Evergreen Milestone: Clinic Treats 300,000th Patient

Kirkland’s celebrated a milestone Wednesday when its Anticoagulation and Lipid Clinic treated its 300,000^th patent since opening in 1996.

Dan Cline of Startup showed up for a routine visit to the clinic, which monitors patients with blood clot disorders, high cholesterol and other risks for heart disease or stroke, usually treating them with blood thinners and other medication. Anyone on anticoagulation therapy must have their blood checked regularly and confer with a pharmacist. 

Cline has multiple myeloma and, like many patients on chemotherapy, takes a blood thinner to prevent blood clots. He began coming to the clinic in 2003. 

Cline may have been patient visit No. 300,001. Another longtime patient, Allyn Lindemann of Sammamish, checked in at the same time and the staff couldn’t determine who was No. 300,000 and No. 300,001. Lindemann has been a patient for one-and-a-half years. She was severely injured when a drunk driver hit her car the night her son graduated from high school. She had three strokes during her initial hospitalization and has been on blood thinners since.

The staff celebrated with everyone who visited Wednesday afternoon, offering patients and their families cookies, candy and fruit.