The Everett Clinic

In 1924, amidst the post-World War I economic boom of Everett, Washington, four physicians had an idea. Drs. Samuel Caldbick, Harry Secoy, Arthur Gunderson, and Leo Trask decided to combine their private practices to pool knowledge and resources. This new entity, The Everett Clinic, had a key insight early on: they contracted with local lumber mills to provide medical care for workers. This arrangement, an early form of a prepayment plan, provided the financial stability to survive the Great Depression. For decades, the physician-owned group grew steadily, becoming a major employer in the region known for its quality of care. By 2015, however, the pressures of the modern healthcare industry led the clinic to seek a partner. In 2016, they completed a merger with DaVita HealthCare Partners in a deal reported at $405 million. The story didn't end there. Just a few years later, in a much larger transaction, DaVita announced the sale of its entire medical group division, including The Everett Clinic, to Optum, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group. That deal, valued at $4.9 billion, was finalized in 2019. The final chapter of the clinic's independent branding came in April 2024, when it was rebranded as Optum Care Washington, marking the end of a century-long era for the physician-founded institution.