press release from the CHPSC....

Overwhelming Support for Community Hospital Concept

At the request of the Community Hospital Project Steering Committee, a phone survey of 560 San Juan County residents was taken by Health Facilities Planning Inc. in January.  The survey explored the possibility of creating a small community hospital not only to replace the current Inter Island Medical Center but also to provide services for patients of all healthcare professionals in the county. 

The survey explored the general feeling of residents as to the importance of health care improvements relative to other issues facing the community.  Of a variety of local issues tested, the highest percentage of respondents (69%) ranked “Improving Health Care” first.

When asked directly whether they thought that Friday Harbor and San Juan Island need a new hospital, 84% of the respondents clearly indicated yes. Importantly, 87% of the residents also indicated they would use the new hospital for as much of their medical care as possible.

92% of the residents thought that this project would benefit the community.

Although the details of the project are yet to be defined, 72% of voters were willing to support construction of a new facility through additional taxes:

The hospital and its range of inpatient and outpatient services will be designed to be financially self-sustaining, but the survey further tested the strength of support by asking the difficult question of continued operational support through taxes in the event it is needed.  64% indicated their strong support.

In addition, the residents of Orcas and Lopez Islands would substantially support a new Friday Harbor hospital as follows:

• 45% believe that the county needs a new hospital in Friday Harbor.

• 55% would use the new hospital. 

• 59% felt the hospital would benefit the Lopez and Orcas residents.

82% of responders indicated that local providers are doing a good job, and satisfaction with primary care wait times was better than 90%, but the survey clearly indicated that significant improvements are desired in the number and variety of medical, emergency and diagnostic services offered locally.

Based on the very positive results of this survey, the Community Hospital Project Steering Committee is moving forward to determine the range of services to be offered, the capital costs, and the financing of the new hospital.

The Community Hospital Project, with financial support from the San Juan Island Community Foundation and the Inter Island Heathcare Foundation, has established an office in the Technology Center, 640 Mullis Street.  You can drop by, call at 378-2017, or email at [email protected].