Ashley Trunel — Ashley Trunel, a JLARC staff member and colleague of the prior speaker, is introduced and then handed the floor to discuss DOH's inspection timeliness.
My-Linh Thai — My-Linh Thai is introduced as having a question after the presentation, then asks whether the analysis included data on hospital staff filing complaints on behalf of patients, clarifying whether the staff in question were hospital staff or DOH staff. The response indicates that such data was not available.
Joe Schmick — Asked for clarification on the scope of adverse health events.
Joe Schmick — Representative Joe Schmick raises questions about hospital inspection oversight, asking whether the Department of Health’s inspections are the only ones or whether CMS also inspects hospitals. He then follows up by asking whether the inspection process could be streamlined, including whether complaint-driven triggers or other statutory changes might affect inspection timing. The ensuing responses acknowledge his questions and discuss the issue within the limits of existing law, with later speakers referring back to his comments and thanking him for the line of inquiry.
Joe Schmick — Addressed as having questions that the Exchange intends to answer.
David Stuebe — David Stuebe asked for more than just the timeliness of hospital inspections, pressing for the overall outcomes and whether the inspections showed compliance or failure findings among the acute care hospitals.
Nicole Macri — Nicole Macri asked whether DOH was meeting any statutory requirements well, noting that hospital inspectors appeared dedicated and worked long hours, and then followed up by asking how DOH’s oversight performance compares with other state agencies that have similar regulatory responsibilities.
Nicole Macri — Thanked for working with the association to increase Medicaid payments through the hospital safety net assessment program.
Nicole Macri — The speaker thanked Representative Macri for prior work on the 2023 increase to the hospital safety net assessment.
Zane Potter — Introduced himself as staff to JLARC and began the presentation.
Nicole Macri — Thanked for questions on the chart.
Alicia Rule — Alicia Rule asked follow-up questions about adverse health events, seeking clarification on whether the reported percentage was a straight percentage or proportionate measure, whether the increase over time reflected more patients served or another cause, and requesting a list of adverse health event categories before thanking the presenter.
Dan Bronoske — Dan Bronoske was addressed as chair during the meeting.
Dan Bronoske — The speaker addresses the Chair and committee in a courteous opening, first thanking the Chair and then greeting the Chair and members before moving into questions about staffing ratios.
Lisa Parshley — Asked whether DOH would return with a report on how it will implement the recommendations, likely tied to budget and staffing.
Deb Manjarrez — Likely the intended reference in the garbled phrase 'Rep. McRey'; mentioned as having asked a prior question.
Dennis Swarshim — Dennis Swarshim introduced himself, noted he had not yet met all committee members, and said he would turn the presentation over to staff. He then added that he was still in his first four months on the job, described it as a big learning curve, and acknowledged room for improvement as well as budget and staffing limitations.
Lacey Ferenbach — Introduced herself as Chief of Prevention Safety and Health at DOH and said she would present with a colleague.
Lacey Ferenbach — Introduced herself as Chief of Prevention, Safety, and Health at the Department of Health.
Rommito — Named as Lacey Ferenbach's colleague in the presentation.
Rermito Cantu — Identified himself as Director for the Office of Health Systems Oversight and thanked JLARC staff for the audit.
Remito — The speaker said they would turn it over to Remito to discuss the response to recommendations.
Lauren Davis — Likely the intended member being referenced as 'Representative McRey' in context of discussing legislation on JLARC recommendations and timelines.
Dennis Wersham — Introduces himself as the Secretary of Health, noting prior service as Deputy Secretary under Secretary Weissman.
Dennis Wersham — Continues introductory remarks and commends the committee for taking initial action on the topic.
Dennis Wersham — Referenced as having introduced the topic and set up the presentation.
Dennis Wersham — Referenced as having spoken to quality and patient safety.
Mary Selecki — Referenced as someone from a rural community, in the context of rural health care access and aging in place.
Ian Corbridge — Introduced himself as Director for the Office of Community Health Systems and described the office's responsibilities.
Ian Corbridge — Referenced as having spoken to quality and patient safety.
Lucy O'Rourke (questionable) — Lucy O'Rourke was introduced as the remote presenter for the committee's discussion on artificial intelligence in health care, asked to state her name for the record, and then began her testimony by thanking the Chair and referencing a recent Washington State Medical Association meeting in Bellevue. She later corrected her name and title for the record, identifying herself as Chief of Staff and Head of Policy for CHAI and noting CHAI's work to define responsible AI principles.
Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) — CHAI is introduced as the Coalition for Health AI, originally formed by about 10 major health systems and now expanded to roughly 4,500–5,000 companies and around 300 health systems. The witness explains that CHAI’s membership is largely tech industry participants and that the coalition’s purpose is to build market-driven responsible AI standards in health care. The discussion also notes that CHAI’s community is developing an ecosystem of tools and resources to raise standards across health care services.
HB1168 — HB 1168 is cited as a Washington health AI bill that CHAI reviewed in detail, and it is referenced again as an example of a state health AI bill included in CHAI's policy analysis resources.
Lucy O'Rourke — Lucy O'Rourke explains CHAI’s role in health AI quality assurance and responsible AI oversight. She says CHAI can support policymakers and that health AI needs third-party testing and validation similar to quality assurance bodies in other industries. She describes CHAI’s work over several years developing standards, privacy-preserving data services, and tools that help customers choose trusted companies for validation, training, and monitoring. She also discusses CHAI’s nutrition label/model card approach, noting that vendors use it to communicate with health systems, payers, and patients, and that CHAI is centralizing these model cards so buyers can compare products more easily and select tools that fit specific populations and use cases. She adds that CHAI is promoting consumer and clinician education, including nursing and family physician training and CME accreditation efforts, and closes by framing CHAI’s mission around consistency, trust, transparency, and reducing inequities through practical tools, infrastructure, and policy incentives.
Shalene Whitaker — Shalene Whitaker, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs of the Washington State Hospital Association, introduces herself and begins her presentation on the impacts of HR1 changes, along with state cuts and taxes, on hospitals.
Dr. Arouge Simmons — Introduced as the next speaker who would discuss conditions at Providence and Swedish.
Ruthen (name uncertain) — Identified themselves as chief medical officer for Providence Swedish and a practicing anesthesiologist with experience at Swedish First Hill and Cherry Hill.
Arooge — Arooge is present and available to answer questions, and the speaker also refers back to Arooge’s earlier explanation about addressing frontline cuts first.
Ingrid — Invited to come up as part of the next panel.
Shirley — Invited to come up as part of the next panel.
Ingrid Ulry — Ingrid Ulry opens her testimony with a greeting to the chair and committee, then identifies herself as the CEO of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange and notes that Shirley Prasad, the government affairs director, is joining her.
Shirley Prasad — Shirley Prasad is introduced as the Exchange’s government affairs director and then appears as part of the Exchange presentation as the discussion moves into the state premium assistance portion.
Ed — Ed is introduced in a brief video and then gives testimony about the rising cost of his bronze health plan in Battleground, Washington. He explains that his family’s premiums are increasing sharply, pushing their annual premium costs to nearly $32,000, while their deductible is also rising from $9,000 to $10,000. He then describes a hospital visit for food poisoning, saying the hospital charged $6,559, later negotiated down to $3,123 by insurance, with the overall episode costing about $10,000 for what he felt was little or no care. The segment closes by using Ed as an example of a customer affected by rising health care costs and concern about federal changes.