Out of the Loop

Given our frequent trips to our local medical facilities in the last year or so, it often seems to me that we are in the thick of things when it comes to health care on the Long Beach Peninsula.  Not a week goes by that we aren’t picking up prescriptions at the Ocean Park Pharmacy, having lab work done at Ocean Beach Hospital or seeing our primary care provider at the Ocean Beach Medical Clinic in Ilwaco.  Even so, I have recently realized that we are out of the loop when it comes to Big Medical News here at the north end.

This aha moment came to me just this week when we received an invitation to “Spring Fling” – a benefit dinner and silent auction being given by the Ocean Beach Hospital Foundation.  The letter which accompanied the very spiffy invitation said, Ocean Beach Hospitals and Medical Clinics is growing and we are holding a Spring Fling to celebrate the new facility that will be home of the Ocean Beach Medical Group – Ocean Park.

Really?  A Clinic in Ocean Park?  “Must be what’s happening next to the Pharmacy,” said Nyel.  Really??  I thought that was just going to be a pharmacy upgrade.  Is it going to be a clinic, too?

I searched for clarification in back issues of the Chinook Observer and in the April 6, 2016 issue found an article that said:

OBH leaders have been quietly talking about building another clinic in Ocean Park in collaboration with Jeff Harrell, co-owner of Peninsula Pharmacies, and the Port of Peninsula.

“That one’s not widely out there yet, as far as our plans. It’s in development,” Cohen said. He explained that an OP clinic would reduce drive-time for many existing patients, and could potentially capture more business from people who are currently leaving the Peninsula to seek medical care.

January [2016] hospital board minutes show that the commissioners discussed possible locations, including sites on Bay Avenue, near Ocean Park Pharmacy and Okie’s Thriftway Market. In February, the officials met with Harrell and a developer. OBH hopes to open the clinic by early 2017…

But… just to confuse me more, one of the signers of that letter from the Ocean Beach Hospital Foundation Board told me that the fundraiser had to do with the medical clinic at Klipsan Beach which now comes under the ‘Ocean Beach Clinics’ umbrella…

So… I still feel confused and out of the loop but, as they say, it’s all good.  More medical facilities at the north end – especially with our local Pharmacies, Hospital, and Clinic involved, whether old news or late-breaking news, is the best news ever.

3 Responses to “Out of the Loop”

  1. Blair Oman says:

    Hi Sydney!

    Sorry for any confusion. Ocean Beach Hospital & Medical Clinics will be rebranding in 2017. We are moving toward “Ocean Beach Health” as an umbrella for Ocean Beach Hospital, Ocean Beach Medical Group – Ilwaco, Ocean Beach Medical Group – Naselle, and the future Ocean Beach Medical Group – Ocean Park. There are plans for a new building at the site of the existing Ocean Park Pharmacy. The pharmacy will be on the first floor and the clinic will be on the second floor. Spring Fling is an OBH Foundation event in support of this wonderful new addition to our community! Hope to see you there. :)

    Blair Oman
    HR Manager – OBH

  2. Wel, one point is clear. We need a few more medical facilities.

  3. sydney says:

    Thanks for the clarification, Blair! Great news all the way around!

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