— from Brianna Rose —
This petition is a plea to the Orcas Island Health Care District to allow UW to continue operating the UW Orcas Clinic as it has been. UW is on its third year operating the clinic, and they have become an asset to the community. We have finally reached a place where things have settled down with their “new-ness” and they continue to serve the community well, especially through the recent coronavirus pandemic.
The Orcas Island Health Care District (OIHCD) has published a “Medical Clinic Operator – Request for Proposal” which requests proposals from qualified establishments to take on the clinic management. It makes no sense to change things so drastically in our already limited healthcare system here on Orcas.
UW has advised that they are unable to submit a proposal at this time, because their focus is on health care [especially] during a pandemic. They advise that they are happy to continue managing the clinic as they have been. Click here to see this letter from UW.
In this document, OIHCD reserves the right to reject any and all responses to their Request for Proposals. This petition is an encouragement for them to do so. Please allow UW to stay as they have been operating! At least until a few more years have passed and we have a better picture of their ability to serve. They’ve done nothing but improve!
How can I know that they have served the community? Because they have served me! And I, and you, and many others are what make our community.
I have always struggled with a plethora of medical issues, including mental health. The coronavirus pandemic and all it has brought took its toll on my mental health. I am happy to get into details with those who are not convinced. Were it not for the clinical staff and providers at the UW Clinic, I do not know that I would’ve fared well from this mental health crisis. With their support, knowledge, guidance, and network I have been able to adjust and begin to thrive again.
Please consider joining this effort with me. Your support is appreciated, and I hope we can at the very least have the OIHCD consider this option.
I look forward to engaging with each of you to further this discussion. We are paying for the OIHCD with our tax dollars, so we ought to make ourselves heard!
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
I’d really like to see the UW letter but all the security steps resulted in something like I’m not authorized, blah-blah.
You’re right, Bob Distler. I’ll verify the links tomorrow.
I agree that under the current circumstances this petition is a very good way to obtain public comment and support regarding UW.
The window for public comment following proposals and a recommendation for change from the Commission is not only very tight, but will suffer from being hard to assess via ZOOM.In fact by August the Commission hopes to make an announcement.
Making a move at this time when patients are just beginning to see the UW telehealth benefits mid pandemic as well as promptly processed lab results is not timely.
While I am appreciative of the time and effort involved in deliberations regarding ongoing shortfalls I also feel that a community that raises $700,000 in several weeks can meet an $80,000 shortfall to maintain quality of care .
This may also be the time to re-examine the mission and scope of the Commission as the community understands it. We need this clarity if we invest them with the power to make this quantum change.
Brianna, thanks for starting the petition which I just signed. Personally I think UW is doing a fabulous job on Orcas (based on my experience as a patient) and believe it would be tragic if we let them leave.
Thank you all so much for taking the time to sign this petition and get informed about what’s happening with our Hospital District!
Please be sure to share this petition with your friends and family, and anyone else you think may support or benefit.
I will be presenting these signatures at the board meeting on June 16th.
Thank you, Brianna! I agree that the timing for the move at this time is ill-advised,and certainly not in keeping with the wishes of the voters who supported the present commissioners. I am very concerned that the majority of the money raised from the community was to go to the transition to the UW ‘Epic’ computer records which was the first thing that money was spent to do. This system benefits both patients and their caregivers- communication has been made easier and more thorough and it is a system that is widely recognized as state-of-the-art.I have a lot of health issues and it is amazing how quickly I and my
GP have access to, for example, test results. If we go to another provider who does not use Epic, we will have wasted a lot of money and no longer have a communication that is widely recognized by
doctors and hospitals everywhere. All my records are also instantly retrievable. I have a health issue that involves many specialists and all have access to tests and records when they communicate with each other.
When I voted for this hospital district and the commissioners to oversee it I was voting for a relationship that our medical center would have with the Number 1 Hospital in the state of Washington- why would anyone want anything else??
This community raised a million dollars to bring UW Medicine to Orcas, many rural communities would be thrilled to have UW Medicine as their primary care provider. There were community meetings when UW was being asked to come to Orcas, and it was made very clear that UW would not provide after hours or weekend doctors on call, it was this cost with Island Hospital that broke the camel’s back. UW made it very clear that that they would provide after hours care by telemedicine. During this time of the coronavirus, telemedicine has proven itself to be very efficient and effective. When the voters of Orcas approved the creation of a Hospital Tax District and voted for the existing Commissioners, we gave them the authority to make decisions concerning the provision of healthcare on Orcas. This is a major decision, and I am strongly of the opinion that the Commissioners should proceed with less haste, and listen to to the voices of the Orcas islanders who elected them.
UW Medicine had some early and frustrating start up problems, but in all fairness they were pressured to open the clinic earlier than they wanted to. The clinic is now running smoothly with with an excellent staff. The Commissioners desire to replace UW can probably be traced back to those earlier start up problems. I was on the Board of the Orcas Island Medical Center when Island Hospital decided to terminate their support of medical services on Orcas, and I would not have confidence that they would not do that again. UW is the strongest partner that the Commissioners could ever wish for and I would urge all concerned islanders to sign the petition, and for islanders to express their support for UW to the Commissioners.
All health care providers are currently grappling with Covid-19 and now is not the time to expect them to submit reasoned and thorough proposals in the short time the Commissioners have allowed.
Hello Brianna,
Thank you for starting the petition which I just signed and wholeheartedly agree with. Yes, UW is doing a extraordinary job on Orcas Island and it would be truly “tragic” indeed if they leave.
Thank you to Brianna Rose for starting this petition. My husband and I have been amazed and delighted by the excellent medical care we have been receiving at the UW Clinic. We sincerely hope the commissioners will postpone any decisions regarding a change to a different provider until UW is able to present their proposal.
Orcas Islanders have been incredibly fortunate to have the medical expertise of UW Medicine available to them. Our community raised roughly $1,000,000 to bring UW Medicine here to provide primary medical care during regular business hours, with telemedicine projected for after hours care. (A portion of the funds raised was for installation of the “Epic” medical records system, one used by many top medical facilities and doctors, thus enabling easy communication of medical records and tests.). Start up problems are almost always to be expected for a new facility; the start up of UW Medicine here was no exception, and costs were initially higher than had been anticipated. However, that was then. Since that time, the clinical staff and doctors at UW Medicine Orcas Island Clinic, at least based on the care that my husband and I have received, have been providing excellent medical care.
Some contrary thoughts about Island Hospital: Island Hospital has been on Orcas Island two times previously; in both instances, Island Hospital left, unwilling or unable to provide the coverage the island needed. Most recently, Orcas Medical Foundation, which owned the medical building at the time, was given 3 months’ official notice that Island Hospital intended to leave! Frankly, I am surprised, with that history, that Island Hospital was afforded the opportunity to submit a proposal. Further, it is my understanding that Island Hospital still does not use “Epic”; thus all the funds spent to establish that medical record system here would be lost.
I urge the commissioners to extend the deadline for submitting a proposal for management of the medical center to enable UW Medicine to have sufficient time to apply. That organization is too good for Orcas Island to lose.
Brianna,thank you for bringing this issue out to the readers.I too have had nothing but superior results with my interactions with our U Dub clinic.They are doing a great job.As a community we are very fortunate to have access to their expertise.For the commissioners to issue a RFP with only 30 days to respond in the midst of this virus pandemic is ludicrous.Add my name to the petition.
1. What does UW charge the Hospital District?
2. Has UW provided the services for which the Hospital District was created?
3. Will UW’s costs be met by the District’s budget?
4. What is the District’s budget post-pandemic?
I agree that UW is providing excellent health care. OFHC has many satisfied patients as well. That is not the issue though. The OIHCD board has worked diligently and tirelessly to address the overall problem of providing stable health care for the island. We can’t afford more than one clinic. OFHC, with a small staff, has found the time to submit a proposal. If UW really wants to be the island clinic, they need to cooperate with OIHCD and submit a proposal. They didn’t even ask for an extension of time – just said they wouldn’t be submitting one. A petition to OIHCD isn’t the solution – perhaps a petition to UW is.
Joyce Pearson raises a good point. Perhaps these comments supporting the petition should be forwarded to UW to encourage it to submit a proposal to OIHCD.
Joyce & Leslie,
Thank you for your input! I am in contact with UW, and they will be made aware of the efforts being put forth.
I truly wish there was this degree of engagement with the Board as there is in social media. The OIHCD has communicated regularly and consistently throughout this process, and I would hope the community would want to be informed before making assumptions as to what is/is not the intent of this process. As always, the Commissioners and I are available should anyone choose to contact us, and I have encouraged those with questions/concerns to attend our Regular Board meetings.
Anne,
I am curious to know in what manner/with what platform the OIHCD has communicated with the community throughout this process? I had no idea this was going on until a little birdie asked my opinion on it all, and I started engaging out of curiosity – and I am a fairly well-networked community member.
Perhaps the OIHCD could invest some energy to create a community engagement plan? Surely there is a way to garner “this degree of engagement” outside of one person starting a single petition? I’d be happy to support a community engagement plan.
Engaging with the community exists beyond 2 hour board meetings, and the option to send an email or make a phone call one on one. That is individual engagement, not community engagement.
I will be sure to attend the next board meeting, but that is not always an option for those of us who work beyond full time to keep the island running. I have also encouraged all the people that have approached me since I started my petition to attend.
Glad these conversations are happening, and again, I bear no ill will to the Board or Superintendent of the OIHCD. I’m glad that my stir of the pot has opened the floor to spark the community into conversation.
“See” you on the 16th!
Brianna