Anne Tarrant is leaving her position as president of the Whidbey General Hospital board at a busy time. Construction is underway on the new wing.

The hospital and its many clinics are also undergoing a name change. CEO of a year Geri Forbes is building a new leadership team.

Now is a perfect time to introduce new blood to the hospital’s elected board, which is charged with setting hospital’s policy. Current board members will have to appoint someone to Tarrant’s seat.

Hopefully, they will be open minded about the process and candidates.

A welcome addition to the board would be someone smart and independent, a person with no connections to the hospital or its politics.

The board has a reputation for being insular and opaque to the outside world. Its members have a tradition of resigning before their full term, allowing their replacement to be hand-picked by the board. That selection usually goes on to be elected and becomes a fixture on the board.

Serving on the hospital board involves a steep learning curve, and it’s not a glamorous job. Sometimes it might feel thankless.

By picking replacements who don’t ask tough questions, people fine with the status quo, the board and hospital — may not be getting a full or differing perspective, which is valuable to any government organization.

The press release about Tarrant’s departure states that applications for the position must have relevant business and/or healthcare experience.

That is myopic. An elected board overseeing the citizens’ healthcare has room for people of diverse vocations. Why not attorneys, retired Navy officials, teachers or a parent of young children? Their perspectives and ideas are as valuable as medical industry insiders.

Board members are supposed to be at the “5,000 foot level,” as they say, setting policy, not practicing medicine.

A couple of years ago, public perception of the hospital administration was at a low point, but the board members seemed to turn a blind eye. They bristled at public criticism instead of becoming more open to input.

Perhaps a board member from outside of their circle could have helped them to understand why people were feeling they way they were feeling.

Of course, the board can’t appoint a vibrant new member to the position unless people are willing to apply and serve their community.

Commissioners will accept applications for the position beginning June 1. Applicants must reside within the boundaries of District 5, which extends approximately south from the Deception Pass Bridge to the intersection of Crescent Harbor Road and Regatta Drive in Oak Harbor.