Meet Dr. James Park
Works to make people better
Dr. James Park jokes that he’s had only two jobs in his life: a lifeguard and a physician.
He’s proud that both have been based in the community.
In high school he worked as a lifeguard at the Newport Hills Swim and Tennis Club. After medical school in Wisconsin, Dr. Park came back to Renton to work for Valley Medical Center as a primary care physician and has been there since 1998. He’s now the organization’s chief medical officer and a senior vice president.
Community connections are one reason Dr. Park has stayed in Renton. Valley’s mission statement is caring for the community like family. It’s an approach everyone at the hospital strives for when caring for people in the remarkably diverse community they serve.
“Community is how we think about the staff who work here too,” Dr. Park said. “We want to provide a work environment that makes both staff and patients better.”
Dr. Park likes connecting with others and hearing their stories. Working in Renton keeps him close to people he’s known for decades.
While Renton has grown up, the community still has a sleeves-rolled-up approach that Dr. Park appreciates. His dad was a Boeing engineer, one of many contributors to the city’s hardworking culture.
In addition to hard work, high reliability is a priority at Valley. Concepts they were already working on helped them be more prepared when COVID-19 arrived.
“What we’ve experienced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has made us better able to serve our patients and our staff.”
“We’ve learned a lot through the pandemic. It’s helped us focus on the most important initiatives,” Dr. Park said. “Overall, what we’ve experienced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has made us better able to serve our patients and our staff.”
Healthcare improvements will continue when you have people committed to making things better, he said. It’s a theme that carries over to hospital staff recruiting.
Renton’s lifestyle, easy freeway access, plentiful free parking and beautiful parks are other benefits Dr. Park promotes to potential team members.
“Recruiting also has a lot to do with our people. They are a delight to work with. We’re darn good at what we do, and we work hard together. We also know how to have a little fun.”