New Clinic Transition

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How LIHD and CWMA Support the Lopez Island Clinic and What’s Next

The Lopez Island Hospital District (LIHD) is a public taxing district created 8 years ago by a vote of the public to receive local tax dollars to support a new medical clinic after Island Health left the Island.

The clinic building and much of the medical equipment is owned by the Catherine Washburn Medical Association (CWMA), a non-profit organization, and is currently rented to UW Medicine for use.

After Island Health left the Island, UW Medicine was the only healthcare system that agreed to operate the clinic.

Since then, UW Medicine has operated the Lopez Clinic, using funding from LIHD and renting the clinic building and its equipment from CWMA.

Because of healthcare budget challenges across the country, UW Medicine has announced it will stop running the clinic after June 30, 2026.

Read the letter from UW Medicine and the same-day community notification by the Lopez Island Hospital District (LIHD).

In Response

LIHD and CWMA initiated a process to:

  • Identify a new provider to manage the Lopez Island Clinic, or
  • Create a sustainable model to operate the clinic independently
  • Hire a consultant to help lead the planning and transition process

Next Steps

Jody Carona, from Health Facilities Planning & Development (HFPD), was contracted to lead the transition effort. She created a formal Transition Plan:

250811 Power Point Lopez Island Proposal to Define Superior, Sustainable Strategy.pptx

To support the transition, two working groups were formed, each including two board members from both LIHD and CWMA:

Oversight/Partner Group

This group is exploring partnerships with existing healthcare systems and oversees the consultant’s work.

Members & Bios

Iris Graville – Commissioner, LIHD
A Master of Nursing graduate from the University of Washington, she spent a 40-year career in public health, specializing in maternal-child health, infectious disease, and school nursing. She held public health leadership roles at both state and national levels, and has served on multiple nonprofit boards. A Lopez Island resident for 30 years, she was LIHD President for the past 2 years and chairs the Communications Committee.

Katherine Bryant-Ingman – President, CWMA
Working for the Washington Women’s Foundation, she brings a strong background in nonprofit leadership, with past roles on Lopez as Director of the Food Share, Manager of the Prevention Coalition, and collaborator with Leadership San Juan Islands. Holding degrees in communication, theology, and nonprofit management, she remains deeply engaged in community life—serving on multiple local boards, helping coach high school track, and supporting nonprofit education through the University of Washington.

Taya Higgins – Vice President, CWMA
A retired pediatric nurse practitioner, she spent 25 years at Seattle Children’s Hospital before moving to Lopez Island in 2004. Since then, she has remained deeply involved in community health and service—working at the Orcas Medical Center, serving as the Lopez school nurse, and volunteering with the Lopez Library, San Juan County during the pandemic, and most recently, the CWMA board.

Jim Orcutt – President, LIHD
A retired ophthalmologist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington, he specialized in neuro-ophthalmology and orbital surgery, serving as Chief of Ophthalmology and later Chief of Surgery for VA facilities across the Northwest. With a background in pharmacy, pharmacology, and medicine, he brings decades of experience in clinical care, education, and healthcare quality improvement to support sustainable, high-quality care on Lopez Island.

Independent Group

This group is developing models and evaluating the potential for independent operation of the clinic.

Members & Bios

Randall Dickson – Board Member, CWMA
A retired Emergency Medicine PA (Physician Assistant/Associate), he spent over 25 years treating patients from infancy through geriatrics, including work via telemedicine. A full-time Lopez Island resident for 27 years, he previously worked in Information Technology designing hospital information systems and training programs and now serves on the Catherine Washburn Medical Association board.

Albert Berger – Auditing Officer, LIHD (Left LIHD Commission January 2026)
A retired UW Medical School Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, he held leadership roles including Vice Dean and Department Chair at the Medical School, with PhD degrees in engineering and physiology from Princeton and UCSF. A Lopez Island resident for over 30 years, he chaired the District’s finance committee, ensuring responsible stewardship of public funds to support quality local healthcare.

Jeff Clark – Treasurer, CWMA
With a healthcare-affiliated business career, he co-founded two Adult Family Homes with his wife, Terry, led multiple medical teams to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake, and built a distribution team for defibrillators and pacemakers. A Lopez Island property owner for 28 years, he brings experience in both entrepreneurship and medical technology.

Corey Casper – Community Member (Resigned December 2025)
A physician-scientist and healthcare executive with a three-decade career leading research, care, and innovation in infectious disease, cancer, and other major health conditions, he currently serves as Chief Research Officer at Banner Health and has been internationally recognized for his leadership at the University of Washington and Fred Hutch Cancer Center, including building the first comprehensive cancer center in sub-Saharan Africa and overseeing quality of care initiatives for Fred Hutch and Banner Health. He has lived on Lopez Island with his family for the past five years.

Heather Arps – Community Member/LIHD Commissioner beginning January 2026
A licensed Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), she has nearly 45 years of experience in hospice and home care, including 37 years serving the Lopez Island community through roles at the Lopez Island Clinic and Hamlet House. She continues to provide home and hospice care locally, bringing deep knowledge of direct care and a strong commitment to advocating for compassionate, accessible healthcare on Lopez.

Clark Johnson – Community Member
A full-time Lopez Island resident since 2011, he has a background in engineering (BSEE) and a PhD in scientific research, with experience spanning data analysis, statistics, and MRI-based brain research as a UW faculty member for 17 years. He previously founded a contract research organization in Germany serving multinational pharmaceutical companies and has long supported the Lopez community through volunteer work—including six years as chair of the “Dump” board, a lead role in designing the ferry reservation system, and service with the Lopez Fire Department’s Logistics team.

Town Hall: December 2025

On December 10, 2025, LIHD and CWMA co-hosted a Town Hall at Lopez Center to update the community on efforts to secure a new operator for the Lopez Clinic. About 70 people attended in person, with 71 more joining via Zoom Webinar.

The Town Hall was moderated by part-time Lopez Island resident, Dr. Sandy Melzer, a seasoned health-care executive who now advises health systems across the U.S. and internationally. He was joined by Jody Carona from Health Facilities Planning and Development, who has served as a consultant on this effort, along with representatives from CWMA and LIHD. Presenters shared updates on the search for an operating partner and exploration of sustainable models for an independently run clinic. A Q&A followed, covering services, operating models, staffing, recruitment, subsidies, local control, and organizational roles.

See the PowerPoint and Q&As from the Town Hall here: Town Hall Report, PowerPoint Slides, and Q&A –

Town Hall: February 23, 2026

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Stay Informed & Involved

Subscribe to Receive Updates and News: News & Meetings – Lopez Island Hospital District

LIHD website: https://lopezislandhd.org
CWMA website: https://catherinewashburnmedical.org
Facebook: @LopezIslandHD
Lopez Rocks News & Views: https://www.lopezrocks.org
LVM and Library bulletin boards

For questions or written comments

Email LIHD Superintendent Edee Scriven at: superintendent@lopezislandhd.org
LIHD Commissioner contact info: https://lopezislandhd.org/contact/
CWMA contact info: https://catherinewashburnmedical.org/contact-cwma/

Thank You

Thank you for your patience and support through this transition. Together, we’re committed to securing a sustainable path forward for healthcare on Lopez Island.