Critical Access hospital wouldn’t just serve Eagle Nest

As a recent transplant to the Moreno Valley, the learning curve for my husband and I from urban to rural living has been steep, but the rewards have been worthy of our research, trial and error, and investment. Change is hard but worth it.

This is the pioneering spirit that brought settlers to this area over a hundred years ago, what has kept this area populated with year-round residents and, in turn, allowed the recreational- and resort-related industries here to flourish.

Yes, the census population of Eagle Nest sits at about 300, but during the peak summer season, it burgeons to thousands, as vacation homeowners — the majority of whom are in their senior years, with chronic illnesses and higher probability of needing medical care — come back from June through October. Millions of people travel the Enchanted Circle highway each year.

While the main focus of this influx of part-time residents and tourists is the money they spend while they are here, for which we are indeed sincerely grateful, they also have an impact on the infrastructure of the area: utilities, trash collection, wear and tear of roadways — and emergency services.

This proposed hospital is not specifically just for Eagle Nest, or even just the Moreno Valley. Larger cities, like Taos and Raton that have their own hospital facilities, will feel the relief from this. Questa, Red River, Angel Fire, Ute Park and Cimmaron will benefit. By default, tourists and part-time residents from Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Colorado will benefit. Everyone will benefit.

There is no guarantee any project will be a success, or turn out the way it was planned. However, the plan that the working group — which includes, but is not just the mayor — for this hospital initiative have taken great care to include housing, child care and a phased approach to account for grant cycles, recalibration and feedback from the communities the hospital will serve.

I know first-hand about the critical need for this hospital, as a new resident and member of the Eagle Nest Volunteer Fire Department and the Eagle Nest Ambulance Service. Four of us currently keep the EMS service running. This is not scalable or sustainable. It takes 45 minutes to an hour to get a patient to Taos Holy Cross, where they can get some of the same interventions this critical care facility would provide. The drive to this hospital would be less than 10 minutes for some of our calls.

Expanded support to staff the hospital from EMTs like me has been baked into this plan, as well as opportunities for medical personnel that are just starting their careers and would gain experience in a rural setting, as well as experienced doctors and nurses to take a sabbatical in our beautiful valley and teach what they know to those in residency.

While I have respect for Mr. Kiley’s efforts in Telluride, this isn’t Telluride. And while all involved know that a project of this scale will be an incredible challenge — with ups and downs, wins and losses — just because something is difficult doesn’t mean it is not worth doing, especially when so many people will benefit.