There was a time when going to the emergency room at the Snoqualmie Valley Hospital was like stepping into a third world country.

I once had an ear infection that was so bad my ear drum was going to burst. The emergency room doc put oil in my ear and sent me home. Two days later I made the long trek to my ENT (ear, nose, throat) doc at Evergreen Associates and told him about the emergency room protocol. He became very concerned and from the look on his face I could tell that something was wrong. He said that I should never allow anyone to put oil in my ear for such an infection. The next time I saw him, he told me that he called the ER doc and threatened that if he ever learned that the protocol was used again, he would call the licensing board and have the ER doc’s license to practice medicine revoked.

It seems, refreshingly, we are in a new era. I needed an X-ray to determine the size of a lift that I need in my shoe and was referred to a clinic in Bellevue that does not take insurance. Being tired of such arrogance, I called the hospital on the chance that I didn’t have to leave the Valley and could get just an X-ray without having to go through one of their docs. The radiologist, who spoke to me, in person no less, said it was no problem. I had no idea so many services are available and accessibility is so easy at our local hospital now.

I am continually impressed with the caliber of competence at the new generation of Snoqualmie Valley Hospital. They have turned that place around!

Sheila Hunter

North Bend