PHC services and artwork discussed

SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan Hospital District received updates from Partnership Health Center’s new chief medical officer and discussed the community artwork on display at their June 9 meeting via conference call.

As of April 1, Dr. James Quirk was hired as PHC’s new Chief Medical Officer. He has done site visits as well as has seen patients in Seeley Lake since starting at the Medical Officer. He said that the staff at the Medical Center has been doing an excellent job and has helped lead the way for PHC with their thoughtfulness on how to keep themselves and patients safe.

“It is really nice to see how engaged they are in regards to the way they are working, with the way they are meeting patients in the parking lot. It’s really been a joy,” said Quirk.

This innovative thinking was exemplified in public comment when it was shared by a member of the public that the Medical Center scheduled a day for those needing Department of Transportation medical examinations. Andi Bourne shared that while she was apprehensive about coming into the clinic for her physical and the clinic was unsure if they could offer it, she could have lost her Commercial Driver’s License certification without a medical examination by mid-June. The Medical Center held a DOT physical day where she was told that she and nine others were able to get their physicals completed.

“They were incredibly efficient, they staggered us and they maintained safety,” said Bourne. “It was really a great service.”

Quirk said that PHC is not experiencing the financial pressures like other medical facilities.

“That is not even a remote concern in regards to cutting back services or anything like that as we move forward,” said Quirk. “We are committed to Seeley and COVID is really not impacting our ability to practice in that environment. We will continue to support Seeley as long as I’m here.”

At their May 12 meeting District Clerk Marty Kux reported that Rachelle Harman, art coordinator and volunteer liaison between Alpine Artisan and clinic, told him that Dentist Alyssa Harris requested that the photographs mounted in frames above the dental chairs be removed because of COVID-19 concerns. Harman added that she no longer wished to be the artwork liaison person, suggesting that since there is now an art gallery business in Seeley Lake, artists have a place to display their works other than in the clinic.

The Board unanimously agreed to consent to the dentist’s wishes and also asked that Harman contact the artists whose works are on display in the clinic and arrange for them to reclaim their paintings/photos. The Board thanked Harman for the service she has provided and would appreciate her help in rearranging the remaining artwork.

At the June meeting, Kux reported that Harris rescinded her request following the board meeting after realizing that the photographs above the dental chairs belong to the clinic and they are under glass. However, she was still concerned about other privately-owned artwork in the dental area that was not under glass.

Kux clarified that part of the decision to ask the artists to remove their artwork was the clinic didn’t want to undermine the new Gallery 83. Since the artists’ work was for sale in the clinic, they didn’t want to compete with a local business. The clinic also didn’t want to be responsible for someone else’s artwork.

Kux said that most of the privately owned artwork on display was reclaimed by the artists. Photographer Steve Ellis donated seven black and white photos to the clinic, which the board acknowledged with appreciation. Harman has assisted with this process and will submit a full inventory of the artwork owned by the District to the Board before leaving her volunteer duties.

“With COVID and no one knows what is going to happen, I honestly don’t want any extraneous people in the clinic hanging artwork or otherwise that don’t need to be there right now,” said Twyla Johnson. “I think it is something that could be revisited in the future but we just need to wait and see what this COVID thing is going to do.”

In other business the board voted to install MERV 11 filters to increase the air filtration capability at the clinic. MERV 11 filters are used in PHC buildings in Missoula and capable of filtering slightly smaller particulate matter. They are hoping to upgrade the filtration system prior to wildfire season.

The next meeting will be July 14 at 5 p.m. via teleconference or in-person at the Medical Center Conference Room.