Oregon Nurses Association Statement On Potential Closure Of University District Hospital (Photo) -08/22/23
(Eugene, Ore.) - The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) bargaining unit leaders at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center were notified yesterday, August 21, that PeaceHealth is planning to close PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center University District in Eugene.
ONA is strongly opposed to PeaceHealth's closure of University District hospital and calls upon management to reverse this dangerous and irresponsible decision immediately.
This short-sighted decision on the part of PeaceHealth management raises serious concerns not only for the more than 100 ONA-represented nurses who will be impacted by this closure, but also for the many hundreds of other staff at the hospital and the thousands of patients in Eugene who will lose access to emergency services.
At this time, it is unclear how PeaceHealth intends for the residents of Eugene to access crucial, life-saving services like those provided by the University District Emergency Department. This is particularly concerning given that wait times at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center Riverbend, the closest alternative hospital to University District, were over 18 hours for some patients just yesterday. Closure of the University District hospital would have an enormous impact on Riverbend’s capacity to provide care to the more than 200,000 people in Eugene and the surrounding areas.
The Medical Unit at University District would also close under PeaceHealth’s current plan. The Medical Unit, also known as the ACE Unit, or acute care for the elderly unit, provides specialized care for the region's most vulnerable, elderly patients. PeaceHealth has not indicated if there are plans to create a similar unit at Riverbend.
ONA nurses were blindsided by this announcement. Nurses just settled a four-year agreement with the hospital after a lengthy and contentious contract negotiations. At no point during those negotiations were nurses given even the slightest hint that a closure of University District was on the table.
ONA is working closely with our union partners at PeaceHealth, including Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), and the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) on a coordinated response to this dangerous and harmful decision by PeaceHealth.
There are clear contractual implications for a closure of University District. PeaceHealth has indicated that they intend to reorganize the University District Emergency Department, the Float Pool and Rehabilitation Services, all of which will have direct impacts on ONA-represented nurses. Should a closure occur, major layoffs will also impact staff throughout the hospital.
ONA and our union colleagues are in contact with the Oregon Health Authority to determine if there are regulatory ways to stop this closure from happening. We will also be launching ways for the Eugene community to make their concerns known to PeaceHealth administration within the coming days.
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 16,000 nurses and allied health workers throughout the state, including 1,500 frontline nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center Riverbend and University District and Sacred Heart Home Care Services. ONA’s mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org.
