To: Theron Park, CEO Providence Healthsystems, The Oregon State House, The Oregon State Senate, and Governor Kate Brown
Help Save Providence Hospitals Therapy Pool
Please don't close the only warm water therapy pool in the Portland area! This resource is crucial to many in the community. It serves elderly and children, people with cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, post-surgical patients, individuals with autism, and more. In this pool, spastic bodies have unfurled, and people are kept walking, moving, and out of pain. There are many stories of near-miraculous nature that have come out of this place, and many more still to be created there with the help of the physical therapy staff.
In 1992 when Dorothy Torgler, a foundational pillar for Providence Hospital,, through a charitable contribution made possible the therapy pool many people of our community receive benefit from today she surely never envisioned that only 20 years later those resources would be wasted, replaced with a redundant day surgery facility.
This is the only pool in all of Portland proper than delivers the services that it does, meaning thousands of people will suddenly be without the use of very necessary therapy services. There is nothing to replace all of its programs the benefit the whole community, including prenatal swim classes, individual therapy, and the PT department.
Surely there is another option besides removing this important facility that fits better with your stated mission of Love, Service, and Compassion. We sincerely hope you will align your priorities with those of the community you serve. Please don't close the door on the people who need this place!
In 1992 when Dorothy Torgler, a foundational pillar for Providence Hospital,, through a charitable contribution made possible the therapy pool many people of our community receive benefit from today she surely never envisioned that only 20 years later those resources would be wasted, replaced with a redundant day surgery facility.
This is the only pool in all of Portland proper than delivers the services that it does, meaning thousands of people will suddenly be without the use of very necessary therapy services. There is nothing to replace all of its programs the benefit the whole community, including prenatal swim classes, individual therapy, and the PT department.
Surely there is another option besides removing this important facility that fits better with your stated mission of Love, Service, and Compassion. We sincerely hope you will align your priorities with those of the community you serve. Please don't close the door on the people who need this place!
Why is this important?
There has been a lot of talk lately about innovation in health care delivery. Providence just won a grant to do this, but this move is at odds with that. People who no longer can be mobile will then increase the costs on the state and city through increased need of in home or institutional services. Many studies have proven the beneficial qualities of water based recovery programs and physical therapists attest to its cost effective methods as well, you can have more patients in a pool than on land, a 6 to 1 ratio vs 1 on 1. With no therapy pools anywhere in Portland that has the services, accessibility and affordability, Providence is not only guaranteeing that thousands of people will lose access to this pool, but also being negligent in duties as a innovative, compassionate health care provider.
The fate of the pool will be decided by the end of the summer, please help us save this indispensable community asset.
The fate of the pool will be decided by the end of the summer, please help us save this indispensable community asset.