PORT ANGELES — Olympic Medical Center CEO Darryl Wolfe and board president Ann Henninger provided a status update on the hospital’s exploration of a potential partnership with another healthcare system.
Their prepared remarks at the commissioners’ regular meeting on Wednesday appeared to address concerns about the transparency of the process, as well as reports published in The Port Townsend Leader that disclosed the contents of documents protected by confidentiality agreements and discussions in Jefferson Healthcare board of commissioners’ executive sessions about a potential alliance between Jefferson Healthcare and OMC.
“We’re still in the evaluation stage of the partner exploration process, which involves comprehensive and deliberate due diligence so we can get to know our potential partners better and they can get to know us better also,” Wolfe said. “This obviously requires a lot of time and a lot of analysis to make sure the board makes the most informed decision that secures the future of quality healthcare for all of our community for generations to come.”
He said the decision-making phase of the process is anticipated to begin in late May or early June.
Not disclosing details of discussions and materials related to the process protect each party’s interests, Henninger said.
“In order for candidates to share information for the board to make the most informed decision, the process requires confidentiality,” Henninger said. “That’s why the board is not sharing names of potential partners right now.”
At the same time, she said, the board “remained thoughtfully considering the option of remaining independent.”
During public comment, Mary Foster and Mary Wegmann asked OMC to be more forthcoming with information about the exploration process and request it hold an open forum before it makes any decision about a partnership.
The hospital is currently in phase two of a three-phase exploration process that it announced in December. Information about the process and an updated timeline can be found at tinyurl.com/3n7tnt8b.
New hospitalists
The board on Wednesday unanimously approved the hiring of a day shift and a night shift hospitalist. The new hires will replace two locums positions, chief medical officer Scott Kennedy said.
Not only are locums about twice as expensive, Kennedy said, but the new hospitalists will be part of a continuity team that helps coordinate consistent care across the hospital.
Public forum
PORT ANGELES — The League of Women Voters of Clallam County will host a forum on public hospital districts from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Port Angeles Main Library, 2210 S. Peabody St.
Matt Ellsworth, executive director of the Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts, will speak about what public hospitals are, the state of their current finances and the challenges they face.
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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.
