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Community Corner

Swedish Will Not Perform Abortions After Proposed Affiliation With Providence

Edmonds/Swedish does not perform elective abortions at this time, except for emergencies. Swedish will underwrite costs for a new clinic in Seattle where abortions will be performed.

Seattle-based Swedish Health Services, which includes a hospital in Edmonds, has announced that it will stop performing elective abortions if with Providence Health & Services is approved.

Swedish says it is making the move “out of respect for the affiliation” with Catholic-run Providence.

Swedish spokesman Ed Boyle says the decision will not affect Swedish/Edmonds because it does not perform elective abortions as the procedure is not typically performed in the hospital setting.

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“The OB/GYNs who practice at Swedish/Edmonds typically refer patients seeking this service to Planned Parenthood or other community clinics that specialize in this type of procedure,” said Boyle. “Like the rest of the Swedish system, Swedish/Edmonds will continue to provide emergency abortions.”

Boyle adds that Swedish’s Cherry Hill, Ballard and Issaquah hospitals also do not provide elective abortions since they are more appropriately performed in the clinic setting, such as a Planned Parenthood clinic being planned for First Hill.

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That clinic, a collaboration between Swedish and Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, will establish a separate health center, opening early in 2012, in order to provide women in the area a full range of reproductive health services, including abortion. Swedish will help underwrite costs. Providence is not involved in the center.

Boyle says that Swedish/Edmonds provides a full range of birth-control services, including tubal ligations. After the Swedish/Providence merger is official, Boyle added, these procedures will continue to be available at Swedish/Edmonds.

“While patients and care teams will not see any change, the procedures will be separately managed and governed,” he said. “That means these services will not be co-mingled with management of other services. While the details are still being worked out, it will likely include a manager with responsibility for those services, reporting to a local Swedish board.”

Swedish is making a general donation to Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, but is not specifically directing those funds to its Lynnwood location.

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