Four ways we are measuring Affordable Care Act proposals

April 27, 2017.Reading time 9 minutes.

By Patty Hayes, Director, Public Health—Seattle & King County As various proposals to replace the Affordable Care Act continue to circulate, here is the yardstick Public Health—Seattle & King County will use to measure any proposals and the potential impacts. Any reform or replacement for the Affordable Care Act should help people lead healthier lives. […]

Why children die unexpectedly — and what we can do

April 6, 2017.Reading time 6 minutes.

Children aren’t supposed to die. When children die unexpectedly, Public Health—Seattle & King County pays extra attention. The department looks for lessons to help families and communities prevent future tragedies, using a process that brings together an extraordinary range of expertise. The program is called Child Death Review, and their most recent report – based […]

Outbreak Responders: a Public Health comic strip

April 6, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

For National Public Health Week (April 3-9th), we’re celebrating by featuring unsung public health heroes who make our communities safer and healthier. Each day, we’ll highlight public health workers through their own words, sharing their work and why they’re committed to serving our community. Today we’re featuring our Communicable Disease Epidemiology & Immunizations unit. I’ve […]

What if a restaurant doesn’t have a window? Where to look for food safety rating window signs

March 22, 2017.Reading time 8 minutes.

Have you seen the emojis in the windows of restaurants? They’re our new Food Safety Rating System “window signs” to help people know how restaurants are doing with their food safety practices. But not every restaurant has a window or even a front door. You may ask, “Where are those restaurants supposed to post their […]

Telling patient stories: Comics journalism at the Seattle/King County Clinic

March 6, 2017.Reading time 7 minutes.

Armed with pen and paper, a dozen artists roamed the floor of the Seattle/King County Clinic, a four-day pop-up clinic at the Seattle Center’s Key Arena that provided free medical, dental, and vision care to nearly 4,500 people last October. These were some of the most respected comics artists in the Pacific Northwest, and they were […]

King County among the first in the nation to achieve a global milestone in the fight against HIV/AIDS

February 9, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

King County is among the first major metropolitan regions in the United States – and possibly the first – to reach a major milestone set by the World Health Organization in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. A broad partnership led by Public Health – Seattle & King County achieved what is known as the 90-90-90 […]