I feel that if the board chooses Island Hospital to run our clinic again, it will be a mistake.

We have talent here. Seeking professionals off-island, when we have perfectly capable island physicians and auxiliary personnel here who care about our community because it is theirs also, would not be the best use of taxpayer money. Let’s keep this money on the island. Let’s empower our local health care providers to bring even greater health to the Orcas Island community.

Having a model where we rely on off-island providers is not a sustainable model, as has been proven many times. Bringing in Island Hospital again will not solve the egregious problems of flying people off-island when they don’t need it. In fact, it probably will increase those flights. It will be in Island Hospital’s best fiscal interest to funnel as many people as possible into their Emergency Room at the Anacortes Clinic. Right now, we put the burden of diagnosis on our wonderful EMTs, yet these people are unable to diagnose a myriad of physical problems that mimic heart attacks. Hence, people here have to frequently go through the traumatic experience of being flown off island unnecessarily, as well as the expenses incurred by that.

I am also concerned about the transparency, or lack thereof, of Island Hospital’s “Books.” For very obvious reasons to me, given the Covid-19 situation, I am concerned that the Orcas Clinic is seen as a “cash cow” for Island Hospital without the appropriate needs of our community being taken into consideration. We have World Class medical talent here that we need to be utilizing to its’ fullest extent. Why not take advantage of our own resources first, before outsourcing to off-island providers?

I fear that the board doesn’t give credence to non-western medicine as an inclusive component of good healthcare. Funding a coalition of local providers here could start a renaissance of truly healthy living for Orcas Islanders. We have the resources here, we have the talent here, let’s utilize it.

Making a decision in favor of island independence and self reliance, empowers us islanders in the truest sense of the word, while enjoying the fruits of our great medical talents, right here on Orcas. Thank you, and I urge you to vote in favor of our island independence, self-reliance, good health, local physicians and auxiliary personal. Let’s run our own clinic!!!

Spirit Eagle

Orcas Island