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KLICKITAT COUNTY PUBLIC HOSPITAL DISTRICT NO.2
A Brief Introduction
Skyline Hospital is a Washington State Public Hospital District serving Western Klickitat County and Eastern Skamania County. Overlooking the scenic Columbia River Gorge, the hospital is located on a bluff in White Salmon, WA.
Skyline is licensed as a 32-bed Acute Care Hospital, with an average daily census of just under 6 inpatients. We are designated as a Critical Access Hospital which allows operation of a maximum of 25 beds. Skyline carries a Trauma Level IV designation. The 100+ employees of Skyline provide services in the areas of acute care, obstetrics, surgery, cardio-pulmonary, radiology, laboratory, physical therapy, pharmacy and emergency services. The hospital owns and operates a three-vehicle ambulance service.
Swing Beds
The Skilled Nursing Facility (Swing Beds) was developed to provide a temporary transitional program when a patient no longer needs acute level of care, but extended care is necessary. It allows the hospital to provide continued clinical, supervised care according to the patient needs and allows extended care to patients that is closer to their home and family. This can happen in preparation for returning home or “transitioning” to long-term care.
A discharge planner works closely with patients and families to ensure a smooth discharge plan. Generally, swing beds are a temporary arrangement which means not to exceed twenty days. Skyline Hospital is certified for ten swing beds.
Skyline Hospital was constructed in 1952 through the Hill-Burton Act, with the addition of one wing in the early 1970’s. A recent $2.7million renovation and remodelling project was completed in 1998 with the addition of a new surgery suite, new emergency room, new physical therapy room, new laboratory and new admitting area. Funding for this renovation was obtained through a super-majority bond, indicating the great public support Skyline Hospital enjoys. Our architectural firm has already been consulted regarding a second phase of renovation, which is expected to be undertaken in the next one to three years and will include additional renovations to the core building. In 1999, an adjoining seven-acre parcel of land was purchased to facilitate our long-range plans.
Skyline is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners. The core group of Medical Staff personnel are the family-medicine physicians of the Mid-Columbia Family Health Center, whose offices and clinic are located on the Skyline campus. They also operate a clinic in Stevenson, WA. In addition, specialty physicians from throughout the area enjoy privileges at Skyline.
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