Clinic: Health center considering acquisition; county commits to support

The Cowlitz Family Health Center has begun consideration of whether or not it's viable to add the Wahkiakum Family Practice Clinic to its scope of services.

Meanwhile, Wahkiakum County officials, clinic practitioners and members of the clinic governance board agreed Tuesday on principles to ensure the clinic's financial stability for the next few months.

County commissioners voted a month ago to ask the health center to consider taking over the Wahkiakum clinic. The county government is facing revenue shortages this year and next and can't afford to cover clinic operating deficits, say Commissioners Dan Cothren and Blair Brady.

This past week, Commissioner Lisa Marsyla has submitted clinic financial data and other reports to health center staff.

Health Center Executive Director Dian Cooper said Monday she has forwarded that information to a financial consultant for an evaluation of clinic operating costs, potential revenue, patient base and other data needed for the health center administrators to decide whether or not they could operate the clinic.

That report is due June 16, Cooper said. She'll then develop a recommendation and take it to the health center board of directors at their June 23 meeting.

"If and when the board decides to go ahead, we have to file for a change of scope of operations with our federal funders, the Health Resources and Services Administration," she said. That agency has 90 days to approve or deny the change in scope of operations.

"So, if everything falls into place, the earliest we could begin operations would be around October 1," she said. "October 1 to the end of the year is likely."

A transition plan

Commissioner Marsyla, at the recommendation of governance board member David Goodroe, called Tuesday's meeting to plan for that time of transition.

Major issues needed to be addressed, they said, including maintaining certain staffing levels, finding money to cover operations, and reassuring the clinic's patients that the clinic will continue to provide health care services.

Marsyla, who was named last week to lead the county's role in the process, asked those present to work with her to provide whatever was needed to assist the health center in making its decision and also to maintain clinic operations.

Marsyla said the clinic's physician, Dr. Janice McClean, has given notice that she will terminate her employment with the clinic at the end of July.

Marsyla also said she has found a doctor who is considering taking on the role of the clinic's medical director so that clinicians Margie Godfrey and Mike Meno have a supervisor under whom they can continue to work.

Money continues to be a stumbling block, but after discussion, commissioners identified unbudgeted funds that they say can be used to support clinic operations.

Commissioner Dan Cothren suggested that a portion of unexpected revenue from state managed timber sales could be directed to the clinic.

Treasurer Paula Holloway explained that the Department of Natural Resources, who manages county timber harvests, had discovered a $122,000 bookkeeping error in the county's favor. Using that money for the clinic would help her from issuing interest bearing warrants.

A commitment to continue

Governance board members commented that the continuing worry over county funding support is eroding public confidence in the clinic and causing patients to seek health care elsewhere.

"Four to six times a day, patients ask me if we're going to be here," said Physician's Assistant Mike Meno. "We have to say that we don't know."

Clinic Business Manager Crystal Stanley reported that she had received substantial payments from insurers, and that will help the clinic to come close to meeting its payroll this week. The county will have to cover the difference, but it won't be as much as officials feared.

Goodroe and Marsyla reported that county fire chiefs have offered to shift implementation of a radio system improvement project and free that $60,000, which will come from the Bradwood Landing Fund, to go to the clinic.

"I'm happy to hear that report," said Cothren. "We need every nickel we can get to offset our expenses. We're trying to help county government survive."

In response to a question from Holloway, Marsyla said she and Stanley will review the clinic budget to see what expenses can be trimmed. Most of expense is payroll, and Meno and Godfrey commented that reducing personnel to reduce costs will hamper their ability to provide good health care.

"I am committed to see us through the health center process," Marsyla said. "We will provide service to the public. We have to make sure we have a healthy clinic for when the health center gets it."

Stanley and Sandi Benbrook-Rieder, a governance board member, said they would prepare a letter to send to patients explaining the process and the steps being taken to ensure clinic operations.

Marsyla said she would notify those present of developments in the process and call more meetings as needed.