Twenty to 25 miles doesn’t sound like a long way to travel…except when it’s a trip to the doctor, and transportation isn’t a sure thing. That’s the dilemma hundreds of residents in Garfield, Elberton, Farmington and the surrounding area were facing until Whitman Hospital & Medical Clinics and the public hospital district joined forces with Partners for Rural Washington to open a new clinic in Garfield.
“It was really hard not to have a clinic in town,” said Tammy Howard, now retired business manager for the public hospital district in Garfield. “Now the clinic is open 3 days a week and keeps busy serving community members as well as the residents of LaDow Court. I’ve heard glowing reports from the community.”
Until 2014, Whitman Medical Group had a branch in Garfield in the downtown building provided by the public hospital district. When WMG moved out that year, though, Howard said the difficulties started.
Not having a clinic meant that area residents – including those at the assisted living facility right next door – had to drive, or be driven, to either Colfax, which is 20 miles from Garfield, or Tekoa, which is 25 miles away. It was an inconvenience for those who had their own transportation; it was worse for those who didn’t. Finding someone new to run the clinic was critical.
“I reached out to several area clinics,” she said. “We were offering a $1-per-month lease, and the provider had to pay the utilities, but we took care of any infrastructure issues. We had a few bites that got our hopes up, but at the time, there was a real lack of providers everywhere, and we couldn’t get anyone to come into Garfield. So, unfortunately, the building sat empty for a few years.”
Finally, in February 2019, a local resident agreed to open a fitness center in the building, which was restricted to housing something health related. Shortly after that, Howard and Partners for Rural Washington Executive Director Jody Opheim connected.
“She asked if I had talked with Whitman Hospital (and Medical Clinics), and I said ‘no,’ Howard said. “Jody’s the one who connected me with Hank Hanigan, the CEO there.”
Hanigan said joining the conversation about opening the Garfield Clinic was an easy decision.
“As a public hospital district, we have a responsibility to provide necessary healthcare services to the communities we serve and realized the deficit of care (in Garfield) was of high priority,” he said.
The three got together to discuss possibilities. PRWA funneled $16,000 in funds from Communities of Concern into remodeling the Garfield Clinic building to accommodate both the fitness club and the clinic, and the group also received an $80,000 grant from Whitman County.
Those funds were critical, according to Hanigan.
“Partners for Rural Washington was able to provide essential funding, and without their assistance, the opening of the Garfield clinic most likely would not have happened,” he said.
Howard agreed. “Between the two fund sources, we had enough money to complete the remodel, purchase some safety equipment for the assisted living facility and boost our EMS program,” Howard said. WHMC moved in the fall of 2021.
“It’s these kinds of partnerships that improve the quality of life for rural residents,” PRWA Executive Director Opheim said. “I’m proud we were able to help bring the resources – both people and money – together to develop something Garfield and the surrounding communities really need.”
