Orcas Island Healthcare District seeks levy lift to expand clinic, stabilize dental services

Chris Cord, superintendent of the Orcas Island Healthcare District, briefed the San Juan County Board of Health on the district's recent growth, service gaps and a proposed levy lid lift to fund clinic expansion and sustain new programs.

Cord said the district now serves roughly 3,700 unique patients and logged more than 11,000 appointments last year. Island Primary Care Orcas operates as the on-island clinic; the district purchased the clinic building after forming the hospital district in 2018 and made renovations. Island Health (a public hospital district based in Anacortes) has been a partner since 2021 and provides specialty visits, telehealth cardiology and an after-hours phone triage service.

Cord described staffing and services: the clinic currently has two full-time physicians, one part-time pediatrician and two full-time physician assistants. He said Island Health brings visiting specialists (OB-GYN monthly, interventional pain specialists) and helps with charity-care and discount programs. Cord also described a locally run MA (medical assistant) on-the-job training program that has graduated about eight MAs, six of whom grew up on the island.

The district described a volunteer-backed dental clinic started with a Department of Health grant; Cord said the dental project has seen roughly 400 patients and performed over 800 procedures since last year and that the district is evaluating reimbursement models and partnerships with Island Health to make dental care sustainable.

Cord said the clinic has outgrown its space and that providers are using converted offices and a conference room; the district proposes a 10-year temporary levy lift to raise the levy rate from $0.41 to $0.70 to build capital for expansion and cover operating costs as care costs rise. The levy proposal is for 10 years with an option to renew for an additional 10 years. Cord said the cost of care and wages have increased since the current levy was set and that voters will decide on the levy in an upcoming election; he gave a date for the election as April 22 and listed two town halls scheduled for the campaign (next Friday and Wednesday, April 9).

Board members praised the district's community partnerships and urged proactive community outreach. Councilperson Fuller recommended robust public education about why the levy lift is needed; Cord said the district had scheduled town halls and posted materials on its website. Board members supported cross-island coordination of specialty services and called the dental program a major local benefit.

Cord asked the board to share information about the levy and to direct interested parties to the district website for financial details; he said additional financial materials were shared with board members but he did not present full financial slides during the meeting.

The district has reached agreement on a 10-year contract with Island Health that includes an option to renew for an additional 10 years; Cord said the district would use levy proceeds to expand clinic capacity and to fund a permanent dental clinic site if reimbursement models are secured. He said the district is recruiting additional providers and that expansion is needed to accommodate new clinicians.

No formal board action or vote occurred during the presentation. Board members and district representatives described planned outreach and town halls before the election.