To the editor:

I read with interest, and some surprise, your July 19 article regarding the old firehouse in Langley. One of the suggestions for public use of the building was for the city council to approach Whidbey General Hospital about establishing a community clinic.

The good news — we already have one. The better news — we’re expanding!

A community clinic is operated by Whidbey General Hospital at each end of the island. South Whidbey Community Clinic is co-located with Whidbey General South and has been open at 11245 Highway 525, Clinton, next door to Lumbermans, for almost a decade.

The community clinic has been open since 1999. Laboratory, X-ray, and MAC services have been available there since 1985. Anyone with an order for an X-ray, mammogram or lab test (from any doctor, on or off island) can have the work done at Whidbey General South. This is definitely convenient for South Enders and a gas saver to boot!

South Whidbey Community Clinic, located in the same building as Whidbey General South, is a family practice clinic whose mission is to serve low to moderate income patients. Patients who have no insurance or are on Medicaid have extremely limited medical access.

Whidbey General Hospital’s pledge to our community is to provide healthcare to all islanders, regardless of ability to pay. Recognizing a need to expand these services in South Whidbey, we recently purchased land in Bayview across from Sebo’s/Red Apple for a new medical-services building. Some services will expand, (community clinic, lab, X-ray) and new services will be added.

Whidbey General Hospital is clearly committed to providing health care for South Enders. Our new medical-services building is being built so that those who live on the more rural end of the island will not have to sacrifice time and gas to access quality medical care. Our community clinics in North and South Whidbey are another example of our motto, “Healthcare Excellence, Close to Home.”

Trish Rose

Whidbey General Hospital Community Relations