Virginia Mason Medical Center is an independent, private, non-profit organization based in Seattle, Washington. It was established in 1920, as an 80-bed hospital and named for Virginia and Mason, the daughters of James Tate Mason, MD., and John M. Blackford, MD., who co-founded the clinic. Virginia Mason encompasses a multi-specialty group practice of more than 390 physicians, a 336-bed licensed acute care hospital, an internationally renowned research institute, an active philanthropic foundation, the Bailey-Boushay House, and a network of clinics throughout western Washington, with sports and occupational medicine facilities. The acute care hospital offers utmost care to the patients using the latest medical technology methods. Benaroya Research Institute specializes in molecular biology and genetics. It mainly works on autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and AIDS. The Bailey-Boushay House is a nationally recognized facility providing residential care and day health programs for AIDS patients. Virginia Mason Medical Center is the largest provider of primary care services for children in the Puget Sound region. The Benaroya Diabetes Center, the Floyd and Delores Jones Cancer Institute, the Heart Institute, and the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine (the Northwest’s regional referral center for hyperbaric medicine) are excellent facilities within the center. The Inn at Virginia Mason and Cassel Crag Apartments provide accommodations for visitors. As a teaching hospital, Virginia Mason Medical Center offers Graduate Medical Education postgraduate training programs and residency programs. Anesthesiology, Diagnostic Radiology, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, and Transitional Year, are the residency programs. Also, Continuing Medical Education and Continuing Nursing Education are provided. In addition, Virginia Mason is affiliated with other health care organizations in the region including Children’s Hospital anasond Regional Medical Center, Group Health Cooperative, Pacific Medical Centers, and St. Francis Hospital.