Presson: On seeking care during the medical clinic transition

A Message from OIHCD, Island Hospital, and the Orcas Clinics

||| FROM ANNE PRESSON for ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT |||

We are excited the process has begun to bring health care providers and staff from the two existing medical practices together. It’s been over 15 years since there has been one practice delivering care in the medical facility on Deye Lane, and now more than ever there is great value in having a single practice on Orcas.

As we’ve communicated previously, the OIHCD recently signed a 5-year Agreement for Island Hospital to operate a new Clinic offering primary, acute same day and acute after-hours care. The Clinic will open in the spring of 2021 under the direction of Island Hospital’s leadership. In addition to what’s offered today, the new Clinic will incorporate expanded services delivered both within the Clinic and throughout the community.

During the next several months, the providers and staff will be going through the transition process. There are many other activities already underway, including the purchase and installation of a new X-ray machine in the medical clinic building thanks to the very generous donation from a valued community member.

We realize this transition is taking place when there are also a lot of external factors impacting the health care providers and staff. The silver lining of going through the transition now is that it has created an opportunity to begin working together to problem solve and share resources, which is benefitting both Clinics and the community. That said, we realize it’s a very stressful time and are working to ensure the impact on providers and staff is minimized so they can maintain their focus on safety and patient care.

A few things for you to know as it pertains to establishing care and patient records that will also help minimize the impact on the Clinics:

• One of the most commonly asked questions we hear is what will happen to my patient record? Island Hospital is developing a plan to transition your current medical information to their electronic medical records platform. There is nothing you need to do now, and we will reach out to provide direction when the time comes.
• The Clinics have noticed an increase in patient movement, which seems to be motivated by the thought that doing so will expedite the transition of your records.

We realize everyone is anxious and we want you to know that ensuring continuity of care is a top priority for Island Hospital. For now, it is best for you to continue receiving care from the Clinic where you are currently an established patient and maintain the relationship with your current primary care provider. Establishing care with a new provider on the island will require creating a second patient record, which could end up complicating the transfer of your medical records when the new Clinic opens.

We want our community to know that everyone involved in this process is working together, and we are all committed to finding ways to minimize the disruption to patients. We will continue to provide updates to the community throughout the transition period, both in print and via online Community Briefings. The first Community Briefing is scheduled for Thursday, December 17 th from 5 – 6 pm and will be held via Zoom. Information will be provided on the OIHCD website one week prior.

We know this is a tough time and many of our community members are struggling. We are all very grateful for the amazing health care workers who continue to show up on the front lines every day to serve this community. We are thankful for their service and sacrifice to ensure our safety and wellbeing.

Wishing everyone in the Orcas community a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season.