Transcript History of Health Care on Beaver Island

History of the Beaver Island
Rural Health Center
•
Donna Kubic
Managing Director
Challenges
Beaver Island’s extreme geographic isolation
and transportation challenges result in
service limitations and obstacles to
connections with larger medical care
resources such as hospital, surgical centers
and radiology facilities.
We have extreme fluctuations in utilization that
vary from moderate in late fall and winter to
overcrowded in summer.
Beaver Island
Geography
Population Year Round 600
6 Miles x 13 miles
Largest, most remote
inhabited island in the
Great Lakes
32 miles from the nearest
point of access on the
Michigan mainland.
History of Health Care on Beaver Island
Before the Mormon Era (18471856) there is no record of
medical help available on Beaver
Island.
Feodor Protar (1893-1925) a
refugee from Russia, had no
medical training but his best
friend, Dr. Berhardi, practiced
medicine in Chicago, and he was
willing to look up remedies and
order cures through the mail.
• After Protar’s death,
people had to be taken
to the mainland in a
fish boat or a doctor
had to be flown in.
1923 Dr. Palmer set up shop
• In 1923 Beaver Island were lucky enough
to be discovered by Canadian Dr. Palmer,
who set up shop. When Dr Palmer left
once again the island had no doctor. The
state was willing to help if we could meet
their requirements, but they were
completely beyond us.
Requirements for the Doctor
In 1952 a doctor was found in Bay City who
was willing to come, if he could
1)
find a home,
2)
if there would be some kind of state
subsidy
3)
if the Island would provide some kind
of modest hospital.
What to do?
• Call a meeting??
Community pulls together
January 16, 1953 a
general meeting
was called for all
Island residents.
100 people showed
up at the Parish
Hall.
Getting the job done
May 9th with
volunteer labor,
it was thought
the building
would cost
around $12,000.
Proposed constitution and
bylaws approved
Father Joe
Jewell Gillespie
Roger Carlisle
Frank Nackerman
Mrs. Frank O'Donnell
Art Johnston, President
Mrs. George Ricksgers
Lloyd McDonough
Mrs. John Gallagher
Were elected to the board of the
Beaver Island Civic Club
1953
Beginning of the Medical Center
Open for Business
In the first year, eight maternity cases were
handled, and people spent seven nights in
bed there for various ailments. 36 x rays
taken that first year, a number of strains
were diagnosed as fractures and given
proper treatment.
In 1955 a surgical table from Butterworth
Hospital in Grand Rapids was procured.
In 1956 island births were increasing
despite a decreasing population of 210.
Serious Problem on the Horizon
Dr. Vail gave notice on May 1, 1956.
Distraught the Medical Center Committee
asked the State Health Commissioner for
help.
Doctor for Hire
With the help of Health Commissioner Albert
Heustis, Dr. Luton became the doctor in
1956.
He was 77 when he took up his duties.
Doctors continued to serve Island
Residents
Dr. Howard Haynes 1962-1967 provided
services
Dr. Joseph Christie 1968-1979 provided
services
Board appointed to oversee
Medical Center
Bylaws were adopted and Bud McDonough
served as the first President
Goals
1975 a Medical Center Board was
appointed to oversee the Medical Center,
and bylaws were adopted.
Their goal was to have a contract with the
doctor (being paid $7,500 a year).
Expansion
1976 an addition was designed and put
out on bids.
Dr. Christie followed (1968-1979), then Dr.
Siudara who retired in 1985, giving way to
the post being manned by Mike McGinnity,
RN.
Rural Health Designation
Rural Health Status designation was
approved in 1976.
Dr. Philip Lange was instrumental in
accomplishing this.
The Funding of the Health Center
Since 1985 Medical and Health care needs have
been met by Mid Level Practitioners overseen by
a physician practicing in Charlevoix.
From it’s beginning in approximately 1927 until
1985, state of Michigan support of health care
on Beaver Island was done by paying the salary
and benefits of a resident physician. When the
last physician retired in 1985, application was
made for state support of a Physician Assistant.
This was approved but was “trickled” down
through the 3rd District Health
Department, until that ceased in 1991.
In an effort to become self-sufficient in the
face of the loss of state funding, Island
voters passed a two mil property tax.
Since those revenues would be delayed
for some months, interim state assistance
was asked for and received to fill the gap
until the new tax revenues could be
collected and dispersed.
Between 1991 and 1996
1) local tax dollars,
2) patient fees
3) and contributions
barely kept the Center’s door open.
Following a successful appeal for state
assistance in 1996 and from that date through
2002 the state of Michigan again helped by
sending $75,000 annually to help cover
operating expenses.
However, in the decade of the 90’s the island’s
population grew 40% and the patient visits to
the BIRHC grew 434% which created the need
to add a second care giver thus increasing
operating costs.
The new Rural Health Center
In 1998 the Medical Center Board began to
seriously explore the possibility of upgrading it’s
facility. Everyone had a chance to give their
opinion during a two year period.
Jeff Traudt offered to donate property on the NE
corner of King’s Highway and Carlyle Road –no
strings attached.
How do we pay for it?
Bill made it through State Congress for two
million dollars.
Governor Engler vetoed it.
The same energetic team went back to work
and their diligence paid off a 1.5 million
dollar grant was awarded.
March 2003 ground was broken with a
completion date of date of December
2003.
The Current Status
A new plateau of competent service has
evolved due to the diligent work of the
Beaver Island Board of Directors.
New Facility
One Major Problem Remains
How to we pay for the operation of our new
Rural Health Center?
The government has let us know in no
uncertain terms that we have to look
elsewhere for help.
How to we pay for it’s Operation?
Objective:
Secure funding
so there isn’t a
worry about
whether or not
the doors will
stay open.
In the last decade the population of Beaver
Island has increased nearly 40%, and the
patients served by the Rural Health Center
have risen from less than 600 in 1990 to
over 2600 in 2002 and 2745 in 2005 and
3050 in 2009
Local tax collections plus patient fees are
just able to cover personnel costs and the
annual stipend for a physician’s visit every
two weeks.
• Despite the best efforts of the Health
Center Board, its staff, its patients, and
taxpayers to be financially self-sufficient, it
can’t be done without outside support.
• Few health facilities, if any, rural or urban
can survive without county, state or
federal dollars, especially, if they are as
isolated as Beaver Island.
Capital Campaign
The BIRHC Board of Directors has determined that
a Capitol Campaign is necessary to ensure the
future financial stability of the Health Center.
The goal of the campaign is to build the Center’s
Endowment to $1.5 million. Interest from the
Endowment will be used to make up the
difference between operating revenues and
expenses, a gap created by the elimination of
the state of Michigan’s annual subsidy to the
BIRHC. The current operating revenues of the
health center come from patient billings (26%),
property tax levies (49%) and donations from
outside sources (25%). It is hopeful the final
25% portion of the revenue stream the
Endowment interest is expected to contribute.
BIRHC LEGACY TREE
Support of the Townships
The only Health
Center in the
state
substantially
funded by local
tax millage.
Two significant components
to Health Care on Beaver Island
The ability to obtain high quality basic
health services.
The ability to get the best, coordinated
emergency care and transportation to
leave the island as expeditiously as
possible when needed.
Mode of transportation
Patients in need of extended services which cannot
be provided by the BIRHC need to be evacuated
by the local air taxi service, North Flight or the US
Coast Guard.
Evacuation is dependent on weather conditions.
North Flight EMS
Subsidiary of Munson Healthcare, Inc.
Traverse City
Beaver Island Emerald Isle
Ferry boat to Charlevoix – 2 hour 10 minute trip
Weather permitting
US Coast Guard
Health Care Delivery Today
Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant
Chiropractor
Eye doctor
Mental health provider
Dermatologist beginning April 2010
Collaborating Physicians who provides services 2
days/month.
Summary
Beaver Island Rural Health Clinic has developed
from a two room hospital to a modern medical
facility.
Our dedicated volunteer Board Members have
worked cooperatively with the staff to ensure
the success of the Beaver Island Medical Center.
Thank you for all the volunteer hours these
dedicated islanders have provided to accomplish
these tremendous endeavor.