History Of Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor
The provision of healthcare was established at the time Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island (NASWI) was commissioned in 1942. Originally a department under the Naval Air Station and funded by the Bureau of Weapons and Docks, the hospital was located in the building that now houses Skagit Valley College, just outside the main gate to the Seaplane Base. The Family Practice Clinic, consisting of Pediatrics, Medical Clinic, Aviation Medicine, and Dental, was located on Ault Field across from where the base gas station is now.
The hospital at the Seaplane Base had Surgical and Outpatient Clinics, OB/GYN, Operating and Delivery Rooms, Pharmacy, Laboratory, Supply, and administrative offices. On 1 July 1968, the Medical Department of NASWI, became Naval Hospital Whidbey Island (NHWI). The military population growth in the area required an expanded facility, and the move to the present Ault Field building was accomplished in September 1969. Over the years, temporary spaces for Family Practice, Social Work, Supply, and some administrative functions and small departments caused the Naval Hospital to evolve into a complex of buildings.
On 1 October 1983, NHWI became a stand-alone Command under BUMED and renamed Naval Hospital Oak Harbor (NHOH). Shortly thereafter, NHOH sought and received its first accreditation by what is now the Joint Commission. Three years of additions and renovations to the original Ault Field hospital were completed in 1989-1990 timeframe. That facility had a 12-bed capability and totaled over 108,000 sq. ft. of inpatient and outpatient space.
In 1992, two modular buildings were added to accommodate the Occupational Health, Industrial Hygiene, Preventative Medicine, and Mental Health Departments, and a new Aviation Physiology building was dedicated. One other modular building was added in 1996, to house the Staff Education and Training Department and Health promotions. In September 2003, a 781 sq. ft. addition was completed to house the Computed Tomography (CT) scanner. In 2009, a 2,500 sq. ft. modular building was added to accommodate the Automated Neuro- cognitive Assessment Metrics (ANAM) to meet new mission requirements.
In Sep of 2014 the NHOH modernization project was awarded. Its scope included the repair and renewal of approximately 35,000 sq. ft. of area in Bldg. 993. This would include new clinical spaces for Pediatrics, Immunizations, Physical Therapy, Orthopedic, OBGYN/Women’s Health and Labor and Delivery services. Also in 2014, when NHOH partnered with the civilian community for General, Orthopedic, and Gynecologic surgeries and closed its Urgent Care Clinic, it functionally became a Naval Health Clinic. In July 2017, the command became one of the initial Navy Medicine sites for the rollout of the new DoD Electronic Health Record, MHS GENESIS.
On 30 Sep 2017 the command was officially renamed Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor (NHCOH). The modernization project phases 1 & 2 were completed in Oct 2017 & Jul 2019 respectively, allowing the command to utilize the newly renovated spaces
Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor continues to push forward with hard work and dedication as we transition under the new leadership of Defense Health Agency and into a new decade of success focused on Readiness, Quality and Health.