043 Dr. Elizabeth Wako| pillar of health

ELIZABETH’S BIO

NOTE| This episode is longer than usual→ ‘Top Of The Game (in) Overtime’ shows are released occasionally

In between immigrating from Ethiopia to America as a three-month old to running one of the largest healthcare systems in the country, a lot happens. In Dr. Wako’s case: she was a nurse who became a doctor who ended up being chief medical officer of a hospital campus, then running two as chief executive, and is now CEO & President of an entire system, Swedish Providence. If that is not enough, somehow while working full time as a doctor and hospital administrator and being a mom to four young children, she obtained an MBA. She is remarkably at the top of her game.

As of the end of 2023, Swedish encompasses five hospital campuses, over 200 primary care and specialty clinics, 3700 physicians, 231,440 ER visits, just under 1 million outpatient visits, and almost $3 billion in revenue. With a career spanning three decades, Dr. Wako’s path in medicine began at the bedside, as a registered nurse caring for psychiatric patients. Seeking a broader role on the care team, she went on to medical school in Utah and then to the University of Washington where she completed a residency in anesthesiology and a fellowship in perioperative medicine. Her past roles include chief medical officer and chief operating officer for Swedish’s First Hill campus, and chief executive officer for Swedish’s First Hill and Cherry Hill campuses.

Elizabeth holds an associates of arts (AA) in nursing from Walla Walla Community College, a BS from University of Washington, an MD from University of Utah, and an Executive MBA at the University of Washington. She is as accomplished as she is quintessentially human and we can all learn from her, I certainly have. We talk about healthcare, science, communities, AI, capital investment, biases, what drives her, and the future of care in the United States.

ELIZABETH RELATED LINKS

Appointment as CEO

The Future of Medicine and Telehealth - w/ T-Mobile

On the $1.3 billion project in Seattle

A conversation with Dr. Wako

Partnership with Seattle Sounders - Communities

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