(Portland, OR) - A small group of palliative care physicians at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center voted to unionize Dec. 12. The 4-member team will join a group of more than 70 hospitalists at Providence St. Vincent who voted to join the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association (PNWHMA) in August. The PNWHMA is a physician and advanced practice provider union represented by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and staffed by the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA).
The palliative care specialists will work together with their hospitalist colleagues to win a fair first contract that ensures safe staffing, fair compensation and benefits, a healthy work environment, and strengthens patients’ and providers’ voices on care and safety issues.
“As the palliative care physicians of Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, we join with our fellow physician colleagues and recognize that our strength is magnified when we stand together leading with courage and purpose,” said Dr. Lena Hillenburg, a palliative care physician at Providence St. Vincent. “Our decision to unite is not taken lightly, and it is a testament to our dedication to the principles that underpin our profession. We call upon Providence to listen, address our concerns, and work collaboratively with physicians for the betterment of patient care and the overall health of our medical community.”
Palliative care doctors manage the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of patients suffering from serious illnesses or injuries or approaching the end-of-life. They specialize in preventing and relieving pain and suffering to improve patients’ quality of life while coordinating patients’ care and helping patients and families navigate complex home health needs. They work in concert with hospitalists and other members of the care team.
On August 1, more than 70 hospitalists at Providence St. Vincent overwhelmingly voted to form a union with the PNWHMA. The palliative care specialists at Providence St. Vincent work closely with their hospitalists colleagues and are excited to join them as part of a strong NW doctors’ union.
"We are thrilled that palliative physicians voted to join our union at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. They play a crucial role in the care of hospitalized patients and do so with dignity and respect. Together we'll be able to advocate for what we need to continue to provide excellent compassionate care,” said Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, a PNWHMA hospitalist at Providence St. Vincent.
“Providence St. Vincent internal medicine and obstetrics hospitalist physicians are fiercely advocating for our patients and for each other. Right now, we are preparing to negotiate our first union contract to help us deliver the best and safest care possible. With Providence palliative care physicians joining us, we are stronger and more united than ever in pursuing those goals,” said Dr. Shekhar Ojha, a hospitalist at Providence St. Vincent and a member of the PNWHMA negotiating committee.
The Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association (PNWHMA) was created in 2015 as the first hospitalist-specific labor union in the United States. It has since expanded to represent both doctors and advanced practice providers. PNWHMA is affiliated with AFT Healthcare—the fastest-growing healthcare union in the country. AFT Healthcare represents more than 200,000 members in 100 locals in 18 states and territories.
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is the state’s largest and most influential nursing organization. We are a professional association and labor union which represents more than 17,000 nurses and allied health workers throughout the state. ONA’s mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org.
