A guest column by Dr. David Shinstrom in the Sounder brought welcome attention to the availability of medical care on Orcas Island for people who cannot afford to pay. We are fortunate that all three Orcas Island medical practices offer such care and do so at comparable levels.
The three practices are Orcas Medical Center (Dr. Tony Giefer and Dr. Camille Fleming), Orcas Island Family Medicine (Dr. David Russell), and Orcas Family Health Center (Dr. David Shinstrom).
I helped write two joint grant proposals to the Orcas Island Community Foundation (both of which OICF graciously granted) on behalf of all three medical providers for assistance with the cost of providing medical care to uninsured and underinsured residents. In those proposals it clearly demonstrates that all three practices write off comparable amounts of “bad debt.” In addition, for many years the Orcas Medical Foundation has had a Medical Assistance Fund (which exists because of the generosity of many people in our community) to assist Orcas Medical Center patients who cannot afford to pay (that assistance has been as much as $33,000 a year).
We are also fortunate that our community’s dentists give their services generously through the dental van.
I am happy to be part of a community that truly cares about all its members particularly those in need. All our healthcare providers deserve our thanks and gratitude.
Art Lange
Thank you, Art, for your thoughtful letter. I am glad that you spoke to all the wonderful care we have here on this island…The doctors, dentists, eye doctor, physical therapy clinic, and the specialist who serve us are stellar for such a small community!