Eastern Adams County's Only Independent Voice Since 1887
As we wrap up a year and, indeed, a decade, it’s a good idea to take a little inventory.
As to things done, there’s a lot of good news. We have more primary-care providers, enough so that prompt appointments, even same-day appointments, are now not an issue. We are, with the assistance of specialized experts, making major inroads into the backlog of billings, and into assuring timely and accurate billings to patients. We have a fine physical facility. We have a first-class dentist with appointments available and dental full-service capabilities. We have an excellent quality record for patient care. We have great lab, imaging, and therapy capabilities in house, so patients don’t have to go out of town for those things.
That’s things already done. Things coming along include getting in more visiting specialists to expand our ability to provide you with full-spectrum medical care right here in your own community. We also look forward to originating or participating in various programs aimed at improving general health and wellness in our community.
Regrettably, not all is roses. We—like all other small healthcare facilities in Washington, and across the nation—are still faced with funding problems derived in good part from the lack of understanding by urban and suburban legislators in both Olympia and “the other Washington” of the importance of facilities like ours to their communities. Our legislators— Joe Schmick, Mark Schoesler, and Mary Dye on the state level, and Dan Newhouse, Maria Cantwell, and Patty Murray at the federal level—actually have a good grasp on the issues and our needs, and are strong advocates for us. But the fact remains that they are fighting a steep uphill battle to try to get others on board. (In 2019, another rural healthcare facility closed on average every 19 days across the nation.)
We still await the new plan that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) was going to put forth “in the fall”. Their delay, however, may be a blessing in disguise: various states’ hospital associations—notably that of Iowa, home to Senator Chuck Grassley, a strong advocate of support for rural healthcare—have put forth plans of their own, hoping for Congressional assistance. At the most recent meeting of the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) Rural Hospitals Committee (RHC), I urged strongly that they also develop such a plan, and I have submitted a suggested outline to them. We will see what develops.
On a personal note, as I leave the position of Board Chair after three busy years, I want to thank the rest of the Board, our former CEO Gary Bostrom and our new CEO Corey Fedie, and many community members for their support and hard-working dedication to making EARH among the very best rural facilities in this state. I remain on the Board, and on the WSHA RHC, where I will continue doing my best to keep rural healthcare viable on into the future.
To everyone, my wishes for a happy and healthy 2020!
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