Letters to the editor
Published 1:30 am Friday, May 1, 2026
AI healthcare concerns
To the editor:
My name is Zoe Nodler, and I am a part of the Bainbridge High School Global Health Club. I am contacting you to discuss an issue that is increasingly relevant in our society. With the growing exposure to AI and advanced technology, there has also been a rise in vulnerabilities in the healthcare Industry. This industry is experiencing threats to patient security, data safety, and operational stability. An article by the NIH covers this topic.
The article states, “AI adoption in health care is accompanied by significant ethical and regulatory challenges that require careful consideration. Concerns range from safeguarding patient data privacy to addressing algorithmic biases that may perpetuate disparities in health care outcomes.”
While advanced technology in health care presents several benefits, it also comes with drawbacks. For example, AI enhances surgical precision and disease detection. The relevance to everyday people is quickly on the rise as misdiagnosis continues to become an issue.
Because of these issues, we need to raise awareness in our community about appropriate uses for accessible AI chatbots. Studies show that around 50% of Americans use AI chatbots to self-diagnose. This can lead to misunderstanding about personal health and unnecessary stress and harmful self-medication using pharmaceutical products. In conclusion, raising awareness is crucial in preventing the risks that come with a society increasingly dependent on AI for healthcare.
Zoe Nodler
Bainbridge Island
Community-driven healthcare
To the editor:
I’m writing as a member of the board of directors of the Alliance for Equitable Healthcare, a 501(c)(4) organization founded in 2021 to expand access to affordable, comprehensive, and equitable healthcare in Kitsap County.
We are currently gathering signatures to place a Public Hospital District measure on the November ballot. With federal and state funding increasingly unreliable, creating local control of our own tax dollars is one way to ensure that essential healthcare services are managed transparently and with direct community oversight. The recent closure of the Pediatric Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic operated by St. Michael Medical Center underscores just how vulnerable our local system has become and how urgently we need a locally driven approach.
To qualify for the ballot, we need more than 16,000 signatures—and we are close. Our final canvassing event is May 9 at Evergreen Rotary Park in Bremerton, where residents can sign the petition in person. Community members can also visit www.allianceforequitablehealthcare.org and click “I Want to Sign the Petition” to request a signature visit.
Every resident of Kitsap County deserves access to quality healthcare. Creating a locally governed system is one step toward making that possible.
Susan Young
Bremerton
Public Hospital District needed
To the editor:
Do any of these experiences sound familiar to you?
Waiting for months to get an appointment with a new primary care provider.
Driving to Seattle or Tacoma to see a health care specialist.
Hearing that St. Michael has closed its pediatric outpatient clinic.
There is no doubt that our health care services here on the Kitsap Peninsula are strained. While groups like Peninsula Community Health Services are doing their best to fill the gap, their funding sources are limited, while demand continues to grow.
A Public Hospital District (PHD) would give Kitsap County a dedicated, locally managed funding source governed by a board elected by us to invest in what our community actually needs: more providers, stronger mental health services, and access for more of us.
We are hoping to get enough signatures to put this choice on the November ballot. We’re close to our goal, but we need a final push.
If you see a signature gatherer, stop and sign. If you can, take a few minutes to talk to your neighbors about why this matters. This is our community, and no one else is coming to fix this for us.
Let’s give Kitsap County a voice and a path forward on healthcare.
For more information, visit https://www.allianceforequitablehealthcare.org/
Colette Nassutti
Bainbridge Island
