Letter to Editor | I'm losing my doctor

||| FROM MELINDA MILLIGAN |||

Speaking as one of the many people on Orcas who do not use the U of W clinic as their primary health care provider, I want to say that I’m losing my doctor in a few months, too. I’m losing him to well-deserved retirement, a retirement he postponed until the new single clinic could get on its feet.

Here’s what I’ll miss:

A skilled and trusted physician who has known me for years. An office full of people who know me, whom I can reach with a single phone call, without going through a triage process. A friendly dog who greets me in the waiting room. A doctor who will meet me at the office on a weekend because I just got hit in the face with a fast ball.

Change is hard. When I retired my Nurse-Midwife practice a few years ago, one of the hardest parts was disappointing all the families I had cared for, knowing I would not be delivering their babies in the future.

Our health care providers have many reasons to move on: retirement, individual reasons, health reasons, and yes, possibly a new employer who is not offering a package that suits their personal or professional desires. Perhaps it’s an opportunity to do something else that calls to them. It’s none of our business, really, and I don’t think public speculation about it is particularly healthy.

Change is hard. We all have to go through it. Let’s support the Orcas Island Health Care District for their hard work and integrity in finding a path to a viable, sustainable clinic for ALL Orcas Islanders.

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5 Comments

Laurie Gallo February 1, 2021 at 6:38 pm

Beautifully said, Melinda, and I agree wholeheartedly.
Joe Cohen February 1, 2021 at 7:02 pm

Thank you for the “We are all in this together” spirit…..how refreshing !
Janice Wiemeyer February 1, 2021 at 7:27 pm

I agree with you both. Let’s give this new venture, which will be new to us all, a fair chance. And hope we will be pleased with its success.
Justin Paulsen February 1, 2021 at 7:42 pm

Thank you Melinda. Our family is losing our trusted family physician as well, but we are going to join 100% in working within our community toward success at a new unified clinic. We trust those who have worked hard to put a sustainable plan into place and look forward to working with our friends and neighbors – new and old – at the new clinic.
Rick Fant February 2, 2021 at 10:41 am

Melinda, well said. Change is hard but in this case necessary and I support the direction of the OIHCD while the details are being worked out. Doc Shinstrom has signaled for some time his desire to retire and it’s his decision, along with the other providers making career decisions. It has to work for all, or it does not work for the community. I worry that we all will have too few options on the island in this very stressful time and I hope island hospital and OIHCD understand that going off island is not a short term solution.