Dr. Dowling's message:
My heart is filled with despair as I watch division and distrust spread through our community in the wake of the negative publicity that has centered around our hospital. As a MD and Chief of Staff at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, I am seeing firsthand the extraordinary amount of work my colleagues are doing to prepare our hospital and clinics for COVID-19. And it’s heart-wrenching to watch our collective achievements become overshadowed by the opinions of a single physician.
I want to share with you some vital information that has not been reported by the media.
I want you to know about:
- Our exceptional team of infectious disease specialists who are working around-the-clock to ensure that we are staying on the cutting-edge of COVID-19 testing and treatment;
- The doctors at Northwest Pathology, with the assistance of scientists from WWU, who have literally worked 20 out of 24 hours a day for days on end to increase our community’s testing capacity;
- Our expert team of Emergency Department physicians who have developed strategies for streamlining care and preventing exposure of patients and healthcare workers to COVID-19;
- Our critical care specialists who are closely collaborating with our hospital administrators to make sure we have all necessary equipment and space to care for those who become critically ill;
- All of the physicians – hospitalists, anesthesiologists, internists, pediatricians, family medicine – along with our fantastic nursing and ancillary staff, who have come forth and agreed to work in our hospital medicine and intensive care units when the need arises;
- The team in our Childbirth Center who has implemented measures to keep pregnant women, newborns and families safe;
- Our Medical Staff Office professionals who have provided emergency credentialing to hundreds of physicians;
- The engineers and facilities team who have transformed the hospital’s physical plant to accommodate the worst- case scenario;
- Our outpatient clinic staff who literally implemented telehealth capabilities overnight so that people can continue to receive care through our outpatient clinics without risking exposure by coming into a medical office;
- Our surgeons who willingly agreed to delay procedures that are clinically safe to delay;
- Our incredible Food & Nutrition and Environmental Services caregivers who keep us fed and keep the buildings clean and disinfected.
For many healthcare providers, the work we have done to prepare for COVID-19 will go down as one of the proudest moments of our careers.
There’s no doubt that as a society we are in uncharted territory. The apprehension of uncertainty hangs heavy in the air, and we all sense it. But I can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that PeaceHealth and our greater medical community are prepared. We have risen to the occasion and formed a cohesive team ready as always to care for you and your loved ones.
Anna Dowling, MD, FACOG
Chief of Staff, PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Obstetric Hospitalist, Section Lead, Childbirth Center
This letter is endorsed by the following local physicians and providers:
Allison Robinson, MD
Colorectal Surgery
Amir Gharaei, MD
Chair, Medicine Department
Andrew Verneuil, MD
Otolaryngology
Barbara Bachman, MD
General Surgery;
Past Chief of Staff
Barry Landau, MD
Neurosurgery
Beth Earthman, PNP
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Bradley D. Harris, MD
Anesthesiology
Brittany LeGarde, CPNP, ARNP
Pediatrics
C. Shayne Mora, MD
Executive Manager
Pacific Rim Surgery Center
Carla Russo, MD
OB/GYN
Chad Thomas, MD, PhD
OB/GYN
Charles Ariz, MD Chair
Radiology Department
Chee Tan, MD
OB/GYN
Christine Hancock, MD
Family Medicine
Cindy Peers
ARNP Senior Health
Conor Sheehy MD
Neurology
Daniel Reznicek, MD
Urology;
Chair, Department of Surgery
David Baker, MD
Neurosurgery
Deborah Hall, MD
Family Medicine
Dina Levin, MD
OB/GYN
Doug Madsen, MD
OB/GYN
Greg Wolgamot, MD
Pathology
Ione Adams, MD
Pediatrician;
Chair, Credentials Committee &
Community Board Member
James Blackburn, MD
Plastic Surgery
James Holstine, DO
Medical Director Center for
Joint Replacement
and Fragility Fracture Program
Jay Lonner, MD
Anesthesiology
Jeff Krusniak, DO
Orthopedic Surgery
Jen Rosquist, MD
Pediatrician
Jeremy Getz, MD
Chair, Anesthesia Department
Jim Hopper, MD
CMO of Family Care Network
Jimmy Yee, MD
Cardiology
John Hoyt, MD
Pathology
John Morrison, MD
Bellingham Anesthesia Associates
Jordana Hawkins, MD
Pediatrics
Kathleen Weisenburger, MD
Internal Medicine
Kenneth Bachenberg, MD
Interim VPMA
Kevin Lee, MD
Hospitalist
Kevin Steel, DO
Cardiology
Lars Crabo, MD
Radiology & Community
Board Member
Lindsay Emerick, MD
OB/GYN
Mara Kelley, MD
Chair, Pediatrics Department;
Service Line Director Pediatrics
Marcus Dubrow, MD
Emergency Medicine
Mark Hoffman, MD
Family Medicine
Mary Lotfi, MD
Nephrology
Matthew Oswin, MD
Orthopedic Surgery
Megan Ellingsen, MD
Hospice
Meghan Lelonek, MD
Family Medicine
Michelle Sohn, MD
Vascular Surgery
Monika Mahal MD
Pediatrics
Oleg Ravitsky, MD
Emergency Medicine
Peter Billing, MD
General Surgery
Peter Telfer, MD
Anesthesiology
Raj Deol, MD
Internal Medicine;
ICU Medical Director
Rajesh Bhola, MD
Cardiology
Richard Binder, MD
Family Medicine
Richard Krebs, MD
Family Medicine
Robert Mongue, MD
Emergency Medicine
Sally Newbrough, MD
Allergy & Immunology
Scott VanderLeest, MD
President, Bellingham
Anesthesia Associates
Shannon Boustead, MD
Family Medicine Department
Shelby Hein, MD
Family Medicine
Stephen Herdman, MD
Family Practice
Susan Holstine, DO
Internal Medicine
Tammy Starr, DO
OB/GYN; Past Chief of Staff
Thomas Stackhouse, MD
Otolaryngology &
Community Board Member
Todd Hafner, MD
Anesthesiology
Tung Ha, MD
Neurosurgery
Tyson Hawkins, MD
Internal Medicine
Vincent Matteucci, MD
Ophthalmology
Ward Naviaux, MD
Emergency Medicine
Warren Taranow, DO
Orthopedic Surgery
Worth Everett, MD
Emergency Medicine;
Chair ED Department
This article is available to download via PDF here.
