By Mike Pruett and Cherri Thomas
Three Rivers Hospital board
As members of the Three Rivers Hospital Board of Commissioners, we take seriously our responsibility to protect access to health care, steward public resources and plan for the future of our region.
Rural health care is changing, and hospitals across the country face significant financial and operational challenges. These realities make thoughtful planning and collaboration more important than ever. They also make it essential that we take care of the hospital our communities depend on today.
Three Rivers and the other two hospitals in Okanogan County have already worked collaboratively with a third-party facilitator to examine how we can best serve our region. That work concluded that collaboration, not consolidation, is the best way to ensure communities throughout Okanogan County have timely access to hospital care. We believe continued collaboration is essential, but it must go hand in hand with investing in the facilities that make that care possible.
The proposed modernization bond would address aging infrastructure and create a more functional environment for delivering care. Three Rivers has invested in modern medical equipment, but even the best equipment needs appropriate space and reliable infrastructure to be used effectively. Our hospital needs updates to essential systems and clinical spaces so our staff can make the most of those resources and continue providing quality care.
And Three Rivers is much more than an emergency department. Our hospital and adjoining clinic provide a range of services that support people throughout their lives, from primary care and diagnostic services to rehabilitation, behavioral health therapy and recovery after hospitalization. These services help people manage health conditions, regain independence and receive care closer to home. Maintaining access means supporting the hospital and the broader network of services our communities rely on.
Some have suggested that we should wait for another county-wide study before making this investment. We support planning for the future, but no defined or funded study has been proposed. Waiting years for an undefined plan does not resolve today’s infrastructure needs. We can continue evaluating how rural health care should evolve while being responsible stewards of the hospital we have now.
We also recognize that any public investment carries some risk. If a publicly owned hospital were to close with outstanding debt, taxpayers could ultimately be responsible for amounts that could not be repaid through the hospital’s assets. That is true of publicly owned hospitals generally. But this risk must be considered alongside the risk of delaying needed improvements.
Three Rivers manages its finances conservatively, carefully monitors expenses, and remains committed to responsible stewardship of public resources. Investing in the facility is also part of planning for long-term financial sustainability. Under our cost-based reimbursement model, qualifying facility improvements can improve reimbursement, helping support the hospital’s financial future.
There is another important consideration: If the modernization bond passes, Three Rivers will no longer need the annual maintenance and operations levy that has supported emergency department operations since 2020. That is an important part of the broader conversation about the hospital’s needs and the community’s financial commitment.
We believe the future of rural health care should be built on collaboration, responsible investment and access, not on allowing essential local resources to deteriorate.
We can plan for the health care needs of tomorrow while investing in the hospital our communities need today. Our goal is not simply to preserve Three Rivers as it exists, but to strengthen it so it can continue serving our region for years to come.
Three Rivers Hospital Board Chair Mike Pruett and Vice Chair Cherri Thomas live in the Methow Valley.
