Caregivers say they want representation as Legacy – OHSU merger moves forward

(Portland, Ore.)  – The Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association (PNWHMA) has added another group of Legacy healthcare providers to its ever-growing list of bargaining units. Ballots were counted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Thursday, June 27 and an overwhelming majority of physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners with Legacy Primary Care voted in favor of unionizing with the PNWHMA. Since announcing their intention to form a union, providers have stated that they are doing so to ensure patient safety; increase retention, recruitment and respect of caregivers; implement safe staffing that will decrease burnout while improving caregiver wellbeing; and have a voice at the table as the details of the OHSU and Legacy merger unfold.

"I believe we all understand the critical need for high-quality primary care; it reduces hospitalizations, unnecessary financial burdens, and mortality rates,” said Dat Vo, PA at Legacy Medical Group – Salmon Creek Internal Medicine. “Until now, Legacy Primary Care providers have been sidelined in important decision-making processes that could compromise our ability to provide quality patient care. With the upcoming merger with OHSU and the uncertainties it presents, unionizing became crucial. By uniting, we ensure that OHSU cannot make decisions that would cause provider burnout and disrupt patient access to primary care. This union is a victory for Legacy employees, our patients, and our community. I cherish my work at Legacy and am dedicated to my patients and colleagues. Together, we can build a healthier future for everyone."

Unionizing providers work at the following Legacy facilities:  

Emmanuel Region

• Legacy Medical Group–Broadway
• Legacy Medical Group–Emanuel
• Legacy Medical Group–Northeast

Good Samaritan Region

• Legacy Medical Group–Cornell
• Legacy Medical Group–Good Samaritan
• Legacy Medical Group–Northwest
• Legacy Medical Group–Raleigh Hills
• Legacy Medical Group–St. Helens
• Legacy Medical Group–Westside Internal Medicine

Meridian Park Region

• Legacy Medical Group–Bridgeport
• Legacy Medical Group–Canby
• Legacy Medical Group–Lake Oswego
• Legacy Medical Group–Woodburn
• Legacy Medical Group–Tualatin

Mt. Hood Region

• Legacy Medical Group–Firwood
• Legacy Medical Group–Mt. Hood

Silverton Region

• Legacy Medical Group–Silverton
• Legacy Medical Group–Mt. Angel
• Legacy Medical Group–Woodburn Health Center
• Legacy Medical Group–Silverton Family Medicine
• Legacy Medical Group–Molalla Family Medicine

Salmon Creek Region, Vancouver, WA

• Legacy Medical Group–Camas
• Legacy Medical Group–Family Wellness
• Legacy Medical Group–Salmon Creek Family Medicine
• Legacy Medical Group–Salmon Creek Internal Medicine

“Legacy Health Primary Care Providers – physicians, nurse practitioners and physician associates – are unionizing because we see the failings of our current healthcare systems and the impact this has to our patients and community every day,” said Dr. Jane Ware, from Legacy Medical Group – Broadway. “As a primary care provider (PCP) at Legacy Health for over 10 years, I have been privileged to work in what I consider my calling, and until the last few years, I was content to keep my head down, focus on my patients and not worry about deficiencies in healthcare. In the last year or so it has become apparent that if my colleagues and I don’t speak up and advocate for our patients and our profession, no one will. With the impending merger with OHSU, it has become increasingly clear that PCPs must collectively advocate for healthcare systems to do better for our patients, providers, and community.”  

Legacy PCPs recognize that all the mistakes in their health system are not Legacy’s fault but believe that if they are at the table where decisions are made, they could help find solutions. Dr. Ware went on to say, “There is a critical shortage of PCPs, with providers leaving the field in record numbers. How did we get here? PCPs are being forced to provide care but with less time per patient, less support, more paperwork, and less compensation with more patients per provider. This leaves patients with burned out providers who cannot be their best advocate. As providers leave the field, we take on more and it only compounds burnout and thus the shortage. How many people do you know that have lost their PCP to retirement, relocation or just quitting and they can’t find a new one? Primary care is the backbone of a functional healthcare system, and it has been shown time and again that access to primary care improves the community’s health, reduces health disparities, and ultimately lowers the cost of health care. Our goal is to have a collective voice to work with Legacy and OHSU to implement a more sustainable primary care model to decrease provider burn out, improve recruitment, and ultimately find better ways to provide high quality care to people throughout our community.”

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 providers are joining the nearly 200 hospitalists at six Legacy hospitals who overwhelmingly voted to unionize with PNWHMA last year along with the 17 physicians from Legacy Women’s Clinic who voted to unionize in early 2024.  

Although nurses have advocated for better patient care and working conditions in Oregon for nearly 120 years, new groups of Oregon healthcare workers are now joining or forming their own unions in large numbers. Twenty years ago, few US physicians were part of a union, but as healthcare systems have become larger and more corporate, doctors see collective bargaining as the best way to ensure their voices are heard in decisions that affect their patients and their profession.  

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 more 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) represents a diverse community of 20,000 nurses and healthcare professionals throughout Oregon. Together, we use our collective power to advocate for critical issues impacting patients, nurses, and healthcare professionals including a more effective, affordable and accessible healthcare system; better working conditions for all healthcare professionals; and healthier communities. For more information visit www.OregonRN.org.