Realizing that millions of local dollars — and an untold number of jobs — were leaving the county and going to either Seattle or Tacoma, the Hospital has filed a Certificate of Need with the state’s Department of Health. The Certificate requires that the requester have at least 250 patients within a three year period being outsourced. With Harrison currently having approximately 300 patients annually that it could not service locally — the need is definitely fulfilled. There currently are no open heart surgery services available on the Kitsap or Olympic peninsulas.

In addition to the open heart surgery program, Harrison will be offering elective angioplasty. Currently helping approximately 50-100 patients on an emergency basis, elective angioplasty patients were/are also being sent outside the area. (Elective is when the procedure can wait 2-3 days.) The state requires each facility offering open heart surgery also offer an on-site elective angioplasty procedure. Angioplasty, in very basic terms, is the cleaning of blocked arteries with a catheter and not surgery.

This enhancement of Harrison Hospital’s cardiac care program is a partnership with the University of Washington (UW). The two facilities have a long-standing positive working relationship. The cardiac team from the UW will help develop and plan the new program at Harrison. The program itself is expected to commence this fall. Harrison currently has a Chest Pain Clinic (where they can diagnosis a heart attack within 24 hours), and a Heart Catheterization Lab. By offering these new programs and services to patients, Harrison Hospital will be providing the most complete cardiac services this side of the Sound.

These new programs will allow our area to attract cardiologists and cardiac care specialists into the community. It will allow the physicians to develop a base practice, have offices, while also improving access to the available services for the community. Provided will be ongoing cardiac management, prevention, and rehabilitation — all on our peninsula.

The local economy will also expand by offering new positions in the form of RNs, operating room professionals, physician’s assistants, medical assistants, etc. Some will be contracted with the UW, while others will be additional hospital staff or independents.

Supportive of this endeavor is a group known as the Peninsula Region Cardiovascular Service Network. This group is made up of Jefferson General Hospital (Port Townsend), Olympic Medical Center (Port Angeles), and Naval Hospital (Bremerton). The responsible physicians from each of these facilities will be referring their patients to Harrison for these procedures/surgeries.

Everyone involved will benefit from this promising and exciting endeavor — our community’s economy, our citizens, and our local healthcare system.

There will be a public hearing hosted by the Department of Health on June 13 at 10 a.m. at the Kitsap Regional Library on Sylvan Way in East Bremerton. Citizens can attend to voice their concerns and support, or send them in via mail to: Department of Health; P.O. Box 47852, Olympia WA. 98504-7852. The phone number is (360) 705-6631.

(Editor’s Note: Marie Buckner is a freelance writer. Contact her at (360) 613-1085.).