With just six weeks before CHI-Franciscan Health closes the island’s largest medical clinic, two health care networks have expressed interest in operating the clinic at Sunrise Ridge and may provide a viable option for Vashon.

The development was announced Friday after Sen. Sharon Nelson, who lives on Maury Island, and Rep. Eileen Cody (D-West Seattle) convened a meeting with county officials, the head of one of the potential health care organizations, members of the Sunrise Ridge board and representatives of the Vashon-Maury Health Collaborative. Nelson, who called the Aug. 5 closure of the clinic a “medical emergency,” said the focus of the meeting was to find a solution that will work for islanders on Aug. 6.

“We are down to the wire,” she said. “We cannot let the clinic close. We have got to figure out our options, period.”

Several people who attended the meeting expressed cautious optimism that an arrangement with one of the potential providers would come to fruition, and Nelson said she hopes a positive announcement can be made within the next two to three weeks.

“If we get this solved — and we will get it solved — it’s going to be a good step forward for our island,” she said.

She noted she would prefer to keep the names of the health care organizations out of the press until a potential agreement is reached; however, those close to the conversation say the two current contenders are similar providers, both are non-profit, community health care networks that are federally qualified. Such centers receive enhanced reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid, must serve an underserved area or population, offer a sliding fee scale and provide comprehensive services, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.

Currently, both networks in talks to provide on-island care serve a variety of communities throughout Puget Sound and offer an array of services, including medical and dental care and counseling. Cody, who chairs the House Health Care & Wellness Committee, and Nelson brought one of the groups to the table, Nelson said, while Dr. Gary Koch, the medical director at the Franciscan clinic and longtime island physician, had contacted the other.

News of this potential solution comes after Swedish Medical Center and UW Medicine, which had been in talks with members of the Vashon-Maury Health Collaborative, recently announced that to establish a clinic on Vashon, they would require compensation for start-up costs and annual losses, estimated to be about $500,000 to $600,000. Currently, Nelson said, talks are under way, so it is not clear yet if community finanical assistance would be required for these other providers. Prior to this latest development, there had been premilinary discussion about the possible creation of a hospital district. While those conversations may continue, they are not part of the current conversation, which is centered on the short-term.

“Our focus is keeping the clinic open,” Nelson stressed.

When it became clear that neither Swedish nor UW Medicine would likely establish a clinic on the island, the Sunrise Ridge board began working on trying to maintain health care service at the Franciscan clinic, and last week the board hired islander and management consultant Carolyn Anderson as the executive director of Sunrise Ridge to help in this process and further development of the site.

Anderson and Sunrise Ridge board member Stewart Jay both attended the Friday meeting, which Jay called “quite promising.”

In the coming weeks, Jay said, Sunrise Ridge board members will work with the current providers and with Franciscan leadership to make sure that the Franciscans, who have said they will honor their lease through February, will let another group take over the building. Board members will also work to determine what equipment they will leave behind.

“We will do what we can do as a board to facilitate the process,” he said.

Despite the recent developments, Anderson cautioned that no agreements are in place yet, and she will continue working on plans to address the interim health care needs of the island should an arrangement not come to fruition.

“This is not a done deal, and the gap planning should continue,” she said.

Over the weekend, she said she planned to meet with members of Vashon’s Social Services Network on Tuesday after press time, with the intent of jointly drafting a letter to Seattle-King County Public Health, requesting services in the event they are needed. She added she is also in contact with the State Department of Health for additional assistance and plans to meet and is working with the Vashon Maury Health Collaborative to coordinate efforts.

Plans for a reduction in health services are in the works at Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR), where officials expect to see a greatly increased call volume should a new clinic not open after the Franciscan clinic closes.

Last week, Chief Hank Lipe, who will leave the department this week, said he has been working with the King County Fire Chiefs Association and the director of King County Emergency Medical Services to draft an interim plan for assistance if the department needs it. The plan calls for an extra VIFR crew to be on duty for a 12-hour period similar to clinic hours the week after the clinic closes, with adjustments made based on weekly call volume. Additionally, Lipe said, two King County fire districts have volunteered to send an aid car each staffed with volunteers if needed, and Shoreline has offered an unstaffed aid car.

“The King County Fire Chiefs have been very supportive,” he said. “If more help is needed, they are ready to fully support us in the interim.”

Lipe noted VIFR interim Assistant Chief Bob Larsen would also coordinate with private ambulance companies, King County Medic One and the City of Seattle advanced life support services to ensure coordination of services.

Those close to the situation have expressed hope that contingency plans will not be needed, and Nelson said that the full Washington state delegation is working on the issue along with county officials.

In King County Executive Dow Constantine’s office, Director of Regional Initiatives Diane Carlson noted that officials in that office are also hopeful a solution is at hand and will work to support the effort.

“We are standing at the ready and will provide support and assistance as needed,” she said. “We will continue to help if we can.”

This latest development with the community clinics is not one that the Vashon-Maury Health Collaborative was working on. However, after the meeting last week, Tim Johnson, a member of the collective who attended the meeting, called the clinics’ interest “very intriguing,” although he expressed caution because no plans have been finalized.

“I am not sure what to make of it until the rubber hits the road,” he said.

Now, he added, he expects members of the collaborative to step back while the details of any new agreement are sorted out, though he added they will help when asked.

“We’d like to be of assistance anyway we can,” he said.

Once it became clear that it would be extremely costly to bring in a provider such as Swedish or UW Medicine, the collaborative began looking at developing a community-operated clinic and planned to host a meeting on July 8. That meeting is still expected to take place, Johnson said.

When the health collaborative first learned that the Franciscans intended to leave the island, the group’s first choice was to bring in an outside provider, a position Johnson reiterated last week in light of the new possibilities.

“If it is the right partner and it works well, that is the best all the way around,” he said.