Hospital negotiation grinds to a halt

RITZVILLE – Of the roughly 20 residents who attended the Sept. 27 board meeting of East Adams Rural Hospital, several expressed concerns over the breakdown in negotiations surrounding the employment contract of Charles “Marty” Sackmann, M.D.

Retired English teacher Kris Schwisow led public comments.

“I’m one of about 2,000 of Dr. Sackmann’s patients,” she said. “We patients vote to support this hospital. I feel as though the hospital isn’t supporting me and my doctor.”

Schwisow noted that Sackmann, who was born and raised in Ritzville, was specifically brought in to practice medicine by a prio...