— from Tony Giefer MD —
As a physician who provided medical care on Orcas for over 12 years, I wish to comment on some of the current issues.
The initiator of the petition to keep the UW clinic on Orcas, and many of the commentators, have told their anecdotal stories of the great benefit they have received from UW Medicine Clinic. These stories are powerful and meaningful. But there are also many stories from people who feel they have not been well served by UW. The commissioners are very aware of these stories and are also aware of other issues, notably financial, that most of us are not aware of. The commissioners need to be mindful of what is best for over 5000 inhabitants of Orcas and countless visitors.
Island Hospital (IH) left Orcas twice because it lost money on an endeavor outside its tax base — Skagit Hospital District. Since then, there has been a major change. Orcas voted overwhelmingly to establish the Orcas Island Hospital District which provides tax money to pay for maintaining medical services on the island. We can now contribute funding for maintenance of our medical services.
When IH notified us that they were leaving, The Orcas Medical Foundation Board and I diligently searched for an organization with which to affiliate. UW was the ONLY party interested. Because they were the only option, it seemed that the one million dollars so generously raised by islanders was for UW. In a sense it was, but the majority of the money was used to fund operating the clinic for many months until tax revenues were received. A minority of the money was used to upgrade the electronics and computers of the clinic. Part of that minority paid for EPIC – the electronic medical record.
The Commission’s Request for Proposal (RFP) includes some particularly important medical services which were provided on Orcas before UW came, but have not been a part of UW services, including “After Hours Acute Care”.
We have elected commissioners who have given us their talent and countless hours considering information on which to base their decisions. The issues are multifaceted and complex. Please allow them to do what they were elected to do.
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Dr Geiger, thank you for your input
The public needs all the facts before they start petitions
Thank you for your perspective, Dr. Giefer. We elected excellent commissioners. They have studied our health care issues and know more than any of us. Let’s allow them to do their job.
Yes, such an important explanation. Thank you Tony. Did I notice that Island Hospital is interested in coming back on-board? They must like what we’ve done to establish a stable pay system. Would you support their re-interest?
A comment about UW. I have recently been involved with the doctors at UW Harborview in Seattle.. Having our Orcas clinic doctors be connected to the on-line e-care has been a great convenience…all doctors can access my reports and records. I have also been thoroughly satisfied with my care at Harborview and chose UW specifically for their reputation for good doctoring.
It’s too bad they can’t bend to the requirements our commissioners have so carefully laid out.
Thank you, Dr. Giefer. Wise words. I would note that the carefully worded OIHCD RFP, into which months of effort were poured, remains there for UW to respond, if its leadership really wishes to continue operating on Orcas Island. The services it requests bidders to provide are those which have been identified as necessary for our island’s citizens and visitors. Perhaps the folks who have initiated and signed the petition to keep UW should redirect it to the leaders of UW Medicine?
Thanks for your perspective, Tony. You’re a really good Primary Care physician, and you carry with you many years of both medical and managerial experience, so your opinion is meaningful.
Personally speaking, I don’t give a hoot what entity runs our island’s clinic (except, maybe, Peace Health and their exclusively-Catholic moral system).
What I really do want is a Primary Care Physician with whom I can establish a close rapport, and in whose clinical abilities I can have complete confidence.
I had that with you, Tony, and I have that now with Mike Alperin. I want to keep that relationship going.
I do not like playing musical, um, doctors. Let anyone who is reasonably competent manage our clinic, but don’t let’s switch physicians in mid-stream. I’m getting old, and I might fall off.
Thank you all for carrying on this important conversation! I’d just like to say that I have read all the documentation made available online regarding the process the OIHCD has completed thus far in working towards a consolidated clinic. I do not bear any ill will towards our commissioners. The bit that they included in their RFP about declining proposals is built in there for a reason.
Who is to say that none of the proposals will be sufficient? Who is to say that the coronavirus pandemic won’t change the way our world works all over again, AND we have decided to transition to a new manager? What do the current providers at our UW clinic think about the options of managers….will we lose our providers in this process?
My focus with the petition is to bring light to what is going on with our healthcare – and to encourage the commissioners to consider their own clause. I kept the petition verbiage simple and straightforward, making sure to avoid any naysaying or mudslinging. I make no gesture towards my petition being the only answer.
There has been very little broadcast about what is going on with the OIHCD, since it was voted in.
At the very least, the pot has been stirred, and people are paying attention now. My petition has over 650 supporters, there have been several Letters to the Editor, as well as related articles published. The conversation is happening and hopefully the commission can take in the feedback and make the best choices. I hope every single person that wants to be heard shows up to the next Board Meeting (June 16th, 5-7). I will be there, encouraging the Board to consider their options with the RFP process.
“There has been very little broadcast about what is going on with the OIHCD, since it was voted in.” I must take issue with this statement. There have been regular reports in Orcas Issues after each OIHCD board meeting; the meetings are open to the public; the agendas are published. The board has been open and transparent with their proceedings and has requested public input. If people have not been informed, it is because they have not been interested. I’m glad people are now interested, but think it is unfair to say the board has not broadcast what they have been considering.