New hospital facility opens its doors

The first patients arrived Monday at the new Whidbey General North facility at 1300 Goldie Road.

North Whidbey Community Clinic is now open.

The first patients arrived Monday at the new Whidbey General North facility at 1300 Goldie Road. It joins rehabilitation services, which opened last week after moving from its location next to Sears.

The new clinic features two new exam rooms and expanded lab services. In one of those rooms, a special exam chair has been installed, which will benefit those who are unable to move themselves onto a regular table. This chair can lower down to the ground.

“Now the exam table can go to them,” said Peggy Sullivan, clinic manager.

Whidbey General Hospital is leasing the space inside the building because it does not require the same amount of capital as a new building.

It will cost the hospital approximately $169,000 per year to run the facility. That figure includes the cost of the lease, insurance and incidental costs. The hospital is leasing 11,000 of the 14,000 square feet.

Patients can have blood drawn, get an X-ray and go through physical therapy all in the same building. Three different providers will continue to serve the clinic. Later in the summer, the hospital will open a sleep lab at the facility.

Rehabilitation services has altered its treatment plans, manager Robert Martin said. Because the new facility is smaller than the old one, some machines had to be removed, he said.

“We’ll be making some changes to individual therapy based on the equipment,” Martin said. “As it was designed, we built it with occupational therapy, vocational therapy and physical therapy in mind.”

Ear, nose and throat doctor Keith Becker will open an office at the new facility later in the year as well.

Call 679-5590.

The hospital will mark the grand opening of the facility April 12 at 4 p.m.