— from Bob & Marsha Waunch —
Let’s all consider giving a gift to ourselves and the entire island this holiday season – the gift of long-term assurance of quality health care.
The campaign to raise $750,000 for the OMF/UW Medicine Fund is off to a great start with $257,000 already in the bank, but we can’t stop until all the monies are raised or pledged by January 15. The University of Washington Neighborhood Clinics (UWNC) network (12 clinics in operation to date and growing) requires that amount to be committed to move ahead with establishing a UW Neighborhood Clinic (UWNC) on Orcas.
Why so much money? The money is required, in large part, to convert all records to the widely accepted Epic medical records system, and to make sure the equipment and operation in our clinic is in keeping with UWNC’s standards. These systems and equipment will allow our clinic’s staff and patients to communicate seamlessly with physicians and specialists throughout the UW Medicine system, even visually when needed via telecommunications.
The UWNC is a not-for-profit organization that would bring many “best practices” to enable the UW Neighborhood Clinic on Orcas to function in the most cost-effective way possible, while maintaining the highest-quality service.
This arrangement would be a long-term solution to many of the challenges involved in providing medical care in a remote location.
Therefore, I’m asking each of you to consider making a special gift this year to yourself, your children and all the future residents of Orcas. “Stuff” can be nice to receive during the holidays, but you can live without stuff; you can’t afford to live without good health care.
Please consider making your gift today to “OMF/UW Medicine Fund” and mail to Orcas Medical Foundation, PO Box 515, Eastsound, WA 98245 or you can stop by Key Bank and make a deposit directly into the UW Medicine on Orcas escrow account.
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This cause would be much more compelling if the Orcas Island Medical Center was in the business of providing health care for all islanders, rather than excluding those of who use health care providers who have been excluded from OIMC. Dr. David Shinstrom’s letter about the fragmented health care system on Orcas should be required reading for everyone who cares about this issue.