Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Commit to Watchdog Role to Ensure OHSU Delivers on its Promises for the Largest Health Care Merger in Oregon History

(Portland, OR) - OHSU’s billion dollar acquisition of Legacy Health is a pivotal moment for healthcare in Oregon and has far reaching implications for patients, healthcare workers and communities across the state. 

Hospital executives have promised to deliver better patient care, greater efficiency, and expanded services, but we know corporate mergers like this often result in higher costs and lower quality care. To avoid those pitfalls, OHSU and Legacy cannot leave this process exclusively in the hands of C-suite executives. Hospital leaders must think differently and invite health advocates and experts in the field–including frontline nurses and healthcare professionals at Legacy and OHSU–to the table to ensure this unprecedented merger process is open, transparent, and delivers on its promises to Oregonians. 

This agreement must increase health care services, quality and access for patients, and equip and support providers to better care for all our community members. That includes ensuring OHSU’s merger money does not come out of patients’ or workers’ pockets. OHSU needs to work on improving services and investing in our community without sacrificing current standards. 

As it becomes Oregon’s largest healthcare employer, OHSU must commit to maintaining and improving healthcare coverage and benefits for the more than 30,000 healthcare workers who serve Oregonians across the state and are critical to this merger’s success. In the wake of a $1 billion buyout and rich executive compensation and bonuses, Oregonians will not tolerate cuts to frontline health professional’s health insurance or efforts to force OHSU’s lowest-paid workers and their families to shoulder additional costs and jeopardize their access to healthcare. OHSU must also commit to honoring Oregon’s best-in-the-nation hospital safe staffing law and following the staffing plans and decisions from its internal staffing committees. These dual commitments are necessary to preserve and increase Oregonians’ access to health care and raise quality standards for all Oregonians. 

The Oregon Nurses Association has a long history of advancing the health of patients, and improving the working conditions of nurses and healthcare providers at OHSU. In fact, we know patients and staff benefit when healthcare workers are unionized–no matter which hospital or clinic they work in. The research shows patients are healthier and staff have safer working conditions, higher wages, better benefits and more job satisfaction when they have a strong voice to advocate for their patients and their community. 

ONA nurses, advanced practice providers, and professionals at OHSU and Legacy enjoy a strong connection with their unrepresented colleagues at Legacy and are eager to work together to uplift our new shared community. As the merger process evolves, we look forward to making new connections and building bridges to ensure all nurses and healthcare professionals at Legacy are empowered to retain important aspects of their identity; advocate for their patients, colleagues and community; and fight for the highest workplace and healthcare standards. 

We are committed to being a thoughtful partner with nurses, healthcare professionals, executives and communities throughout Oregon during and after this merger. We hope OHSU and Legacy executives will listen to and engage directly with frontline nurses and healthcare professionals in both systems so we can help this merger defy the odds and deliver on their promises to Oregonians. We look forward to reviewing the full details of today’s agreement and engaging in state and national regulatory reviews as we continue fighting for the rights and best interests of Oregon’s healthcare professionals and patients. 

ONA represents more than 4,500 nurses and advanced practice providers at OHSU hospitals and clinics throughout the state and more than 1,300 nurses, doctors, advanced practice providers, and allied health professionals at Legacy hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Washington.

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