One issue that will need to be addressed in the near future is the maintenance and expansion of needed services on a fiscally sound basis. Increased economic efficiency will allow this. Use of care providers who live outside the Garberville-Redway area is inherently expensive due to overtime pay, rental quarters and travel costs. We should be recruiting permanent general practitioners who will live in this community, with a specialty such as internal medicine, geriatrics, pediatrics or pain management. Visiting doctors could provide additional specialties on a regular basis. This should help reverse the 25% decline in patient utilization that has occurred since 2000 and provide us with additional funds.
|
