In her Sept. 27 letter to the Journal Editor, Monica Harrington erroneously reported that, “Dr. Michael Edwards made clear the physicians at Peace Island do provide maternity services”.

Ms. Harrington failed to understand my comments. To clarify, Peace Island Medical Center physicians do not provide maternity services, as was the case when they were at the Inter Island Medical Center.

Dr. Robert Prins however has provided meaningful and necessary maternity services for our community for many years, both at the Inter Island Medical Center and now at the Peace Island Medical Center. In both locations he has participated not as an employed staff physician but as an independent contractor leasing space.

I would be remiss not to mention Melinda Milligan, ARNP and Certified Nurse Midwife. She has provided maternity services to our county residents for over two decades and continues to serve us at the Peace Island Medical Center where she also leases space as an independent contractor.

I hope their contributions can be maintained.

J. Michael Edwards, DDS, MD, FACS/San Juan County Public Hospital District No. 1, Commissioner