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Debate grows over plan to expand Seattle Children's Hospital

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by LINDA BRILL / KING 5 News

Posted on November 18, 2009 at 4:33 PM

Updated Wednesday, Nov 18 at 5:29 PM

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SEATTLE - Should Seattle's Children's Hospital be allowed to triple in size?

People on all sides of the issue packed the Seattle City Council chambers to discuss the issue Wednesday.

The debate focuses on size in Seattle's upscale Laurelhurst neighborhood. The hospital wants to expand from 250 beds to 600 beds by 2030. They say there is an urgent need for more beds now.

"We've turned away 79 kids in this last year and our expectations are we will turn away 80 patients a day if we're not able to expand." according to Lisa Brandenburg of Children's Hospital.

The plan calls for the hospital to buy the Laurelon Terrace Apartment complex, tear it down and construct new, higher buildings.

"This is not an urban village where density is expected. This part of town can not take an additional 8,000 cars per day." says the president of the Laurelhurst Community Club, Jeannie Hale.

In August, the city hearing examiner ruled that other hospitals may be able to take in the kids, so Children's may not need that much space. The hospital and it's allies have appealed the ruling, so now it's in the lap of the Seattle City Council.

The council will not take public testimony and likely won't make a decision until January.

 

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kmk2cents said on November 18, 2009 at 5:17 PM

Seattle is well known for excellent medical care. Seattle Children's is part of a huge alliance between UW medical Center , Harborview, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. National LIfe Flight and Level 1 Trauma care was originated in Seattle by some of these same physicians that still practice in one of these facilities. Are the Laurelhurst Fancy pants saying that they are more important that the care of Children? Families come from all over the country to get top notch medial care at Children's. It will be an embarassment to the city and a tragedy to thousands of families if we let this small community take charge of Health Care for kids.

cmeeverett said on November 19, 2009 at 1:24 AM

i agree with the person above ^ Seattle, is a central location & Children's serves the ENTIRE Seattle Metro area. Children's needs to stay in this central location to make it is easy as is possible for people from all over to get to. I would accept an eastside Bellevue location, however that would only take it away from other crucial centers like UW & Harborview. I know the people of Laurelhurst are upset over "growth", well... aren't we all? 8,000 more cars a day is not that big of a deal, in fact it's almost laughable. Find a better reason & you might find more public support.

deniseh1006 said on November 19, 2009 at 4:17 PM

They need to be allowed to expand. They are so close to the UW medical center, Harborview, Virginia Mason. If they need a specialist they are only minutes away. If they are forced to relocate how many children will end up dying while waiting for a doctor to get to the hospital that is further away? If the apartment building owners are willing to sell why all the hub-bub. Send the children to other hospitals? Other hospitals is noy Children's hospital. The care that the children (And parents) receive is millions of mile above what any other hospital can offer. Pathetic that the city council doesn't care about children. I hope the member never have to make the decision of where to take their child for care. My son would not have been the same as he is now if it had not been for the care provided by the doctors and nurses in the NICU unit when he was born 3 months early. Due to their loving care he is now a happy, healthy 5 year-old in Kindergarten.