WWAMI: Elimination would worsen doctor shortage

If you’ve tried to see a doctor in Coeur d’Alene recently, you know how difficult it is. Our community is growing, but the number of doctors isn’t keeping up. My patients often tell me they wait months to see a doctor, and I bet you’ve experienced this too. The Idaho legislature is now considering a bill (HB 176) that would make this shortage worse by eliminating a critical source of physicians for Idaho: the WWAMI program.

WWAMI is a partnership between five states, including Idaho, to train doctors through the University of Washington — America’s top-ranked medical school for primary care. This program has served Idaho for 50 years, producing skilled doctors to practice in our state. In fact, 15% of all doctors in Idaho are WWAMI graduates. Eliminating this program would cut off one of the strongest pipelines of doctors serving our communities.

Admittedly, I am a WWAMI fan. I graduated from the program and chose to continue my training here in Coeur d’Alene through Kootenai’s WWAMI-sponsored Family Medicine Residency. WWAMI provides us with a vast medical library and useful clinical resources that help us deliver the best, most up-to-date care. In fact, more than half of my class of resident doctors came to Coeur d’Alene through WWAMI.

Defunding WWAMI won’t fix any problems — it will worsen them. Idaho leaving WWAMI will saddle Coeur d’Alene with longer wait times and fewer health care options.

You can do something: call or email Senator Ben Toews, Representative Joe Alfieri, and Representative Elaine Price. Tell them to oppose HB 176 because our families, businesses, and communities need access to health care.

KEVIN GLOVER, MD

Coeur d’Alene