It is imperative to address the upcoming potential transition of Olympic Medical Center from a public hospital district to one partnering with a larger, differently structured organization.
The critical goal for our community is to allow for OMC viability, hopefully in perpetuity.
The PDN reported there are 10 organizations being considered; I submit there are only five viable options on that list.
Three of the listed entities are for-profit institutions, and two are Catholic healthcare organizations.
Data and experience show there is a far higher likelihood of profound negative consequences for our community in partnering with any of the above-described organizations.
It is a fact that for-profit organizations have a higher rate of bankruptcy and closure, given their business plan of gaining profit at the expense of investing in staffing, technology, infrastructure and the staff/provider’s moral imperative to care for patients.
Primarily driven to guarantee financial gains for their investors, these models jeopardize the long-term health of our community and all individuals within it.
It is a fact that Catholic healthcare organizations are beholden to their faith-based guidelines around specific complex medical issues, rather than medical or scientific guidelines.
Injecting unproven faith beliefs into the healthcare of our community jeopardizes the safe practice of medical standards of care, as well as the health, safety, independence and morality of our patients, providers and community at large.
OMC should reject all for-profit and Catholic healthcare organizations as partners; to join them imperils our community.
Dr. Katherine Hennessey
Port Angeles