History of Hospital Districts
Public hospital districts were authorized by Washington State legislature in 1945 to deliver any service to help people stay healthy – physically, socially, and mentally. Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District is King County Public Hospital District #4 and serves the communities of Carnation, Fall City, Preston, Snoqualmie, North Bend and Snoqualmie Pass. It was voted into existence by the community in 1972.
Hospital districts play a vital role in helping many rural areas offer healthcare services in their own communities. Because they are governed by their citizens, public hospital districts tailor their services to fit the needs of the communities they serve. There are 56 hospital districts in Washington State operating 43 hospitals. This represents about half of the acute care hospitals in the state. Both public hospital districts and not-for-profit hospitals focus on community service and subsidized care for people unable to pay the full costs of healthcare.
Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District is the largest public hospital district in King County, spanning approximately 420 square miles.