September 16, 2025 (Portland, Ore.) - The misguided decision by Providence to close the St. Vincent pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is abhorrent. It proves, yet again, that the healthcare system is more concerned about its profits than the health of the community it purports to serve. Today’s announcement comes on the heels of Providence’s decision to close the family birth center in Seaside by October 4, 2025.

According to the CDC, “the upcoming fall and winter respiratory disease season in the United States will likely have a similar number of combined peak hospitalizations due to COVID-19, influenza, and RSV compared to last season.” In a CDC report released last week, the 2024-2025 flu season had the highest number of hospitalizations in more than a decade. Eliminating access to care for children is a callous mistake, particularly as respiratory viruses are on the rise—putting children at greater risk of serious illnesses and emphasizing their need for specialized healthcare.

“We’ve always been busy during respiratory virus season since Providence patients from across Oregon were moved to our PICU,” said Erin Piltz, RN at Providence St. Vincent. “We have also advocated for years to be cross trained so that we can serve more than just pediatric patients and have repeatedly been told there’s no budget.”

In the announcement, Providence said patients needing PICU-level care will be diverted to Legacy’s Randall Children’s Hospital or OHSU’s Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Twenty ONA-represented nurses will lose their jobs.

Providence says the cuts are necessary to alleviate the $100 million in operating losses in Oregon. The health system is a $30 billion corporation that claims to be a non-profit, but which paid its 182 executives a combined $194 million in 2023. Patients and caregivers should not be forced to pay the price of corporate greed which will leave all Oregonians with fewer choices, longer waits and worse healthcare.

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