The Washington Chapter of the ACLU has posted two maps of the state - one showing where the hospitals in the areas are religiously affiliated. The other includes pending mergers.
Present situation
Includes all known and proposed hospital transactions
San Juan Island's hospital Peace Island Medical Center (PIMC) is part of PeaceHealth, a not-for profit Catholic medical system which is a mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph who answer to the Vatican. PeaceHealth is run by a lay management board.
Last year, a conflict between the church and medical care arose when the Bishop in Seattle told PeaceHealth to stop processing lab work for Planned Parenthood. PeaceHealth agreed.
This decision affected the healthcare of women in San Juan and Whatcom counties. The majority of Planned Parenthood's healthcare services are not abortions. They provide annual exams, birth control, and other healthcare services women, especially those who are uninsured or under-insured cannot afford to get elsewhere.
After being contacted by Linda McCarthy of Planned Parenthood in Bellingham, PeaceHealth found a workaround way to provide the lab work for the time being.
The ACLU is seeking information from people who have been or have members of their family who have been denied reproductive health care or end-of-life services by a religiously based medical facility? More information is available here.
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