Editor,

Everything written isn’t always true. Rob Born, and more recently, his sidekick Richard Wagner have been on a campaign to paint Whidbey General Hospital’s management, and similarly the hospital commission, as incompetent. His quasi-factual attacks have stressed already burdened hospital administrators and cost many man-hours to compile the information he wants.

Replies are vetted through hospital attorneys to ensure the appropriate release of sensitive data, incurring even more costs. Most recently at a hospital commission board meeting, he berated an auditor’s presentation of highly favorable financials in a completely unprofessional manner. His attacks are commonly unwarranted, certainly unwelcome, based on dubious data, and frequently inappropriate in tone and content.

But here are the facts:

• Our tax levy rates are the third lowest in the state

• We continually recruit the best physician talent available and will continue to do so

• Unions and management are commonly on opposite sides of the financial fence. We continue to negotiate in good faith with our nurses union to achieve a mutually satisfactory settlement

• Hospital financial results show continued improvement, despite the costs incurred in complying with Medicare and Medicaid electronic records requirements. Costs now reach into the millions of dollars

• The hospital remains independent to give maximum choice to Island County residents, free from religious restraint or rigid oversight by non-island entities

• We continue to improve infrastructure to enable better electronic communication with our clinics, labs, and physicians hospital-wide. This is an exciting time

• The hospital expansion plans continue to move forward in compliance with the Ebey Landing Historical society and the Town of Coupeville.

I have proudly served on the hospital commission for almost six years, and I assure you there is no subterfuge or hidden agenda among the commissioners. I strongly urge and ask for your continued support of incumbent Georgia Gardner, CPA in the approaching election for the hospital commission. We need qualified, dedicated, and experienced board members. We don’t need an unprofessional, ill- informed, under-qualified, and unemployed blog writer such as Rob Born.

Respectfully,

Dr. GRETHE CAMMERMEYER

District 1 hospital commissioner