Health Care

351 Stories

Vulnerable patients caught in ‘churn’ between Washington mental health care systems face life and death circumstances

Lost Patients is a deeply-reported, six-part docuseries examining the difficulties of treating serious mental illness through the lens of one city's past, present and future. With real-life testimonials from patients, families, and professionals on the front lines, Lost Patients provides a real, solutions-oriented look at how we got stuck here...and what we might do to break free.
Will James

Sydney Brownstone

Esmy Jimenez
How 'deinstitutionalization' changed the face of mental health care in Washington state

Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with Seattle Times reporter Sydney Brownstone about "Deinstitutionalization," and how that effort in the 60's and 70's attempted to refocus mental health support with community care.
Libby Denkmann

Sarah Leibovitz

Jason Burrows
With pennies on the dollar and surprise notices, this nonprofit clears Washingtonians' medical debt

This nonprofit raises funding to pay off people’s medical debt — oftentimes without their prior knowledge. Now the group is partnering with a Seattle business owner to help some of the 400,000 Washingtonians who collectively owe roughly $4.2 billion worth of medical debt.
Diana Opong
What do the graves around Northern State hospital tell us about the Lost Patients who lived there?

Soundside host Libby Denkmann talks with Northern State Hospital historian John Horne about some of the history surrounding the location & the gravestones he's found.
Libby Denkmann

Noel Gasca

Jason Burrows
His mom worried he’d wind up dead. But getting him committed was nearly impossible
Will James

Sydney Brownstone

Esmy Jimenez
A cougar attacked them. They fought back for 45 harrowing minutes

It was a beautiful Pacific Northwest day. Sunny, puffy clouds on the horizon.
Angela King

Natalie Akane Newcomb
King County's top health officer, Dr. Jeff Duchin, is stepping down after 30 years

Dr. Jeff Duchin, the health officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, will step down from the high-profile role later this year. Duchin announced Wednesday that he will retire on July 1, 2024.
Dyer Oxley
A boy named Adam: When psychosis spills onto Seattle streets (Lost Patients podcast)
Will James

Esmy Jimenez

Sydney Brownstone
'I didn’t want one, but I needed one.' An Idaho mother comes to Washington for an abortion

Kayla Smith and her husband were excited to expand their family when they learned that they would be having a baby boy. They already picked the name, Brooks.
Natalie Akane Newcomb
Got long Covid? UW Medicine wants to hear from you

Seattle is among a handful of cities chosen for studies to evaluate long-Covid therapies.
Diana Opong

2 of 36