By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
Dr. Elizabeth Wako, a healthcare professional with over 30 years of experience, has been appointed as the interim President and CEO of Swedish Health Services. In the 115-year history of Swedish Health Services, Wako is the first Black woman to hold this position.
“I am very excited. We have some big projects that we are working on and that I am excited about as I begin this new chapter,” says Wako. “I am excited to be a part of an expansion of the First Hill campus and we have work to do to replace operating rooms at First Hill so managing through the expansion is going to be huge for us.”
Born in Ethiopia, Wako’s family moved from Africa to Fort Wayne, Indiana, when she was very young. The family later moved to Walla Wall when her father had and opportunity to teach at a local college.
According to Wako, her parents inspired her to pursue a career in medicine.
“My mom was a nurse and my dad a professor and my mother, she was an exceptional nurse,” says Wako. “As I grew up and watched my mother, this inspired me to go into medicine and the encouragement from both of my parents propelled me into this field.”
Wako’s desire to make a difference in the lives of patients stems from her sister’s negative experience with the healthcare system.
“Going through my sister’s experience, going through that and seeing how and what care looked like for her, and I wanted to make a difference,” says Wako. “In that experience and realizing what making a difference looks like in healthcare and when you’re willing to put the time and energy into learning about your patients, caring about your patients and seeing them as human beings, it was in that moment and an easy decision to continue in healthcare and becoming a physician was where I could make a difference.”
Starting her career as a psychiatric nurse, Wako later went onto medical school completing her residency in anesthesiology as well as a fellowship in perioperative medicine at the University of Washington. Upon completing residency and her fellowship, Wako also earned an MBA from the University of Washington Foster School of Business. Since joining Swedish in 2011 Wako has served in key executive throughout her career.
Throughout her career, Wako has prioritized the well-being and considerations of patients, always placing their needs first.
“The difference in what I do now versus being an anesthesiologist, being a physician and even going as far back as when I was nursing, your ability to make a difference is on a grand scale as opposed to one patient at a time,” says Wako. “I can make a difference in all of King County, and that’s pretty powerful.”
As a Black woman and a healthcare professional with extensive experience, Wako fully recognizes that significance of her appointment.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to make a difference, and to be able to bring my experience and background to the table in a leadership position,” says Wako. “This is an exciting time to be part of the team, and I look forward to making a positive impact on the healthcare industry.”
