Less than two years after Sunshine Community Health Center expanded to a third clinic in Wasilla, the nonprofit is planning to close its newest location’s doors this fall. The decision to close the Wasilla clinic came during an emergency meeting of Sunshine’s board on Labor Day.
Joshua Gilmore, Sunshine’s recently hired Chief Executive Officer, says the decision to close the Wasilla clinic is purely a financial one.
“Unfortunately, the reality is it’s not just unsustainable, but it’s unsustainable to the point that if we don’t close it soon, it’ll risk the integrity of all of Sunshine Community Health Center.”
Gilmore says the closure will not happen immediately, and efforts are being made to ease patient transitions before the final day.
“We will be transitioning out of there in as quickly and humanely a fashion as possible. What that looks like right now is a date of October 28th.”
The Wasilla clinic currently employs four physicians as well as support medical and administrative staff. Gilmore says Sunshine will not be able to retain most of those physicians, and a limited number of other staff positions are open at the Willow and Talkeetna locations.
“Dr. Forman will be remaining on board as our Chief Medical Officer, but the other three, unfortunately will not. As far as the remainder of the staff, we have approximately three full-time positions that are available as we make this transition as well as three part-time temporary positions.”
Gilmore says the decision was a difficult but necessary one, and he hopes to build a stronger relationship between Sunshine and the Northern Susitna Valley communities it serves.
“Looking forward to the future, I really see a lot of opportunity, both here in Talkeetna and in Willow and the Trapper Creek area, for collaborating with our communities and creating opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t exist.”
While patient visits will end in Wasilla on October 28th, Gilmore says administrative wrap-up will last into the first week of November before Sunshine fully shuts down that facility.
