Community Hospital
Dear Editor: The New Year is here with all of its hope, promise and expectation for newness, change and growth in 2018. There remains a strong band of Sitkans who continue to have hope in the future of Sitka Community Hospital despite the methodical, strategic dismissal of key staff, wasted funds on SEARHC collaboration, the ineffectual boiler plate Stroudwater report, the outsourcing of births to SEARHC, the languishing RFP process, the expense of itinerant doctors and nurses obliterating continuity of care, ‘‘the predatory wolf at the door’’ with the new SEARHC outpatient clinic encroachment in the old Totten building, not to mention the 19 acres of free land just given them by the Feds on Japonski on which to build the multi-million dollar new ‘‘state of the art’’ SEARHC hospital conglomeration, the current management dismantling the hospital, piece by piece, minimal surgery, the request for midwives rebuffed, and imminent collapse of the obstetrics department, and SCH Board in a scramble to keep just one step ahead, going from crisis to crisis, dependent upon ‘‘consultants’’ for lack of knowledge and expertise, the latest Cerner decision a case in point.
In my opinion, over this last year, the whole thing has become just a mess, and under these aforementioned present circumstances there appears to be no hope for a sustainable, let alone profitable, Sitka Community Hospital, not forgetting the $37 million unfunded liability debt which at this point, realistically, only the hospital could pay off through vision and a sound budget. Experienced management will be required to vet the RFP process, as well. SCH cannot afford to renew CEO Rob Allen’s contract for six months, SCH needs long-term solutions.
‘‘Where there is no vision, the people perish,’’ and so do hospitals. There are also three SCH board positions opening up this month which would strengthen and revitalize new leadership, and give new direction. There is a window of opportunity to change the course of events for our hospital, please consider your own participation.
All of that to say this: there is a whole new demographic in Sitka whose needs are not being met by either hospital, namely pregnant women with young families who want a natural childbirth with a midwife attending. When I envision the future of SCH, I see the creation of a regional birthing center, fully equipped, with midwives and doulas welcome, as one of the most vital cornerstones of the new hospital model; the other cornerstone being long-term, palliative care; and in between birth and death, the treatment and relief of our common ailments and illnesses, including 24/7 surgery and emergent care.
There is yet hope for our community hospital in this new year, and we mustn’t lose sight of the potential and the foundational aspect that SCH embodies: to edify one another, provide medical security, all the while building community as daily human needs are met in our very own hometown hospital.
Health and happiness in the new year.
Karen Lucas, Sitka
