Deschutes Rim Health Clinic History

1.  When was the idea for a clinic formed?     

In 1997 a group of community volunteers formed White River Health & Living (WRH+L) as a nonprofit group aimed at creating jobs and providing senior retirement living opportunities so residents can remain close to their relatives, and creating local health care services which normally had to be obtained from Madras or The Dalles..... at 40-50 miles each one way trip.  White River Health & Living separated into two separate boards, with the Health & Living Board directing the Assisted Living Center: Canyon Rim Manor; and the White River Health District Board directing continued efforts towards opening a medical clinic; both have a South Wasco County focus.  In 2001 the White River Health District Board approached the voters of South Wasco County with the proposal of a tax health district with a tax levy of $0.25 per thousand on property tax assessments. This amounts  to about $50,000 per year annually. The voters approved the concept with  nearly a 70% majority.

2.  When was the board first established?     

The first White River Health District Board of Directors was voted in during the same election that established the district in 2001.

3.  What is White River Health District?     

The district is a taxing agency under Oregon's Special District regulations. White River Health District exists to provide basic medical and health care for the residents of Sportsman's Park, Wamic, Tygh Valley, Pine Grove, Juniper Flat, Maupin, and South Junction.

The District has the same boundaries as South Wasco School District except the City of Shaniko. All residents of the area and visitors of the area are eligible to utilize the services of Deschutes Rim Health District regardless of whether they pay property taxes toward us or not, but the only people voting on the tax levy were South Wasco County residents.  The goal of the District is to provide care to anyone needing services, with a fee for the services charged.

Most people will have a form of insurance to help with clinic fees.  The ideal goal is to have enough tax Revenues to cover the operating expenses of the  District and to assist in funding medical care for patients who are not insured.

4.  What has the process been from inception to now?    

White River Health District saved up tax revenues from 2001 to the summer of 2007 to help make the building loan payments and equip the clinic for its opening in September 2007.  We had hoped it would also be enough to operate the clinic for at least one year, but delays in receiving insurance payments for over six months required that we take out another loan to assist in operational expenses: salaries, insurances, utilities.  

This, in addition to the loss of an arbitration settlement in December 2008 with the builder of our building, have created a huge debt burden for us.   

It usually takes a minimum of five years for a business to become self-sufficient, and our goal with the tax levy is to not only help cover operational expenses but to also reduce our debt burden.  

We are a non-profit public entity, which means we are YOUR clinic.  We need your continued support to keep our doors open.

We also accept donations, which are TAX DEDUCTIBLE, and allow us to plan for future equipment needs and expenses.  Our donations received in our second year allowed us to buy a full cardiac defibrillator AND an AED.  Currently, our donations and a grant from Special Districts will help offset installing outside building security lighting, helipad lighting and a windsock, so Lifeflight and AirLink will have a safe place to land.  Eventually we would like to build one that does not require us to shuttle cars out of the parking lot!

Now, in 2010, we are completing our first year with the increased taxes and it has allowed us to actually take a breath and know we can pay our bills!  Thank you, South Wasco County!

We actually began this fiscal year, 2010-11, with money in the bank!  Nice feeling! 

We have just completed our third year in operation, and are now facing our second financial audit, which should go much smoother than the first, as we had no idea what to expect last year.  Oster Professional Group out of John Day have been MOST patient and very easy to work with--making this potentially heart -stopping event actually easier to get through.  Now, if I can just clone myself so there is enough time to do everything that comes due at the same time as the audit!  

In the past few months we have hired 1) a part-time receptionist, which allows LeeAnn time to train as a Medical Assistant--whoo-hoo!-learning how to draw blood and give shots, 2) a part-time bookkeeper to decrease Sharon's late night hours inputting financial and audit information, and 3) a weekly housekeeper to help keep the overtime down.  

Please welcome Valerie Stephenson, Lorna Fox and Emily Guttman.  We are glad you are here!

With regret, Cherie Grahn and Kim Hahn have resigned for health reasons.  Thank you to both of them for the time you shared with us!

Our regular staff continues to be the same for the past 2 years: Stephen McLennon, MD/Medical Director; Sharon D. DeHart PA-C / Clinic Manager; LeeAnn Gooch, Medical Specialist II, Gary DeHart. Medical Specialist I; and Susan Jett, Billing.  We have been slow to put people on as we are looking for a specific type of dedication that has been difficult to find. 

STAY TUNED. . . we are still growing and changes keep coming!