County continues with FQHC application for clinic

Wahkiakum County commissioners this week defended their 2-1 vote to ask Cowlitz Family Health Center to take over the Wahkiakum Family Practice Clinic.

Commissioners Dan Cothren and Blair Brady voted last week to begin the process of applying to the health center board of directors to take over the clinic. Commissioner Lisa Marsyla voted against the action, saying she thought the public should have a say in the decision.

This Tuesday, about 25 citizens turned out to discuss the issue, and the commissioners heard nothing that changed their minds.

Brady commented that the clinic continues to lose money, and the county's poor financial position doesn't allow indefinite support. He saw the opportunity to apply to have the health center, which should be able to handle the finances better than the county, take over the clinic.

"That was my thinking to maintain medical care in Wahkiakum County," he said. "We are not precluded from exploring other options."

"With the financial situation, it's tough, and it will get tougher," Cothren said. "I'm looking out for the best interests of the people of the county."

He commented that some people have suggested asking voters to form a hospital district, but that procedure will take too long and has many unknowns, such as whether or not voters will approve a tax levy to support the district.

Some in the audience applauded the board's decision.

"Finally, you made a good financial decision," said Puget Island resident Howard Brawn. "You are out of money. Also, nothing is carved in stone."

"I'm also glad you found a way to save the clinic and to get rid of the albatross of the clinic's financial drain on the county," said Frank Loomans of Skamokawa.

Cathlamet resident Paul Schreiber applauded the decision, saying it would serve the people who really needed health care--the poor, senior citizens, and the uninsured.

However, others expressed dissatisfaction with the quick process in which the commissioners made the decision. Others had questions about how the clinic might operate as a federally qualified health center (FQHC) such as Cowlitz Family Health Center.

Marsyla said that based on what she and others had seen in a tour of the health center's Ocean Park clinic, it would have two practitioners, probably a doctor and a nurse practitioner.

Puget Island resident Fred Stanley commented that the clinic should be considered a department of the county, such as the sheriff's department and treated as such. Because of its health and life saving benefits, it should rank high in county funding priorities, he said.

Skamokawa resident Duncan Cruikshank commented he had wanted to see the county pursue a suggestion to request proposals from people who might operate the clinic as a rural health center.

Brady replied that no one had followed up on that suggestion, and the demands of time led to the FQHC application.

David Goodroe, a member of the Clinic Governance Board, commented that the commission's action would lead to loss of local control, which was a mandate to the governance board. That board, he said, preferred working to accomplish the hospital district mode.

In the end, the commissioners said they would prepare a proposal to present to the health center's board of directors at a meeting next week.

Marsyla noted that the health center's executive board had met after the commissioners met last week and surprised Executive Director Dian Cooper with their intention and voted not to accept the Cathlamet clinic. However, Marsyla said, they agreed to listen to a formal proposal, and Brady and Cothren delegated to her the task of developing and presenting the proposal.