of Megan Bowen Dr. Liz Powers of Winding Waters Clinic (second from right) poses with community partner members and members of the Oregon Health Policy Board and the Oregon Health Authority on Oct. 4. The state agencies visited the award-winning clinic to better understand how rural clinics integrate with the communities they serve.

A recent three-star state rating for Winding Waters Clinic in Enterprise — placing it among the state’s top medical clinics — prompted a visit from members of the Oregon Health Policy Board and Oregon Health Authority earlier this month. State health officials gathered at the clinic on Oct. 4 to hear about the staff’s experience in “on-the-ground” health system transformation. It was the OHPB’s first eastern Oregon visit.

The clinic received the state’s first 3-star rating as a Patient Centered Primary Home Care Program (PCPCH) from the OHA, which is under the oversight of the OHPB. A PCPCH designation means the state recognizes the clinic for its commitment to patient-centered care.

“They approached us with the idea of this visit and asked if we would be willing to host and give them a tour of our clinic,” WWC Executive Director Dr. Liz Powers said. “OHA director Lynn Saxton has a particular interest in rural health and Winding Waters was the first 3-star PCPCH certified in the state. They were thrilled that this distinction came to a frontier clinic and wanted to hear how we made that happen and see firsthand the great things we do here.”

WWC Chief Operations Officer Keli Christman said the clinic’s community partnerships are one of the reasons for its success and 3-star rating. Christman said it’s important for the clinic to partner with other service providers and community groups for the health of all community members. Although the clinic has a number of partners, both Building Healthy Families and The Wallowa County Center for Wellness are the current primary partners.

“We have different visions, but we see the same people,” Christman said. “Building Healthy Families saw the need for more developmental screening so they come here and do their screening. The same with the Center for Wellness. They have a behavioral coach right here in the clinic.”

Other community partnerships include Wallowa Valley Network of Care, Local Community Advisory Council, Wallowa Memorial Hospital and Enterprise School District.

During the visit Powers shared a brief history of the clinic and representatives from community partners discussed the history and progression of their collaborations with the clinic. Afterward, Powers gave a WWC tour with the clinic staff each sharing their part in their team-based health care model.

“I think they were impressed,” Powers said, adding that she hoped the visit would inform state health policy moving forward, as red tape still hinders the clinic’s transformation process. “The OHPB has some leverage to make needed policy changes that can support what we do here,” she said.

Megan Bowen, site visitor for the PCPHC program, said the group was impressed with the clinic and added that Power’s observations did not fall on deaf ears. “The Oregon Health Policy Board members and OHA leadership walked away from the visit to Winding Waters with a newfound understanding of the challenges that providers, patients and clinics face in rural areas.

“This visit will help to improve channels of communication between OHA, OHPB and rural Oregon in order to achieve continued transformation of the health system, share success stories and improve opportunities for new partnerships going forward.”