RE: Regional hospital

["Jeff Goebel" <goebel@palouse.net>]

Thanks for the response and the insights.  I like your thinking with this.
I can see the value in both communities having certain facilities like
emergency care.

I can also see not duplicating certain services in each community,
specializing so we can invest in the best care and equipment possible for
our area.

That may mean one shared facility, or two facilities, with agreements of who
will share what and how to enhance the whole health care needs of all the
surrounding communities.

Colfax also has a good facility.  How can we enhance that community?  I have
been doing a lot of economic development work in rural Whitman County
lately.

There are so many small communities that could use some level of health
care, maybe even once a week.  The older generations are feeling like they
need to move away from their community (and families) to be able to get
reliable health care.  Pharmacy support is also a need.

That's playing havoc on those communities.  Lacrosse has lost 25% of it's
population in the last four years!  That's impact!  Of course, it's not just
health care related.  But it definitely plays a part.

Yes, it is very complex.  I believe our communities know the right answers,
but only collectively.  I'd like to see a gathering of all perspectives on
health care needs for our communities, and develop the "right" approach that
will serve us well, way into the future.

We have an All-County Economic Development meeting in Colfax next Wednesday
evening, Dec 6th.  We completed six successful local community meetings
earlier this month.  I'd like to see something like this for our health care
needs.  Perhaps we could even cross the "magical" line called city, county,
state.  Whoa!

Thanks, Sue, for sharing.  Jeff

Carl Jeffry Goebel
Goebel and Associates
Web page: www.aboutlistening.com

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Sue Hovey [mailto:suehovey@moscow.com]
Sent:	Wednesday, November 29, 2000 2:47 PM
To:	goebel@palouse.net; vision2020@moscow.com
Subject:	Re: Regional hospital

Nice response to my query, Jeff.  I think it is important to recognize the
high road taken just might not lead to consolidation, but it could lead to
more shared services and equipment.  Actually, some of that is already
happening and probably will continue.  I used to think consolidation would
be a boon to both communities.  After doing a lot of reading, discussing,
and listening to the several sides of this very complicated issue, I no
longer believe that. I, for one, am perfectly willing to let it rest, at
least for now.
Sue