PORT ANGELES — Most Virginia Mason family doctors might continue practicing in their Eighth Street clinic if Olympic Medical Center commissioners approve a temporary answer to a crisis that could leave 12,700 patients without primary health care after April 30.
Commissioners will meet in executive session at 2 p.m. Monday with medical center CEO Mike Glenn.
They will discuss leasing the clinic to keep six to nine of the physicians working there. The doctors also would continue to weigh Glenn’s proposal to move primary care into two smaller clinics near the hospital.
Virginia Mason says it will close the clinic at the end of the month after 10 years of losing an average of $1 million per year.
“We’re trying to come up with a transition plan that would provide the least amount of disruption for patients, employees and physicians,” Glenn said Saturday.
“Certainly moving a large clinic into two small clinics in less than a month would be very disruptive.”
Glenn called the interim step “transitioning in place” and said “it makes the most sense for patients and staff.
“Transitioning the Virginia Mason clinic to a non-Virginia Mason clinic is a huge task.
“What is not fully appreciated is the amount of effort that will go into building a brand new clinic in terms of policies and procedures and protocols.”
If commissioners like the plan, they could approve it at their regular meeting that will start at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Linkletter Hall of the hospital, 939 Caroline St.
