PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Medical Center Foundation plans to give another $500,000 over five years to an OMC scholarship program intended to increase the number of health care workers in Clallam County.
The scholarships allow current OMC employees to further their education and others to pursue medical careers at Peninsula College.
The grant was made possible by a gift from George Brown, which is in addition to the $400,000 that the foundation announced in June that it would give toward this program.
The gift will be known as the George and Barbara Brown Scholarship Fund.
Foundation Executive Director Bruce Skinner also presented OMC with a check for $90,220, which will be used to purchase work stations for the OMC Cancer Center, and equipment that will automatically link a patient’s electronic medical record at OMC with emergency transport vehicles.
More than $72,000 of this gift will be used to purchase the Raystations, which provide radiation treatment planning for patients.
Growing the workforce is one of the most significant challenges facing the healthcare industry and OMC today. The foundation initiated this program along with OMC to increase the potential employee pool from which OMC can draw.
It is anticipated that half of the $900,000 will go to employees seeking continued education in health care, while the other half will go to area students who want to take medical courses at Peninsula College.
“One of the biggest obstacles that current employees, adults who want to change careers, and students face when they want to enter or advance in the healthcare field is the cost,” Skinner said. “We want to take that out of the equation, as we plan on these being significant awards.”
With the gift from Brown, Skinner said the foundation can continue this program in the years to come.
“Every industry has labor shortages, and the healthcare industry is no exception,” he said.
Persons who are interested in more information or in making a donation to further enhance health care in the area can call the OMC Foundation office at 360-417-7144 or email bruce@omhf.org.
Interested people can also mail donations to 1015 Georgiana St. in Port Angeles.
“We hope that many local people will become a part of our fundraising efforts,” Skinner said.
