Lopez Island Clinic’s Transition: Complicated But Hopeful (Repost of Islands’ Sounder Article from Oct. 18, 2025)
by Gretchen Wing
Lopez Island Clinic’s search for a new health system to replace the departing University of Washington might be summed up like an old movie title: “The Good, the Bad and the Complicated.” But also, according to those working on the transition, “The Hopeful.” Understanding how each of these adjectives applies to the Clinic, however, requires a little history.
“The Good”: The Clinic owes its existence to a dedicated group of islanders over 50 years ago who felt the need for medical care close to home. In 1971, they formed the non-profit Catherine Washburn Medical Association to accept donations for the construction and maintenance of a clinic. Thanks to the CWMA— named in honor of a long-time resident—the original building was completed in 1974, and the CWMA continues to serve as its landlord, upholding its mandate to support the Clinic’s community care.
For its first two decades, the Clinic housed a private family medical practice; then, in 1992, Island Hospital (later Island Health) contracted with the CWMA to operate the Clinic. But in 2017, after twenty-five years, Island Health announced it needed to end this contract. The CWMA board began working with Dr. Robert Wilson, Clinic staff, and community members to find a new model of management. Through research, they concluded that whether the clinic found a new partner or went independent, continued operation would require dedicated, ongoing financial support from the Lopez community.
After exploring many options, the CWMA concluded that a Public Hospital District was the best mechanism to assure financially sound, fiscally responsible, fair, and equitable funding for the Clinic, as well as to support various types of health care on the island. Public Hospital Districts support many other rural, remote clinics around the state, including not only San Juan and Orcas Islands, but also Island Hospital and Skagit Regional Health. The CWMA put forward a petition to place the measure on the ballot in a special election; while only 200 signatures were needed, more than 500 people signed. On April 25, 2017, the ballot measure passed with 86% of voters saying “yes.” That same year, the Clinic’s new partner became the University of Washington, now contracted with both the CWMA and the Lopez Island Hospital District (LIHD).
“The Bad”: This summer, UW Medicine announced its decision to not renew its contract with Lopez Clinic when it ends next June. According to LIHD board President Iris Graville, the timing adds to the Clinic’s challenges. “As everyone knows, current and predicted budget cuts at the federal level related to health care and insurance, medical research, and funding to states are putting a huge strain on all health systems, especially rural ones,” Graville said. “So, this isn’t an ideal time for health systems and care providers to be adding new partners and services.”
“The Complicated”: The work of transition is being carried out by two groups, both supported by consultant Jody Carona of Health Facilities Planning and LIHD Superintendent Edee Scriven, and both including two board members each from CWMA and LIHD, plus community members.
The Oversight/Partner Group held multiple community listening sessions this summer. Said Scriven, “We spoke with nine other Lopez Island community health organizations, and also many community members with medical backgrounds,” including health and wellness service providers (such as Lopez Island Physical Therapy, Fire and EMS, current Clinic staff, and the Lopez Island Family Resource Center). The results were then compiled into a prioritized wish-list for the new clinic.
This fall, said Scriven, the group is reaching out to other community groups for further input and finishing up a Community Healthcare survey for all residents of the Island. “Responses from nearly 600 households collected so far from the survey align closely with the priorities identified during the Listening Sessions,” she said. “This consistency gives us confidence that the key takeaways from those sessions reflect the voice of the entire island community.”
Meanwhile, the Oversight/Partner Group has started preliminary conversations with six different regional healthcare systems expressing interest—“a promising first step for finding a new clinic operator,” according to Scriven. A special challenge for the group is the complexity of participating in sensitive, confidential financial negotiations for services supported with tax dollars. When meeting with Carona, potential healthcare system partners may ask LIHD and CWMA to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to keep shared information confidential, the LIHD website notes. Said Graville, “One of the strengths of our community is the creative, participatory involvement of residents regarding decisions that affect all of us. Both the LIHD and CWMA rely on this input. But,” she added, “potential operators are businesses as well as caregivers, and we have to balance maintaining their privacy with LIHD’s regulations, as a taxing district, about conducting business openly. It’s tricky!” There are lots of gray areas about what’s confidential and what’s public, Graville said, and both organizations are committed to finding the balance that best serves the community and potential partners.
For its part, the Independent Model Group has been evaluating the financial and operational feasibility of an independent clinic should none of the potential health system partners provide a good fit. Scriven explained, “The group is creating an in-depth compilation of the necessary steps involved in opening and running an independent clinic.” LIHD Commissioner Albert Berger, a group member, reported, “The committee is assessing whether the Hospital District’s property tax-based funding can support this model. The evaluation includes exploring whether there are physicians interested in practicing independently or in small groups on a remote, rural island—where most patients are covered by Medicare or Medicaid.”
“The Hopeful”: First of all, the LIHD and CWMA are committed to keeping the Clinic open. In the face of concerns circulating in the community, CWMA Board President Katherine Bryant Ingman assured, “UW has had financial challenges, but the Catherine Washburn Clinic is in a strong financial position to see this process through.” Graville echoed this optimism: “Fortunately, Lopez voters have supported a property tax, which LIHD is charged with managing, which offers subsidies to cover shortfalls in the mission to provide health care in under-served areas like ours.” Secondly, Graville noted the “great collaboration” between the nonprofit CWMA and the LIHD taxing district, “because each organization brings different resources to the complex work of supporting the Lopez Clinic.”
For those wishing to stay on top of this complex and fast-developing issue, CWMA and LIHD have formed a Transition Communications Sub-Committee to keep the community informed. Several websites provide ways to stay updated about the organizations’ work:
https://catherinewashburnmedical.org/https-lopezislandhd-org-transition/
This committee also posts updates regularly on Lopez Rocks and the LIHD Facebook page.
To receive email updates, sign up to “Stay in the Loop” at https://lopezislandhd.org/ To contact the LIHD Superintendent, Edee Scriven, email her at: superintendent@lopezislandhd.org or call 360-468-1845. To contact LIHD commissioners, find their email addresses at https://lopezislandhd.org/contact/