King County Picks School To Run First Publicly Funded Natural Medicine Clinic

Wed., July 3, 1996

Associated Press

King County on Tuesday chose Seattle’s Bastyr University to operate what county officials call the nation’s first publicly funded natural medicine clinic.

Bastyr, in collaboration with Community Health Centers of King County and the Statistics and Epidemiology Research Corp., will run and evaluate the clinic, to be located in Kent.

County Executive Gary Locke selected Bastyr over two other finalists - Harborview Medical Center and Pacific Medical Center and Clinics.

The selection comes nearly 16 months after the county council passed a motion to establish a government-subsidized natural medicine clinic. At a council hearing a month prior to the vote, health-care providers testified that massage, acupuncture, herbal remedies and other alternative treatments are effective and often cost less in the long run because they focus on preventive care.

The natural medicine clinic, which will serve predominantly low-income, immigrant and refugee patients, has received a $750,000 start-up grant from the federal government.

“This contract recognizes that science-based natural medicine techniques do have a place in our health-care system,” said Councilman Kent Pullen, a longtime natural medicine advocate.

“Natural medicine has proven itself in other cultures through centuries of use. My own family has benefited from the use of Chinese herbal medicines,” Locke said. “By blending natural medicine with conventional treatments, we can achieve the highest-quality health care at the most affordable cost.”

The clinic, which opens this fall, will be located at the Kent Community Health Center.

“We commend the King County Council for their vision and commitment to finding the best forms of health care for the people of King County,” said Joe Pizzorno, president of Bastyr University.

Bastyr is the only regionally accredited education and research center for alternative, natural medicine in the United States.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.