David Farris, MD, White River Health District board chair
We, the Board of Directors of the Deschutes Rim Healthcare Clinic in Maupin, are asking voters to renew a property tax levy to once again support the clinic.
We are asked why the clinic isn’t self-supporting. Rural primary care never is. Primary care doesn’t pay well anywhere, and being rural means reliance on Medicare and OHP, which reimburses pennies on the dollar. Only 19% of our patients have commercial insurance such as Blue Cross, MODA, Cigna, etc.
We are asked where the money will go. First, no one is profiting. No one owns the clinic but the White River Health District. Other than the staff, everyone is a volunteer. Our first priority will be recruitment. We can’t entice a provider to move to South Wasco County without a promise of a reliable job. A new provider will generate revenue, but we still won’t be self-supporting.
Every other rural health district in the state has far more permanent tax support than Deschutes Rim, in some cases more than triple. Our operating loss averages about $24,000 per month now. We have the doors open now due to grant money, but grantors who are willing to kickstart new services or buy capital improvements are loathe to support ongoing operational losses.
Supporting the Deschutes Rim Health Clinic is not just about healthcare; it’s about ensuring a community thrives. Should the renewal fail, there is a very real possibility the clinic will close. We have looked at various scenarios. In none of them do we survive far into 2027 without the levy.
Many studies have shown that local care is best care. Known details of a patient’s life as simple as an unreliable truck can make a difference. So can casual contact in a coffee shop. Imagine coming home from work to a child with a fever and knowing you have a trusted local clinic to turn to. This clinic has been — and can be again — a lifeline for many, providing essential tests and treatments right in Maupin, so folks don’t have to drive to The Dalles or Madras. (No offense, neighbors.)
We know very well taxpayer money ought to buy a consistent, reliable medical presence. This is not a new tax. This exact levy did that until a string of unfortunate events a few years ago. We are asked what will be different this time. The Board of Directors has been entirely reconstituted since the first of the year. We have the experience and drive to build a new team-based culture.
To learn more visit the clinic’s website: www.deschutesrimhealtclinic.org. We, the board and staff, are available for conversations. We want to address public perceptions, not only dispel false rumors, but to affirm and accept valid criticisms and incorporate suggestions. Come discuss the future of the clinic with us.
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David Farris, MD, the former medical director of the Oregon Medical Board, is the board chair of White River Health District, dba Deschutes Rim Health Clinic. Read the full news release at columbiagorgenews.com.
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