A healthy state of being

Especially here in Washington, where there’s an abundance of fresh, naturally grown foods, not to mention fresh mountain air and outdoor activities, it’s easy to maintain a personal state of health living.

But just how healthy is our state in general?

Washington state ranks No. 11 in the country in overall health, according to a yearly survey from the United Health Foundation, Partnership for Prevention and the American Public Health Association that takes into account broad measures of health, including smoking, crime, air pollution and spending on public health.

The Evergreen State moves up to No. 10 on the latest Healthiest State Report Card. Holding our state rank of number ten is more than we expected, given the realities of the Great Recession, said WHF President & CEO Greg Vigdor.

The not-for-profit Washington Health Foundation has been leading the Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign since 2004. It has activated its vision of becoming the Healthiest State by engaging people and organizations across the state to improve health for themselves and those around them through individual and collective action. Since launching the Healthiest State Campaign six years ago – Washington’s health rank has improved from No. 15 to  No. 10.

The most recent Report Card largely reveals that Washington State continues to be above state averages in terms of actions relating to individuals taking greater personal responsibility for health (e.g., smoking rates, physical activity, and seat belt use) and below average in collective action taking (such as high school graduation rates and receipt of preventive care).

And what about covering your medical costs. In a recent study by J.D. Power and Associates, Seattle-based Group Health Cooperative ranked “Highest in Member Satisfaction among Commercial Health Plans in the Northwest Region. Group Health health plan also ranked in the top-50 of National Committee for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) Health Insurance Plan Rankings for 2010-2011-Private. “We have spent decades creating and refining a consistent, sustainable, evidence-based system of care that builds in quality and lets patients work proactively with their care teams to build better health,” said Dr. Michael Soman, president and chief medical executive of Group Health Physicians.

Hospitals and medical centers also received high marks. Seattle Children’s was ranked among the nation’s top children’s hospitals for the 18th consecutive year by U.S.News & World Report in the magazine’s annual America’s Best Children’s Hospitals issue. Children’s was ranked 2nd in the country for kidney disorders, 7th for cancer, 8th for urology, and 8th for pulmonary disorders.

MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital ranks No. 1 as the region’s preferred choice for health care. The not-for-profit Tacoma General is the only hospital in Pierce County to win the 2010-2011 Consumer Choice Award, as chosen by local residents surveyed by National Research Corp. MultiCare’s four hospitals have annually earned the “Best Hands-on Care Award” from the Washington State Hospital Association.

And when it comes to professional medical training, Washington leads the way. For the 18th consecutive year, the University of Washington ranked first among primary-care medical schools in the country, according to the annual rankings of graduate and professional programs released by U.S. News & World Report.

Also in the top spot is the UW School of Nursing’s master’s program, which tied for the top ranking with Johns Hopkins and the University of Pennsylvania.

And the doctors themselves? There are nearly 1,000 individual medical professionals in our annual Best Doctors list representing the best of the best in 55 distinct specialties. Our list was excerpted from a survey by Best Doctors, a Boston-based company founded in 1989 by two in 1989 by physicians at Harvard University’s medical school.  Only physicians identified by their peers in previous years as the “best doctors” receive the Best Doctors in America survey. If you have questions about the methodology used by Best Doctors to compile its list, please visit www.bestdoctors.com or call (800) 675-1199.

This list, of course, is just a starting point. Only you can decide if a particular doctor is right for your particular medical needs. Here’s to ranking your continued good health at the top of the list.
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WA Magazine 2011 Doctors

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WA Magazine 2011 Doctors