Monroe hospital conducts survey in Sky Valley

Published 10:32 pm Thursday, July 15, 2010

MONROE — About 400 people in the Skykomish Valley will be surveyed over the next few weeks, asking what they know about Monroe’s Valley General Hospital and what other services they might like to have there.

People will be asked if the hospital is conducting enough patient education courses, if they’re aware of the variety of its services, such as its chemical dependency treatment center, and, if they’ve been to a hospital recently, which one they went to, said Mike Liepman, the hospital’s chief executive.

“I would be interested in (the reason) people get their services elsewhere,” he said.

If people work out of town, some people may be getting their medical services closer to work, rather than in Monroe, he said.

The survey, which is expected to cost just under $20,000 will be conducted by Liz Loomis Public Affairs of Snohomish, Liepman said.

Liepman was hired as chief executive of the taxpayer-supported hospital in November. He said he’s often heard from people living in Monroe and other nearby communities that they’re uncertain of what services the hospital provides.

He said he hopes that the hospital can do a better job of telling people what’s available, as well as adding new services.

One of the first services he said he’d like to add is digital mammography, a newer technology to replace the hospital’s current film mammography system. Women in Monroe and neighboring cities ought to be able to come to the hospital to get their annual mammograms with the most up-to-date technology, he said.

Liepman said he’d like to have the new system in place by October.

The hospital is also talking to area medical groups about providing better treatment services for stroke patients, he said. They include Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, Swedish Health Services and the University of Washington. “I would like for all three to give us proposals,” Liepman said.

Although Stevens Hospital in Edmonds has plans to affiliate with Swedish Health Services in Seattle, Liepman said there are no similar plans at this time for the hospital to formally join with any area health care organization.

Both he and the hospital’s three-member, elected board of commissioners will closely watch trends in health care over the next five years to see how many smaller community hospitals remain independent, and how many join up with larger health care organizations, Liepman said.

“My message is we’ll do what is the best thing for the community,” he said.

Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486; salyer@heraldnet.com.