By Laura Rosser
Camille Scott, chief executive officer and administrator for Forks Community Hospital, came to Forks to help the hospital out of its dire financial straits.
But, she’s quick to tell people that money isn’t the key word when it comes to the hospital. Community is.
Camille came to Forks two years ago. Her basic education had been in nursing, but George Clark, a former administrator of Olympic Medical Center, had been a friend and mentor.
She was encouraged to get a degree in hospital management, which she did. She found the most rewarding work for her was in dealing with small hospitals.
She worked in Montana and Idaho before coming to Washington. She said she had never been to the Olympic Peninsula before and she and her husband, Ron, decided the change of scenery would be enjoyable.
As for the job, she said she saw opportunities for the Forks hospital and was intrigued. For decades, the hospital had depended upon timber money and with the timber industry operating at a fraction of what it used to be, the hospital was losing money.
Camille said she saw things the hospital could be doing to make it viable, noting there are grants available to rural hospitals and clinics such as Forks. She knew where they were and how to get them.
The greatest asset, Camille said, is that the staff is dedicated to making the hospital successful. The staff is willing to re-evaluate what the community needs and take the steps to ensure the people there have that care. And, the staff is listening to the community to evaluate its real needs.
