Caregivers

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Oregon House Speaker Julie Fahey (left) and Majority Leader Ben Bowman during a press availability in January 2025. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Bill aimed at barring corporate meddling in patients' medical care passes Legislature

Senate Bill 951, an earlier version of which failed last year in the Oregon Senate, won some Republican support in both the House and the Senate, and is on its way for Gov. Tina Kotek's signature

May 28
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SHUTTERSTOCK

Contentious bill backed by behavioral health providers gets another hearing

A revised version of the bill affecting medical and behavioral care for foster kids and others in the custody of the state has won another hearing after facing major criticisms earlier in the session

May 8

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Picket line near Providence St. Vincent Medical Center on Jan. 28, 2025. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

More than 4,000 striking Providence nurses will lose health coverage on March 1

Oregon's largest hospital system cited the length of the strike in a notice to nurses who've walked out from eight hospitals. The union accused Providence of delaying after members voted down a tentative deal.

Feb 13

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Dr. Jane Zhu of Oregon Health & Science University examined billings for gastroenterology care before and after practices are acquired finding a boost in costs. | COURTESY OF OHSU/CHRISTINE TORRES HICKS

Study: Private equity takeovers boost billings, fees

A new study co-authored by OHSU researcher Jane Zhu drilled down on the bills issued by gastroenterologists after private equity buys their practices, finding a 78% jump in professional fees for colonoscopies and other care

Feb 11
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Picket line near Providence St. Vincent Medical Center on Jan. 28, 2025. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Providence nurses could reject the deals intended to end their 28-day strike

Many nurses are going public to say the negotiated tentative agreements seeking to end Oregon's largest-ever health care walkout don't go far enough. They are voting today.

Feb 6
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Parents of disabled children packed a legislative hearing on Feb. 4, 2025 in support of a bill that would allow more to be paid for caring for their kids. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Parents of high-needs children push Oregon to streamline payments for providing care

Oregon pays parents to care for adult children with major medical or behavioral issues, but does not when the children are minors. DHS officials say following the lead of other states could be expensive.

Feb 6
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Picket line near Providence St. Vincent Medical Center on Jan. 28, 2025. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Kotek muscles into Providence contract impasse

Governor's personal meeting with top leaders of both sides in the contract impasse marks a new phase in which both sides have paused their public statements to focus on in-person mediation.

Jan 30
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Marketing material for an AI program that performs some functions of nurses. | SCREENSHOT

As AI advances, Oregon lawmakers seek to specify only humans can be nurses

A narrow bill would be one of the first attempts in Oregon to regulate the rapidly changing technology that some worry could supplant medical professionals

Jan 30
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An ambulance pulls into the entrance driveway for Oregon Health & Science University's emergency department on Wed., Oct. 27, 2021. | OHSU/CHRISTINE TORRES HICKS

Burnout lingers but the ranks of Oregon health care workers are growing

Numbers of nurses and others are growing but local education programs can't keep up with new job openings, per a state report

Jan 14
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Providence nurses in Oregon are on strike, and it's unclear when a contract deal might be reached. | OREGON NURSES ASSOCIATION

Providence, nurses ready to resume contract talks as strike continues

With Providence backing down from an earlier pledge to not negotiate with a striking union, the two sides seem ready to negotiate — but are they?

Jan 14
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