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Replace the SRHD board

The Spokane Regional Health District Board needs to be replaced. It currently consists of nine political leaders, and three people appointed by them. The only board members in any way qualified as medical professionals are a Naturopath and a Dental Hygienist. According to the Spokesman-Review, the Naturopath, Dr. Jason Kinley, joined the three Spokane City Council members in voting against firing Dr. Lutz. In my opinion, the board, as presently constituted, is simply not qualified to make any public health decisions.

At least one half of the board’s membership should be medical professionals: MD’s, Osteopaths, RNs, Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacists, and others with formal training and experience in the practice of medicine. The head of the board must be a medical professional. An administrator can relieve the medical staff of many administrative duties but must be under the authority and direction of the regional health officer, not the other way around. Until the board is changed to meet these standards, I believe it will continue have little credibility in the eyes of the public

Frederick Jessett

Spokane

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