EvergreenHealth Closes Free Nursing Service 'Healthline' After Almost 30 Years
The 24/7 phone service provided community members guidance and advice from experienced nurses
KIRKLAND, WA – After nearly three decades, EvergreenHealth's Healthline is closing beginning Saturday, Dec. 9. The service was the only-of-its-kind in the region, a free tool for community members to connect with an experienced nurse to seek advice and receive guidance on illnesses, ailments and any other health concern they were experiencing.
The closure comes as EvergreenHealth acknowledges the availability of new tools, including online resources, health apps and patient portals like MyChart. As more tools have become available over recent years, the hospital system has observed a significant decline in the number of calls to Healthline. This decline has prompted EvergreenHealth leaders to consider and ultimately decide to discontinue the program.
Additionally, EvergreenHealth continues to experience financial losses as a result of rising costs for patient care, staffing and pharmaceuticals. In 2022, EvergreenHealth incurred a Net Operating Loss of $106.2 million. The Healthline program was originally made possible by $2.4 million in levy funds available because of EvergreenHealth's unique public hospital district model and consequently, local community-dedicated mission. This necessary closure is an indicator of the financial crisis hospitals around Washington state and facing. Closing Healthline gives EvergreenHealth the opportunity to reallocate those funds to other existing levy-funded programs and access to critical healthcare services that serve the community. Aside from thoughtful evaluation of services and operations, EvergreenHealth has also engaged in insurance contract negotiations this year in an effort to combat the external financial forces and preserve needed services the community relies on.
"EvergreenHealth remains committed to offering high-quality, high-value care to everyone in our community. This means we must evolve to meet our community's needs while managing outside and highly impactful external financial factors," said Ettore Palazzo, MD, Chief Executive Officer. "Although we have made the difficult decision to end the Healthline program, we are and will continue to seek new and innovative ways to improve our patients' health and wellness."
While Healthline will no longer be available, community members are still invited to register for EvergreenHealth's in-person or virtual classes and events by calling (425) 544-0050. A current schedule of classes and events is available on the EvergreenHealth website.
For community members with a health question or concern, EvergreenHealth's Urgent Care offers eight convenient locations for walk-in visits as well as virtual visits for those preferring to see a provider from the comfort of their homes. Patients with an established provider at EvergreenHealth are also encouraged to message their doctor via the MyChart patient portal or to call during their provider's office hours.
