Editor,

I have been a patient, a volunteer and an employee at Whidbey General Hospital. As a patient, I received better care at WGH than I had received at one of California’s most renowned hospitals. The caring and advocacy of the nursing staff during and after emergency surgery was the absolute best. The financial office was understanding and willing to work with me. The doctor who performed intricate emergency surgery was top notch. As a volunteer, I met lots of great people willing to give of themselves to help our community.

As an employee, I’ve been there through thick and thin, I’ve seen issues that required change and watched as people did their best when there were no funds to purchase new equipment or bring pay rates up to the current standard. From day one, I have been schooled that the primary goal is “patients first.” I know that the first thought on every employee’s mind is “how may I best help this patient?” I also know that we really try to do just that.

Through all this, I have seen the words of Rob Born. I simply cannot imagine his motive in apparently doing all he can to wreak havoc. He has caused untold wasted man hours, resulting in financial hardship to WGH, making requests for records and time with no visible reason or results. What if he had volunteered to give help instead of taking? What if his voice had been positive and the money he has spent and collected had been donated to improving the hospital? To the outsider, it would appear that he had too much time on his hands and chose WGH as an outlet for his seemingly innate negativity.

Having lived on this island paradise for the past 11 years, I have found that the attitude of its people is unique. We all seem to enjoy living a more back-to-basic, kind and individual lifestyle. We choose to have a publicly owned hospital where we all have a say, rather than a hospital owned by a huge corporation whose one concern is money.

I can say with relative certainty that if Rob Born were to be elected we would not hear of any positive results. His agenda appears obvious, to be as negative as possible without giving anything to help. Take a real look at the changes that have come under Georgia Gardner’s and the current board’s stewardship: patient satisfaction has improved tremendously, the hospital is operating in the black, the new wing is being built which will create an up-to-date healthcare facility. Isn’t that what we all want?

I am grateful for everything Whidbey General Hospital has done for me, and for all that the people of Whidbey Island has given me.

Liz Krause

Coupeville