Elections are around the corner and key judicial positions are on the ballot. These races are easy to overlook on a busy ballot, but the decisions made in the courts can ripple far beyond the courtroom, including into Washington’s hospitals.
With that in mind, WSHA is paying close attention to and supporting Judge Sean O’Donnell’s race for position 4 on the Washington State Supreme Court. As a reminder, WSHA is also supporting Justice Colleen Melody. She worked with WSHA on key issues when she was the Chief of the Civil Rights division at the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.
This week, Judge O’Donnell sat down with members of the hospital association and discussed the intersection of health care and the judicial system. During the conversation
he made an observation that stuck with us — most voters skip judicial races because they don’t understand the role and power of the courts. Sometimes a single judicial decision can resolve an issue that could take months or years to address through the legislative or executive process.
Judge O’Donnell has been a thought partner to WSHA on one of health care’s thorniest challenges: removing barriers related to the guardianship process that keep patients in hospital beds when they are ready to move to a more appropriate setting. He has meaningfully engaged in discussions about how the courts can improve the process.
Judge O’Donnell also serves as lead judge for King County’s Involuntary Treatment Act Court at Harborview Medical Center, giving him experience at the intersection of health care and the judicial system.
The legal landscape is always evolving, with judges and courts deciding how laws are interpreted, implemented and experienced by hospitals, patients and communities. With that in mind, we encourage voters to learn about judicial candidates, vote in all the races, and give judicial elections the attention they deserve.
Sincerely,
Zosia Stanley
WSHA Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel
[email protected]