary care clinic and urgent care clinics, at Overlake’s primary care clinic on the Bellevue Overlake campus, and at our Senior Care clinics in Bellevue and Mercer Island.


Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Medical Teams International continues aid to families in Philippines and Indonesia

Medical Teams International is preparing to airlift two emergency medical health kits valued at $900,000 for the Philippines. The medical kits provide emergency medicines and supplies for 10,000 people for three months.

The Portland-based health agency announced the deployment of the first health kit to Manila last week and today is preparing a second kit to treat an additional 10,000 people for three months.

If clearances are approved, both kits will be shipped from Holland to the Philippines this week. The kits will be distributed through partners Food for the Hungry and Christian Reformed World Relief to provide much needed medicines to affected communities.


We still are on stand-by to send emergency medical teams if they are needed to relieve doctors and nurses who are caring for 600,000 people living in evacuation camps,” said Tammy Teske, Medical Teams International’s manager of emergency relief.

In Indonesia, Medical Teams International is working with its partner, MAP International, to help send in a two-person medical team to the Pariaman District, just outside of Padang, Indonesia. Physician, Thomas Barry, from New York City, NY, and Physician Assistant Fred Hesser, from Babb, Mont., who worked in Indonesia after the tsunami in 2004, have confirmed they can leave immediately for Indonesia’s disaster zone.


To help support these disaster relief efforts with Medical Teams International, please make an immediate, secure, online DONATION.


Friday, September 18, 2009

ZINO Society announces finalists for $100,000 investment award

On Thursday, Sept. 17, ZINO Society held its largest investment event of the year, the fourth annual ZINO Zillionaire Investment Forum.

At the forum, 28 early-stage and expansion companies that are seeking funding made presentations to accredited investors/ZINO Society members in attendance. In addition to the individual members and guests who chose to invest directly with presenting entrepreneurs, ZINO Society put together a $100,000 investment fund that will be split 50/50 between the Best Technology Investment Opportunity and the Best Non-Technology Investment Opportunity that presented.


Three tech and three non-tech finalists were announced Thursday afternoon at the end of the forum, and once due diligence is performed, the two fund winners will be announced near the end of October.


The finalists are:

Non-tech: Microgreen Polymers, Zero Crossing, Harbor Wing Technologies

Tech: Giftango, Photon Machines, Enroute Systems


Check out this story on the forum posted by the Puget Sound Business Journal, and this story written by Xconomy.

KOMO Radio also ran this preview the morning of the event: