Last week we told you about a family’s experience at the clinic at Madison County Memorial Hospital as it related to vaccinations. You can read about that incident here.
As it turns out, this isn’t unheard of in the area.
The Iowa Standard was contacted by another family that has lived in Winterset for about six years. They had heard things about the clinic not accepting unvaccinated kids but never thought much about it because they already had a doctor.
But when conditions arose that were urgent, but not an emergency, the family utilized the clinic. Whether it was an ear infection or a chin that had split open, the family found the help they needed at the clinic.
But after a few visits, the family received a letter in the mail.
“It is the policy of Health Trust Physicians Clinic and Earlham Medical Clinic that all patients receive the recommended childhood immunizations,” the letter stated. “Due to our commitment to protect all of our patients from vaccine-preventable illnesses, it is an expectation that our patients will be immunized. Unfortunately, we cannot continue to provide care to your family if you choose not to immunize.”
The mother said she didn’t think a whole lot about it since they had been turned away a long time at UnityPoint. But not being able to receive services at the local clinic at a hospital that receives tax dollars is inconvenient. The inconvenience means missing work at times as well to make appointments elsewhere.
“I believe there are other people out there but they’re just afraid to say something because there’s a lot of drama in our community,” she said. “I just feel for the people who don’t have the ability to go somewhere else.
This particular Madison County resident had $283.35 of their property tax payment go to the hospital this year. The hospital received more than $3.1 million this year from Madison County property taxpayers.
How about posting how much “Warp Speed” money this institution received for every vaccination administered? Follow the money.