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This is the Life: No winners in debate over Osprey Medical Clinic closure

It is important to remember that this is a business issue with the clinic owners on one side and the doctor-contractors on the other...
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Lorne Eckersley is the publisher of the Creston Valley Advance.

Wouldn’t it be fascinating to get a word count in the conversations generated by the recent closing of Osprey Medical Clinic? It’s been a while since we had an issue that affects so many and is of general interest to so many others.

When I first heard rumblings that the clinic, home to three physicians who provide medical care for about 3,000 patients, might close, my radar went up. But I am an optimist at heart and I felt certain that the principals — three docs and two owners of the clinic — would iron out their differences. These are, after all, highly respected and well regarded members of our community.

I have written stories about all of the doctors. It was a pleasure to introduce Dr. Raphael Elemuo and Dr. Susan Hopkins to readers when they chose to relocate to the Creston Valley. Both are here in large part because of a recruiting effort that reflects the spirit of co-operation that makes this such a great place to live. Dr. Tara Guthrie is a thoughtful, innovative practitioner who has made a tremendous contribution to her community.

I have known clinic owners Ken Gadicke and Rick Minichiello for many, many years. The latter was our accountant when we operated a business and the former has been an associate in many community endeavours. I respect and admire them both.

It is important to remember that, for all the emotion that has come into play, this is a business issue with the clinic owners on one side and the doctor-contractors on the other. While we are all entitled to our opinions, there are only a small handful of people who have all the facts in this matter, and most of them have a vested interest.

When I spoke to Gadicke and the three doctors to prepare a story last week I admonished them all not to say anything that could interfere with what will almost certainly come down to a court case. I won’t ask questions that I think could prejudice your case, I told them. Was I being over-protective? Possibly. But I don’t think anyone’s true interests are served if I simply take advantage of an emotional situation and try to get quotes that make for a controversial story. My approach is to let things play out in a way that doesn’t paint an unfair or unreasonable picture of either side in this dispute. The truth, if there is such a thing, almost inevitably lies somewhere in the middle of most disagreements.

Readers of the stories we have published will have noticed that the doctors have been much more vocal than the clinic owners. Perhaps accountants are by nature more reserved. Maybe they don’t like taking their private business into the public sphere.  Or maybe they are just savvy enough to know that there is no winning in the court of public opinion when one goes up against doctors and, by extension, their patients.

Perhaps the most galling of coffee shop and Facebook comments are the ones that lay blame without having any more than the most superficial knowledge. One person jumped in to the debate by pointing the finger at Creston town council. When challenged, he insisted that it was council’s responsibility to look after the welfare of the public. It’s a nice, simple and emotional reaction, but the fact is that the town and Regional District of Central Kootenay play only one small role in the delivery of health care services, and that is to operate and fund a recruiting program. When doctors make the choice of coming to Creston to practice, the recruiting group has no say in where they choose to practice. In the case of Elemuo and Hopkins, they opted to sign on with Osprey Medical Clinic, in part because of its convenient location at the mall, and because they were satisfied with the business arrangement. Members of town council and regional directors have no role at all to play in the business arrangements undertaken by the doctors and clinic operators.

There might not be much common ground between the sides in this dispute, but I suspect that all the parties would agree that they will be glad when the whole thing dies down and patients are once again seeing their doctors.

Lorne Eckersley is the publisher of the Creston Valley Advance.