In a proactive approach to fostering transparency and inclusivity, the Harborview Bond Program continues to reach diverse communities with information about the expansion of Harborview Medical Center (HMC) and the purpose behind the Bond Program. For 2024, the Harborview Bond Program has attended more than 60 events and meetings to engage the general community and contractors in various neighborhoods, utilizing multiple languages and formats to ensure accessibility, including:
- First Hill Improvement Association
- Yesler Terrace Community Council
- King County Immigrant and Refugee Commission
- Tabor 100
- Tibet Festival
- Umoja Fest
- Renton River Days
The Bond Program commits to continuing this work through future outreach and engagement activities, including the upcoming RFQ Pre-SOQ conference.
RFQ solicitation KC001222, released this week, is a critical component of the Bond Program’s strategy to attract qualified design-builders, contractors, and consultants who can contribute to the improvement of HMC, the County-owned, and UW-Medicine-operated safety-net hospital. The outreach and engagement work started before year 2000, when advocates Leslie Harper-Miles and Kelli Carroll met to discuss the improvements needed to ensure HMC remains the Level 1 trauma center that serves the Pacific Northwest. Harper-Miles and Carroll engaged HMC staff, labor partners, patients, policy leadership, and public and interest groups.
The overall goals of the Bond Program remain to provide a new inpatient medical tower, renovate essential hospital services and infrastructure, and renovate County spaces within older areas of the hospital. This work provides the hospital with sustainable facilities to expand services and innovative healthcare delivery models to improve health outcomes for the county. The Bond Program, a collective of King County and HMC staff, recognizes that effective healthcare delivery hinges on state-of-the-art facilities and understanding the unique needs of the communities it serves.
To facilitate feedback from the community, the County established dedicated in-person, online, and hybrid spaces where community members can engage directly with the Bond Program. They provide for honest dialogue and constructive input, ensuring that the community’s perspectives are reflected in the facility improvements and service enhancements. To share your feedback about ways to improve HMC’s facilities/buildings, contact HarborviewBondProject@KingCounty.gov or HarborviewBondProgram.com/PublicComment.
