The Oregon Nurses Association is petitioning Vancouver, Wash.-based PeaceHealth to maintain its longstanding partnership with a local emergency physician staffing group, according to a Feb. 12 report from NBC affiliate KMTR.
Earlier in February, the health system announced it would not renew its contract with Eugene (Ore.) Emergency Physicians to staff emergency departments at PeaceHealth Cottage Grove (Ore.) and PeaceHealth Riverbend (Ore.). Those contracts end May 30 and June 30, respectively. Instead, the system has elected to partner with Atlanta-based ApolloMD for ED staffing at the facilities.
The change will affect 41 EEP emergency physicians and physician assistants. The group has worked with PeaceHealth for 35 years, according to NPR affiliate KLCC.
PeaceHealth leaders previously said the decision was made to improve emergency services and was not based on cost. Kim Ruscher, MD, chief medical officer for PeaceHealth Oregon, told KMTR the system would welcome EEP physicians who apply to work with ApolloMD.
However, all 41 physicians and physician assistants have signed an agreement refusing to work for ApolloMD for at least 90 days after the June 30 contract end date, according to KLCC.
“ApolloMD is our partner who’s going to be joining PeaceHealth to provide services at all three campuses in Lane County, and we would welcome them to work with our excellent physicians who are already in the community,” Dr. Ruscher told KMTR. “I hope that a lot of these doctors wind up staying, but that is ultimately between them as physicians and ApolloMD as the group.”
The ONA has raised concerns that ending the relationship with EEP could make it more difficult to recruit and retain skilled emergency clinicians amid ongoing workforce shortages.
“While contract discussions are between individual physicians and ApolloMD, we sincerely hope these physicians choose to remain in the community and continue to work with us,” a PeaceHealth spokesperson said in a statement to Becker’s.
At the Becker's 23rd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference, taking place June 18–20 in Chicago, spine surgeons, orthopedic leaders and ASC executives will come together to explore minimally invasive techniques, ASC growth strategies and innovations shaping the future of outpatient spine care. Apply for complimentary registration now.
