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

Bond would fund medical equipment purchases, including equipment to add a procedure room at Ocean Park Clinic

ILWACO, WA—Like doctors and nurses, medical equipment plays a vital role in hospitals in the treatment and care of patients. Ocean Beach Hospital & Medical Clinics (OBHMC) is considering a bond sometime in 2023 to purchase or replace medical equipment to improve local access to health care.

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. This includes ensuring medical equipment is replaced or upgraded due to age or technological advancements to provide the best possible patient care. Hospitals and medical clinics use medical equipment to prevent, diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate patients in a safe and effective way.

OBHMC’s board of commissioners has identified medical equipment that is due for upgrades and would be funded by a bond.

“Rural communities, like ours, should have access to the best possible care and medical equipment available to improve patient outcomes,” said Nancy Gorshe, OBHMC board chair. “We have identified the equipment needs of our hospital and clinics to increase the level of care our community requires.”

The hospital district’s conventional CT scanner requires replacement with either a Spectral CT or a Photon CT. These newer scanners have advanced image capturing and viewing tools that allow radiologists to see more as they perform their diagnosis. This means a patient may not have to return for an additional scan.

The hospital district needs a C-Arm X-ray machine to capture images from almost any angle. A C-Arm is an advanced medical imaging device that is widely used during surgeries and emergency procedures. The machine enhances the technical proficiency of the surgeon and helps to reduce illness and length of hospital stay for the patient.

The OBHMC board of commissioners is discussing putting a capital bond to voters in 2023 to purchase and upgrade medical equipment, fund space for a nonprofit urgent care center, and renovate hospital patient rooms. OBHMC also would use funds to add a procedure room at Ocean Park Clinic to increase capacity and access for women’s health care. This discussion will be a public process. To learn more, please visit www.oceanbeachhospital.com.

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Public Hospital District 3 of Pacific County (known as Ocean Beach Hospital & Medical Clinics) provides both routine and critical health care services to residents from Naselle to Ocean Park. Our hospital and clinics ensure continued local access to high-quality health care for rural residents. Our mission is to ease the pain and improve the health of residents and visitors in our care. We are one of the largest employers in Pacific County, providing family-wage jobs to 180 people. More information on Ocean Beach Hospital & Medical Clinics can be found on its website at www.oceanbeachhospital.com.