Vancouver, Wash.-based PeaceHealth and Eugene (Ore.) Emergency Physicians have reached a three-year agreement for several PeaceHealth hospitals in the region after months of controversy surrounding its emergency department staffing contract.
According to a news release shared with Becker’s May 20, EEP will continue to staff PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend (Ore.) and PeaceHealth Cottage Grove (Ore.) Community Medical Center.
“Over the past several weeks, we’ve spent a great deal of time listening to physicians, caregivers and members of the Lane County community,” said Heather Wall, RN, interim CEO for PeaceHealth Oregon. “What we heard clearly is that people care deeply about emergency care in this region and want to see us working together to strengthen it. This agreement reflects that shared commitment. We know there is important work ahead, but we believe this creates a stronger foundation for how we move forward together in support of our patients, caregivers and communities.”
Under the agreement, PeaceHealth and EEP are establishing a more “collaborative and accountable” approach to emergency care, according to the release.
“We believe this agreement marks an important step toward a stronger, more collaborative future for emergency care in our community,” said Brad Anderson, MD, president of Eugene Emergency Physicians. “Together with PeaceHealth, we have a shared commitment to delivering measurable improvements in access, experience and the quality of care our patients depend on every day.”
The entities settled a legal dispute May 6 after EEP sued PeaceHealth over its plan to not renew its 35-year contract with EEP, opting to partner with Atlanta-based ApolloMD instead. The dispute has been regarded as the first test of Oregon’s corporate practice of medicine law, which is among the strictest in the nation.
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