Contact: Scot Attridge, Chief Executive Officer
Office (360) 642-6300 | sattridge@oceanbeachhospital.com

Community members invited to learn more and provide comment

ILWACO, WA — The Ocean Beach Hospital and Medical Clinics’ Board of Commissioners will meet on December 15 to discuss a resolution to place a capital bond on the April 25, 2023, special election ballot. The community is welcome and encouraged to attend the meeting virtually or in person.

The meeting will be held at 4 p.m. in the hospital’s conference room A/B. The public is also invited to attend virtually via Zoom. The Zoom meeting link can be found on the hospital’s website, www.oceanbeachhospital.com, or in the Chinook Observer.

OBHMC (also known as Public Hospital District 3 of Pacific County) is designated a Critical Access Hospital by the state and federal governments to improve the quality of and access to health care for rural residents. The number of people the hospital district serves has increased significantly over the years. In 2021, the hospital district served more than 28,900 outpatient visits, 7,000 emergency department visits, and performed nearly 1,100 surgeries.

Many people in the community still must travel long distances to get the basic and specialty care they need. The board of commissioners has identified a list of priority capital projects to increase access to local healthcare services. The purpose of the bond is to:

  • Add a nonprofit Urgent Care Center, renovate patient rooms, and improve the nursing station and pharmacy at the hospital
  • Acquire or expand space to increase access to specialty care, such as orthopedics, dermatology, podiatry, urology, behavioral health, and diabetes care
  • Upgrade medical equipment and equip an additional procedure room at Ocean Park Clinic to increase capacity and access for women’s health care
  • Provide more efficient delivery of in-home nursing care services
  • Maintain facilities and improve energy efficiency at facilities to save on utility costs

The bond is projected to cost $0.17 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The cost would be $5.67 per month or $68 per year for the owner of a $400,000 home. This rate is less than half of what voters approved in the last bond, which was paid off in 2021.

“Everyone deserves high-quality health care close to home,” said Nancy Gorshe, OBHMC board chair. “We are a public hospital district, and we answer to you. The capital projects we have identified will ensure our rural community has access to the best possible care.”

More information about the capital bond can be found at www.oceanbeachhospital.com.