Thank you to Mobile Integrated Health

In early October 2025, I underwent knee replacement at St. Joseph’s in Tacoma.

Unfortunately I was sent home woefully unprepared to deal with the level of pain and nausea I was experiencing. In addition, rough handling of my leg caused me concern that the wound drain had been dislodged and was no longer working.

Unable and unwilling to return to the hospital, I reached out to VIFR’s Mobile Integrated Health team for help. This plea for help was immediately answered by a visit from MIH’s RN Katie who provided outstanding wound care. This visit was followed up by a visit from PA Paul and RN Dan who conducted a thorough assessment and provided me with appropriate medication to deal with the unbearable level of pain and nausea. They made me comfortable, provided follow-up care and kept me from having to return to the hospital.

As a member of the VIFR Board that has supported the MIH program, I am both humbled and delighted to have experienced the outstanding service provided by this incredible team.

As for-profit insurance companies continue to clamp down and diminish the ability of health-care providers to provide timely, compassionate care to patients, and as the current government administration further cracks down to limit health care to Americans, we on Vashon are blessed to have a community response that fills these horrible gaps.

As the local SeaMar clinic struggles to meet health and urgent care needs on the island, Vashon Health Care District, VashonBePrepared, the Care Closet, Vashon Pharmacy, Granny’s Attic and other groups work tirelessly to bridge those gaps. But above all, VIFR and the MIH team are doing an outstanding job of meeting the emergent and urgent care needs of our community.

I pray that Vashon voters continue to support the levies that fund these vital programs. My gratitude knows no bounds.

Brigitte Schran Brown