ABOUT SWEDISH ADDICTION RECOVERY – BALLARD
The Ballard campus of Swedish Medical Center is a full-service, acute hospital located in northwestern Seattle and the location of a Swedish Addiction Recovery program that serves individuals struggling with substance abuse and chemical dependency. An inpatient program for pregnant and postpartum women, an outpatient program, and detoxification services are offered. Swedish is Seattle’s largest medical system, founded in 1910. The nonprofit network emphasizes patient safety in all its facilities and programs.
TREATMENT & ASSESSMENT
Patient interviews, medical examinations, and information from clients’ referring healthcare professionals or other related sources assist Swedish clinical staff in assessing the best mode of treatment. If medical detoxification is required, the client will stay in a hospital room for an average of three to four days, followed by continued outpatient treatment at Ballard or transfer to another facility for more intense inpatient treatment.
The outpatient program is designed to help individuals understand addictions and its consequences and to pursue positive changes in behavior and outlook. An array of treatment modalities is available for each personalized care plan. In addition to traditional counseling sessions, clients may participate in nutritional counseling, spiritual care, psychiatric services, and recreational therapy. Friends and family members are encouraged to be involved, and community-based self help groups such as 12-step programs are recommended.
Related to Swedish Addiction Recovery is a 26-day inpatient program at Ballard called the Chemically Using Pregnant Women’s Program (CUPW). Treatment incorporates evidence-based practices including dialectical behavior therapy and the trauma-informed Seeking Safety model. Individualized spiritual care addresses issues such as grief, loss, and shame, while group sessions focus on codependency, stress management, relationships, and relapse prevention. Educational and exercise sessions, medication maintenance, couples counseling, and 24-hour nursing care are also offered.
Women who have completed the CUPW program are eligible for aftercare services including sober housing and continuing addiction treatment.
STAFF CREDENTIALS
Treatment staff members specialize in treating addiction and include physicians, nurses, certified chemical dependency counselors, and consulting psychiatrists, dietitians, spiritual counselors and occupational and recreational therapists. The facility’s website references continuing education requirements for its staff.
ACCOMMODATIONS & AMENITIES
Swedish at Ballard is accessible by public transportation.
WHAT ALUMNI SAY
While feedback on the general Swedish medical system and on the Ballard campus in particular is available, reviews specifically of addiction services are scarce.
Just one of 20 Google and Yelp reviews mentioned substance abuse treatment. This reviewer praised the pregnant women’s program for offering help very quickly and gave the facility a rating of five out of five stars.[1] Two additional Google reviews of the Ballard campus were also positive, while one was critical of the process for arranging appointments.
Yelp reviews of the Ballard Campus were polarized, with most giving the Ballard general hospital either very high or very low ratings. Trends included complaints about billing and inattentive staff. Staff professionalism and friendliness and the facility’s cleanliness were noted strengths.[2]
WHAT FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAY
Best-rehabs.com received survey responses from one alum’s family member. The family member provided a high opinion of the program, offering perfect ratings of five out of five for metrics measuring treatment effectiveness, staff support, opportunities for family participation, and accommodations overall. They also indicated that the cost of treatment was fair.
WHAT STAFF SAY
Former and current employees provided mixed reviews of the full Swedish system in Seattle. A majority of 82 Indeed reviews were positive, revealing widespread perceptions of staff as caring, educated, and committed to learning. One con frequently mentioned was a high turnover rate.[3] The average rating of 151 Glassdoor reviews supported the mildly positive trends on Indeed, with an average rating of 3.4 out of five.[4]
FINANCING
According to the facility’s website, it accepts many private health insurance plans and Medicare.
[1] https://goo.gl/giaty8
[2] https://www.yelp.com/biz/swedish-medical-center-seattle-28
[3] https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Swedish-Medical-Center/reviews?fcountry=US&floc=Seattle%2C+WA
[4] https://www.glassdoor.com/job-listing/rn-addiction-recovery-services-swedish-medical-center-JVIC1150505KO0,30_KE31,53.htm?jl=2567793497