Understanding Your Community

Having concrete examples helps illustrate not only what assessment elements to consider but also why and how these elements impact the planning process. We have provided a brief look at the King County landscape to help define the context with which our Healthcare Coalition was developed. Although our landscape represents a large metropolitan area, there are elements that transcend all types of communities, just on a smaller scale.

Geographic and Regional Boundaries

In the state of Washington there are nine health regions. These regions define political boundaries that impact resource allocation from federal agencies. The boundaries also impact planning and response systems.

King County is the only county in Region six. Most other regions in the state have multiple counties in one region, resulting in multiple health departments and the need for additional coordination efforts.

Have a clear understanding of the geographical and political boundaries so that health jurisdictions can better collaborate and combine resources where appropriate.

Demographics and People

• A population of more than 1.8 million people
• The 13th most populous County in the nation
• 39 Cities, 130+ Special Purpose Districts
• 2 Tribal Nations

Keep in mind ethnic differences and cultural service needs.

Existing Services

• 18 Hospitals with Emergency Rooms
• 5 Specialty Hospitals
• 6 Community Health Centers
• 10 Public Health Clinics
• 1100 Residential Long Term Care Facilities
• 28 Safety Net Clinics

Be sure to consider those service organizations that provide care to special populations.