In the early months of 2025, the White River Health District published a survey seeking the public’s input on the services provided by Deschutes Rim Health Clinic, both in the past and currently. Information gleaned from the survey will inform the Board of Directors in decision making surrounding the future of the clinic and can provide additional insight to the public on how other community members view the clinic and its services. The survey allowed for more than one response on most questions, providing data on a “good, better, best” basis, with respondents able to rank their responses.

These results provided that 87.5% of respondents have utilized the local clinic, either as a current patient, or at some time in the past, whether for immunizations, labwork, family medical care, dental services or chiropractic care. Only 12.5% indicated that they’d never received care at the clinic.

When asked what might stop the respondent from seeking medical care at the local clinic, 52.6% indicated that limited availability of providers was the primary reason. Respondents also indicated that limited types of services would deter them from seeking local care. 29.9% of respondents, however, stated that nothing was stopping them and they would like to obtain local health care services. 22 individual respondents listed specific reasons they choose not to obtain healthcare from the clinic. Some of those reasons include insurance and billing concerns, challenges with previous clinic management, and receiving trusted medical care elsewhere.

 

The survey also asked what services would be most important at the local clinic. 77.3% indicated that urgent care was their first priority, with 72.2% listing family medicine, and 52.6% indicating that either dental care, medication management, or refills were most important.

When asked to provide why they may vote yes to renew the option levy in May, community members stated the following:

“We need the clinic!”

“Yes, because without this clinic operating here there’s no chance of community improvement. All potential would be lost for health care.”

“It’s a valuable community asset. Critical to sustain a healthy thriving community.”

“Rural community health is important.”

“I selfishly hope to have local care available to me but even more important -- we have many people in our community for whom travel is a hardship at best and impossible at worst.”

And

“There are a lot of people who depend on this clinic staying open, especially for those of us who have transportation issues, me included. I don't trust the regular doctors in The Dalles, Dr. Ainslinger is the best doctor I've ever seen, she has helped me a lot and I want to keep seeing her.”

 

Rationale provided by those intending to vote no on the option levy included such comments  as:

 

“The office never has openings and with online services for medical care available with nearly every insurance provider these days a local doctor is not needed.”

“Understaffed and therefore slow to do anything”

“Past history.”

And

“Undecided.”