When COVID-19 hit, more than 700 healthcare professionals stepped up and did what was needed to protect us all:
*Calendar year 2020
WhidbeyHealth provides progressive, patient centric healthcare, a safety net when emergencies happen, and peace of mind knowing our team is standing by 24/7 to respond to your needs.
Our dedicated team of over 700 caring, compassionate and competent healthcare professionals is continually finding new ways to meet the evolving needs of our diverse community.
The population of the island has grown. When the hospital opened, Oak Harbor had about 9,100 residents. Today there are more than 24,000 living in our northern-most city alone.
More people need more care than ever, especially primary care services which focus on preventing illness.
Our community is growing older. A disproportionate portion of our population relies on Medicare and other government medical insurance. Unfortunately, government insurances pay far less than commercial insurance. Revenue from commercial insurance companies cannot offset the lower rates from government payers.
As a result, for every $1 billed, insurance pays 44¢.
Even in the best of times, daily operations cost $315,000 with 73% going toward salaries and benefits for providers, clinical and support staff.
Taxpayers contribute less than 5% of the operations budget.
Financial impacts of COVID-19 now exceed more than $18 million in emergency costs and lost revenue. This is a big hit to the $115 million annual operating budget, and the pandemic is far from over.
To be clear: the 2013 bond did not support daily operations. Those funds could only be used for expansion and construction of the new wing of the hospital.
WhidbeyHealth is a community-owned health system with a Medical Center and clinics owned by the residents of Whidbey Island.
Healthcare has changed drastically since the hospital doors first opened 51 years ago. Advances in medical care have revolutionized survival from cancer, cardiac disease, stroke, and many other diseases. Clinicians are increasingly specialized, requiring substantial post-graduate training and continuous education.
Healthcare has made a huge impact on our quality of life, and the cost to deliver that quality is very different compared to 1970.
Despite these important and costly advances in medical care, Proposition No.1 on the November 2021 ballot was the first request to increase support for operations in 57 years!
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the transformation of infrastructures and the use of technology as healthcare teams responded to the needs of the rapidly changing environment.
Redefined processes and an agile workforce were critical in keeping the community safe. Specialized protective equipment, evolving treatment and cleaning protocol included negative airflow systems and Halo sterilization units to keep patients and staff safe.
Even while fighting for our lives, WhidbeyHealth teams added services when we needed them:
WhidbeyHealth is continuously evolving to meet the needs of our growing and diverse community.