A Turning Point in Health District–UW Negotiations

— by Susan McBain, Orcas Issues reporter —

After a lot of work by both parties in March, the commissioners of the Orcas Island Health Care District (OIHCD) and the management of UW Neighborhood Clinics (UW) have made major progress on agreeing on an acceptable contract for medical services on Orcas. Said Commissioner Art Lange, “I think we’re making steady progress toward a mutually agreeable contract with UW. Many aspects of the negotiations require a lot of clarification in this first go-round, and that takes time. I very much appreciate all the time and effort that UW leaders are devoting to reaching a contractual agreement.”

At their March 5 meeting, the commissioners worked through detailed responses from UW to their latest contract offer, and they agreed in principle to most of UW’s proposed changes. The one area still in negotiation is after-hours care. UW will be presenting a proposal to OIHCD’s after-hours work group, which consists of two commissioners and two UW leaders. That process is expected to result in a detailed written proposal for consideration at the OIHCD April 2 meeting. In the meantime, UW clinic operations on Orcas continue under an existing Interim Funding Agreement.

In its proposed changes, UW listed specific services and skills that they provide, rather than just general categories. The commissioners will continue negotiating on a few skills that they think are essential on a rural island, but they agreed to designate some skills as “desired” rather than “required” in this first contract, as they did with Orcas Family Health Center (OFHC). They were satisfied with UW’s proposed level of commissioner input into the hiring of a clinic manager and medical director, the use of metrics from a nationally recognized survey of patient experience and from UW’s own operational reports, and the proposed contract renewal process.

The commissioners agreed to conduct quarterly financial and operational reviews with both UW and OFHC. In order to document patient satisfaction with the two clinics in comparable ways, they authorized up to $4,000 to cover costs of using the same patient experience survey for OFHC patients as for UW patients.

Finally, they discussion a proposed communications plan for keeping the community informed. Lange asked the commissioners to suggest any additions to the current plan, which includes monthly articles in local news media, town halls twice a year, and meetings with community organizations by invitation.

The next OIHCD meeting is scheduled for March 19 at 4 p.m. in the Fire Hall.