Three Rivers Foundation discusses upcoming levy

BREWSTER – The upcoming renewal of the one-year Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Levy that will appear on the Nov. 5 general election was among the issues on the agenda at the meeting of the Three Rivers Hospital Foundation on Monday, Sept. 23.

“It’s a continuation of the one we have been doing for the last several years (since 2020),” said CEO Scott Graham. 

The approximate $1.34 million levy pencils out to about 33 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. Put another way a home valued at $300,000 would be assessed $99 for the year.

Graham explained that TRH, like other hospitals in the area, staffs its emergency room with ERx board certified physicians. ERx (erxgroup.net) specializes in providing emergency medicine, hospitalist, urgent care, and clinic staffing to rural communities throughout the country.

“We first started with them in 2015,” said Graham. “We’ve had a good experience with them.”

In 2020 TRH lost its OB services when they were consolidated with Mid-Valley in Omak.

“Along with that went our community physicians who did the hospitalist work,” said Graham. “We had to increase our access to ERx by asking them to do the hospitalist work in addition to the emergency room.”

That new configuration increased TRH costs by about $1 million.

“That was the reason for the move to the levy,” said Graham.

Foundation mission

The TRH Foundation’s mission is to raise funds and awareness for programs and services that improve the quality of patient care and experience in the hospital district. Foundation President Dan Webster reviewed 2024 equipment purchases and the processes for future acquisitions.

One goal of the Foundation was to purchase a transport van for the hospital when one was recently donated to fill that need. The board is now discussing lettering and advertising on the acquired vehicle. In addition to recent equipment purchases, the Foundation:

• Launched a TRH Foundation scholarship program in 2023 for schools within the hospital district.
• Purchased two bariatric chairs for the clinic, blood pressure cuffs and pulse oximeters, halogen floor lamps for clinic exam rooms, a bladder scanner for the ER, and RFID locks for the ER and downstairs clinic entrances for improved security.
• Provided Samsung flat screen TVs in patient rooms, plus new bed linens.
• Installed air quality monitor at the hospital.
• Sponsors annual free sports physicals for local student athletes at Three Rivers Family Medicine.
• Received two grants from the Roots & Wings Foundation.

Roots & Wings (rootswings.org) supports low-income children and families in reaching their full potential through grants to nonprofit organizations in four areas: basic needs, early learning, health, and safety and justice. Webster announced that the Foundation anticipates a third $35,000 Roots & Wings grant in October.

Board of Commissioners Chair Mike Pruett urged more community outreach to inform the public about the Foundation's work and how they can become members or donors.

Three Rivers Hospital Foundation is incorporated and recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization. 

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media