Collaborative continues its work to address island medical care needs

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Members of the Vashon-Maury Health Collaborative have been continuing their efforts to bring another medical provider to the island and say they hope to have concrete information to share this week or next.

“We hope to learn more specifics that we can share within the next 10 days,” Tag Gornall, the group’s president, said last Friday.

The collaborative formed four years ago with the intention to strengthen health care services on the island, but members increased their efforts when they learned CHI Franciscan Health plans to close the health center at Sunrise Ridge in August. Franciscan officials made their decision public on May 6, and since then, collaborative members have indicated that both Swedish Medical Center and UW Medicine have expressed interest in operating a clinic on the island; the group met with a third interested provider on Friday, Gornall said.

Collaborative members have also been talking to the larger health care community on Vashon about their needs and concerns, including Vashon Community Care and Vashon Youth & Family Services, Gornall added.

“We have to learn their concerns and how they interplay with each other,” he said. “This is like a big lattice work. There are cross connections everywhere.”

This week, group members are also slated to talk to several elected officials who may be able to assist with the process.

“This whole thing is being taken very seriously by King County and all those on the island connected to health care,” Gornall added.

For more information about the collaborative, see VMHealth.org.