To the Editor:

I just learned yesterday that my care provider at Blue Mountain Hospital and Strawberry Wilderness Clinic was terminated about a week ago, and escorted from the building. I don’t know what the source of the problem was, and don’t care. I was so blessed to be able to get my mother in as a patient of Shawna Clark back in 2013 when she came to live with me. Without Shawna, the next 4.5 years would have been impossible, but due to her genuine care and tenacity in getting to the root cause of problems, we were able to navigate a difficult time until 2017 when I lost my mom. Even then, Shawna was a great support and, up until this, was still my care provider.

I can’t imagine anyone in the administration of the hospital or clinic that could begin to add a drop of anything good to that institution compared to what Shawna has added during her time there. It appears that whomever has an interest in the hospital and clinic had better be reassessing their position on this matter, as there seems to be a mass exit by some of their capable staff, apparently for good reason.

On July 20 I went to the clinic for an appointment with Shawna Clark, and was told I had the wrong month and time, hmmm. I had written the appointment down while talking to the scheduler. The lady in front of me, using a walker, was told that she was two hours early and had to come back. Hmm again. Another woman from Monument told me she had come for an 11:30 appointment and was told to come back at 1:30 when she was scheduled. Three out of three isn’t a coincidence. What a mess!

I will make the drive to Redmond or Bend rather than deal with these people, who seem to value their status more than their patients, and pray that this doesn’t hurt Shawna and her family as much as it certainly could.

A disappointed resident of Grant County.

Mary Brown

Prairie City