Letter to the Editor

I came to my current role as manager at Orchid Health McKenzie River Clinic after working 15 years in fast-paced primary care where my job came first and family second. I am the mom of two fantastic, very involved, and active boys and I chose to come to Orchid for the work/life balance and the commitment to employee happiness and fulfillment.

Working in rural healthcare has resurfaced my passion for healthcare and the McKenzie River community is truly Orchid’s mission statement. We serve over 700 patients at the McKenzie River Clinic and this year we expanded our services to offer pediatric care, urgent care, and community health visits to patients’ homes for the first time.

As the first federally recognized Rural Health Clinic in Oregon, McKenzie River Clinic was founded in 1977 and has been providing care for this community ever since, even after losing our clinic building to the fire of September 2020.

From day one, our collaborative relationship with McKenzie Valley Wellness has been key to ensuring that we are able to deliver health care that meets the needs of our patients and the community. Sustaining access to health care in rural communities like ours requires creativity and commitment and our partnership with McKenzie Valley Wellness is essential to continuing this clinic’s legacy and ensuring we can provide care to the community for years to come.

Missy Albrich

McKenzie River Clinic

Manager at Orchid Health