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And now what?
Assuming the “lid lift” is rejected, what are some options? Here are a few:
A) Panic, lay off a batch of paramedics and say “well, that’s what people want”
B) Focus energy to wish ill and injury on those who voted against Prop 1
C) Try to improve ambulance collections, and, realizing collections almost always take time, look at a funding mechanism to cover gaps (interfund loan, anyone?)
D) Establish an EMS utility, one of the options Chief Jim Hodges presented, a year ago
E) C and D
F) Give up, call Al Carter and say, “We can’t figure any of this out so we’re unincorporating, come on over and pick up the keys to the city — and bring some South Beach ambulances with you.”
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on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 12:35 am and is filed under North Coast News.
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There is no question that a Utility District will be suggested and probly passed. This is an option that the council can drive without a vote. Sorry.
I have one suggestion, given to me by someone else! Go to Grays Harbor Hospital and ask them to take over our medical billing (for profit). (Remember, “it is” their business). I’m not sure if they are already doing this for other entitys, but it could be a win win, for them and us. I assume that they are the ones who give us the information that we in turn then use in an unsophisticated process for billing? Duh!
Until the city finds an answer they will just have to do what the rest of us are doing and that is live within your means. If you can’t afford it don’t get it.
What do we do? That is the question people are asking. Well, if one goes out and reads about various solutions to rural medical and emergency care, there are solutions out there. Which one fits Ocean Shores needs to be worked out. However, one thing is for sure. That is that the current “Scoop and run” style of service for EMS is a broken model. You may ask what others are doing. Well on the extreme end of the spectrum departments use a doctor and a full medical ambulance to treat the patient on site before any transport happens. It is sort of a “Mash” like unit. Then there is what we are doing, “Scoop and run” to the hospital that is miles away. Maybe we need to push for an Urgent Care facility that would take the pressure off the EMS service by treating locally most of the calls. We do have an airport. Maybe we transport to Haborview from here? However, if people want a solution, we need to search all the options.
Now understand that Urgent Care is not the regular doctor. that is a separate issue. For that we have to see where SeaMar locates, what services they offer, and seek solutions beyond what they offer.
A rotational specialty system could be implemented to allow cardiac, neurologist, geriatic, orthopedic, and ENT and others to visit at different times of the month. That would reduce travel time for patients, better utilize the facility and staff where they are located, and provide better healthcare to Ocean Shores and the North Beach.
Whatever Ocean Shores resolves to have, it needs people to push for it. That should be the objective. All religious, social, fraternal, business, and political groups should join in finding that solution together. This would be a unique experience in Ocean Shores. One clubhouse. One effort. One objective. We know we need it, the only question is how to get it. That should be the goal instead of the normal bickering about the past. We need to look forward and move beyond the normal here.
The people have spoken. Now is the time to come up with creative solutions to our monetary problems. The public have tightened their belts now our governing body must do the same. Mr Ray came up with ideas, maybe we can all do the same. Remember that timeless slogan”United we stand, divided we fall” We are one for the general good of our city.
So how about we severly limit calls to outside of ocean shores and let other communities rely on grays harbor fire districts. They are after all “Ocean Shores” fire Dept. One of the biggest complaints has been the 2+ hours to transport a patient to Aberdeen, has anybody ever considered a private ambulance service here (AMR). If they are so busy with medical calls then the F.D. can make the initial respnse and call the service to transport. This is how it is done in larger areas, I realize we are not a larger area but it seems to work. Maybe they can give classes to our F.D. on billing as well.