Submitted by Tom Eversole, Interim District Superintendent.

At the Feb. 15 meeting of the Orcas Island Health Care District, Commissioner Richard Fralick announced that he will resign Position # 1 effective March 16, 2022. Commissioners will appoint an interim commissioner to fill the position until the November 23 election. Commissioner Art Lange has been identified to interview potential candidates to fill the vacancy.

Commissioners serve six-year terms of elected office. Qualifications and duties of the District’s commissioners are laid out in its bylaws available at Bylaws & Policies – Orcas Island Health Care District (orcashealth.org). Public meetings of the commissioners are held twice a month, and each commissioner regularly works on several of the District’s 8-10 committees.

Since the district’s inception, Commissioners have worked to refurbish the medical clinic it owns at 7 Deye Lane in Eastsound. Since April 2021, commissioners have collaborated with Island Health to restart clinical services there and to establish a solid base of primary care services. During that time, lab, x-ray and acute care services have improved. As primary care service becomes more firmly established, Commissioners will undertake needs assessment and strategic planning for future service development.

The purpose of the district and the mission of its commissioners is to ensure that island-appropriate, quality primary, acute and after-hours medical care is available to all community members in a financially sustainable and cost-effective manner. If you would like to receive information about the District, please go to Orcas Island Health Care District – OIHCD (orcashealth.org) and sign up for regular email announcements.

For more information email the district superintendent at tome@orcashealth.org.