Officials scramble to find clinic solution

In a week of rapid developments, Wahkiakum County commissioners are now thinking they'll try to sell the Wahkiakum Family Practice Clinic to a private entity.

County officals have wanted to divest themselves of the clinic since buying it over four years ago from PeaceHealth. They've been able to use reserves to cover clinic operating deficits, but they now face their own revenue problems.

Commission-appointed advisory and governance boards have worked to bring financial stability to the clinic, but they say the continuing funding trouble has hampered their efforts to expand clinic services.

Last Thursday, commissioners, clinic staff, the governance board, and interested parties gathered in the courthouse to discuss options.

Commissioners and the governance board have talked of asking voters to form a hospital district and levy a tax to support the clinic, but that idea lost ground. Speakers doubted voters would approve a new tax in time of financial recession, and the district wouldn't collect revenue until 2010 at the earliest.

Commissioner Blair Brady and Treasurer Paula Holloway both commented that the county doesn't have the money to keep supporting the clinic that long. Brady recommended looking at other solutions.

One possibility is finding a private group to operate the clinic as as federal rural health clinic (RHC).Longview resident William Dennis-Leigh, a certified physician's assistant, said he has experience in operating RHC's and that with three mid-level clinicians, it should be able to run profitably.

He also suggested contracting with a medical billing service for billings, and after discussion, clinicians, officials and the governance board agreed that should be done.

Governance board members said they would gather information to make a request for proposals for Dennis-Leigh and other groups which might be interested in taking over the clinic.

Officials also agreed to investigate the possibility of merging the clinic with the regional federally qualified health center (FQHC). Governance board members said they had examined that in the past and shelved the idea because it might restrict who could be patients of the clinic.

However, commissioners will look into the idea again. They have invited the director of the region's FQHC to speak at the board's May 12 meeting. Commissioner Lisa Marsyla also plans to tour the organization's Ocean Park clinic.

Meanwhile, the clinic governance board will meet Monday, 6 p.m., in the Scarborough Building in Cathlamet. Board member David Goodroe said a billing firm from Boise will make a presentation about its services.