Due to circumstances beyond our community and citizens’ control, I believe we, the citizens of Baker City and Baker County, have and are continuing to lose our “faith and trust” in the longstanding community hospital known as Saint Alphonsus Medical Center.

First, the closure of the Saint Alphonsus ICU department, followed within months by the closure of the maternity department, then shortly followed by the EOMA physicians’ public announcement that they were withdrawing their staff privileges at the hospital, due to the closure of the maternity services.

As a 20-year senior citizen resident of Baker City/County, and a retired registered nurse of 40 years experience, I feel every person regardless of age, gender, medical history and physical ability is due an apology from the total medical community and facilities directors for the “outrageous” health care situation that has been forced upon this rural community and its taxpaying citizens.

I have a longstanding relationship with my physician of over 15 years, now only to wonder, if I experience an “emergent acute episode of major consequence” who would be “calling the so-called shots” for me? Would my choice be: to be sent away from my home place, due to no known attending primary care provider able to write orders for my care; to accept “care from an unknown physician/provider” in the emergency department; to place my “advance healthcare directive” in the hands of unknown rotating ambulance personnel of “what named” company?

I would request that a full written explanation of “what and how” the actual means of receiving proper health care is to be made available to all the citizens of Baker City and Baker County, by those that chose to create the health care atmosphere we the citizens reside in currently. Waiting for a response to the unacceptable circumstances!

Cheryl Gushman

Baker City