Princess Imoukhuede’s (pronounced I-muh-KWU-e-de) love for science is infectious. Her eyes light up each time she speaks about the field which she has pursued her whole life. It’s this passionate pursuit which led, last month, to Imoukhuede being named the new chair of the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. The department is part of both the UW College of Engineering and the UW School of Medicine. Effective Jan. 1, 2022, Imoukhuede will hold the Hunter and Dorothy Simpson Endowed Chair and Professorship.
A round-up of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!
COVID-19 vaccine vial at a Seattle pop-up vaccination clinic. Photo by Alex Garland.
COVID-19 Webinar & Testing Locations
Six Months After the COVID Vaccine Webinar, May 27 — With full reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic just weeks away, a group of experts will discuss the State’s next steps and how Washington state can return to a medical world better and more equitable than the old normal.
From the event sponsor: “On May 27 from 5 to 6 p.m., Washington medical experts will convene for a free webinar, Six Months with a COVID Vaccine: Where we started and what we know now. Hosted by the Washington State Department of Health, the event will feature a panel discussion with:
Dr. Ben Danielson, University of Washington School of Medicine
Dr. Gretchen LaSalle, American Academy of Family Physicians Vaccine Science Fellow
Dr. Larry Corey, Fred Hutch President and Director Emeritus
“The experts will share an update on state vaccination rates, their learnings from the last six months and their outlook for what WA residents can expect moving forward. More information on the webinar can be found here. This event will offer live Spanish and ASL interpretation.”
True accountability is about nurturing relationships.
It is generative and proactive. Accountability is a practice of relying on those we are in relationship with to help us see when we have stepped outside of our integrity and help us find our way back. In short, accountability is about caring.
This is what Dr. Danielson modeled, when he spoke of examining his own complicity in a system that exploited Black and Brown families as fundraising tools, while refusing to make meaningful investments in their wellbeing. Dr. Danielson’s integrity demanded that he leave Seattle Children’s Hospital (SCH), as an act of care for the families he served. He was willing to sacrifice his 20-plus-year tenure at one of the most prestigious medical institutions in the nation to stay aligned with this level of accountability.
If we view accountability in this relational way, we get insight into how Dr. Danielson’s approach to health care deeply held the communities he served. When the Emerald spoke with South Seattle families, we asked them, “What did Dr. Danielson’s care feel like?”
The number of COVID-19 cases has increased recently in South Seattle and South King County, which prompted a visit from the governor and spurred an increase in testing for COVID-19.
Healthcare professionals and protestors marched from Harborview Medical Center to Seattle City Hall at 9:30 a.m. yesterday to protest racial violence and demand Washington elected officials declare racism a public health issue.
UW Medicine is no exception to health care systems throughout the nation — all experiencing financial challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on current forecasts, UW Medicine expects its financial losses will exceed $500 million by the end of the summer. This financial projection reflects substantial lost clinical revenue due to the cancellation of non-emergency and elective procedures and the high cost of treating patients with COVID-19.
