More than 150 healthcare workers, public officials and residents gathered outside Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend on Thursday to protest a plan by PeaceHealth to outsource its emergency department physicians.
Participants in the demonstration held signs with messages such as “Save our ER Docs,” “I ♥ EEP,” and “Corporate Medicine = Bad Medicine,” showing support for the local physician group Eugene Emergency Physicians.
Doctors show support for local emergency physicians
Several emergency doctors stood together near the hospital entrance they typically use for their shifts. Among them was Meg Pattison, medical director of the hospital’s emergency department.
Pattison said those attending the rally shared a common goal of ensuring quality care for patients in the community.
Emergency physician Brett Gorham, who has worked at the hospital for nearly three years, said he hopes hospital leaders reconsider the potential consequences of replacing the current physician group.
Concerns over new staffing arrangement
PeaceHealth recently announced plans to end its long-standing contract with Eugene Emergency Physicians and instead work with the Georgia-based staffing company ApolloMD. The change has raised concerns among doctors, community members and elected officials about how it could affect patient care.
Several Oregon lawmakers attended the rally, including Floyd Prozanski and James Manning Jr., both Democratic state senators representing the Eugene, Oregon area.
Prozanski praised the emergency physicians for their decades of service to the community and said residents should stand behind the medical professionals who have supported them during emergencies.
Manning criticized the hospital’s decision, arguing that the facility relies heavily on its existing emergency physicians and nurses to function effectively.
Additional officials join demonstration
Other public officials present included Lisa Fragala, a state representative from Eugene, along with Lane County Board of Commissioners members Laurie Trieger and Heather Buch.
Hospital responds to criticism
While the rally continued outside, PeaceHealth released a statement saying its priority remains managing the upcoming transition. Hospital officials said they hope members of Eugene Emergency Physicians will consider opportunities with Lane Emergency Physicians LLC, the new physician practice associated with ApolloMD.
However, the current physician group has taken a firm position. According to organizers, all 41 physician owners of Eugene Emergency Physicians have signed an agreement stating they will not work for ApolloMD or its newly formed medical group.
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