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Michael Dunne: I'm Michael Dunne. It might not be hyperbole to say that if PeaceHealth sneezes, Lane County catches a cold. After all, it is the largest health care organization in our community. Many residents may be feeling the effects lately because of layoffs and a decision to replace a long-standing local physicians group with a large out-of-state company.
Today on the show, you'll hear in-depth reporting on challenges at PeaceHealth from KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert, who has covered the organization for years. She has spoken with physicians and nurses angered by recent actions and who describe feelings of betrayal in a community that values localism. The latest move, replacing local doctors with a Georgia-based company, is rubbing many people the wrong way.
Tiffany Eckert joins us now. Tiffany, thanks for coming in.
Tiffany Eckert: I'm happy to do it.
Dunne: You've covered health care in this community for a long time. You know PeaceHealth well. Tell us about your latest story, in which the organization ended a decadeslong contract with a local group and replaced it with a national firm. Give us the 30,000-foot view.
Eckert: I first got a tip back in November from a trusted source, a hospitalist at PeaceHealth who is part of a union and free to speak. They told me there were rumblings about a request for proposals issued by PeaceHealth to bring in new staffing for emergency departments at three hospitals: Springfield, Cottage Grove, and Florence.
That RFP set in motion the idea that PeaceHealth was looking to replace Eugene Emergency Physicians, which had been contracted there for 35 years.
Dunne: Were any reasons given for the switch?
Eckert: When the decision finally came through, PeaceHealth chose a company called ApolloMD, based in Atlanta. It is described as physician-owned, but it is far out of state and had never worked in Oregon.
The explanation centered on wait times, patient satisfaction, and claims that ApolloMD could help improve performance. PeaceHealth expressed gratitude to Eugene Emergency Physicians for decades of service, but repeatedly pointed to long waits, particularly at RiverBend.
Doctors I spoke with said no one likes those wait times, especially the physicians dealing with them every day. One former doctor described sitting in her car before a shift, trying to talk herself into going inside.
Dunne: Let's hear from that physician now.
Audio Clip: There was a lot of pressure to move people through quickly. I went to work every day feeling like I was failing patients. People waited for hours. I apologized constantly for something I couldn't control. I would sit in my car and try to psych myself up to go in. Eventually, I just couldn't do it anymore.
Dunne: That’s powerful. Have outside agencies determined that wait times were the fault of this physician group? Is there any paper trail suggesting that?
Eckert: No. If that were the case, I believe it would have been clearly identified. Every reporter has asked that question, including me. I posed it directly in writing and did not receive an answer.
Dunne: You also spoke with members of the group losing the contract. What are they saying?
Eckert: Eugene Emergency Physicians, or EEP, remains under contract through late June at RiverBend and slightly earlier at Cottage Grove. Many physicians are bound by nondisclosure agreements, so they must be careful. Still, this affects their livelihoods.
These are local doctors who trained and chose to come home to work. When they learned earlier this month that ApolloMD would take over, it meant about 41 physicians and physician assistants would lose those jobs. The group itself will dissolve. It was created 35 years ago at PeaceHealth’s request.
Dunne: One physician told you they felt scapegoated. Set that up for us.
Eckert: She believes the group is being blamed by a large, powerful institution for problems that were not of their making. She and others told me they repeatedly asked for changes to the physical environment and workflow to improve patient care, but felt those concerns went unheard.
Dunne: Let’s listen.
Audio Clip: The problem with the emergency department isn't the doctors. It's the conditions. It appears the hospital is using Eugene Emergency Physicians as a scapegoat for problems that stem from decisions like closing University District.
Dunne: From your reporting, have you been able to determine why this move was made and how it might affect patients?
Eckert: It has been very difficult to get a clear answer to the question of why. PeaceHealth says it was not about cost, but it has not disclosed financial details, citing nondisclosure agreements.
Dunne: You've covered PeaceHealth for years. Do you sense the organization becoming more opaque, especially after closing University District?
Eckert: I asked who made the decision and whether it came from headquarters in Vancouver, Washington. I did not receive an answer. I do know a similar RFP question came up at a hospital in Longview, where leaders decided not to pursue it. So again, we return to the question of why.
Many physicians told me their main concern is patient care, even beyond their own jobs. These are doctors who could have worked anywhere but chose to live and raise families here.
Dunne: What do we know about ApolloMD, and is this part of a broader trend in health care?
Eckert: Doctors told me they are seeing this nationwide. Corporate management groups, often called CMGs, are taking over departments in the name of efficiency, cost savings, or staffing stability.
However, ApolloMD will not retain the current physicians. Every doctor in EEP signed an agreement saying they will not work for the new company. That is a significant stand because it likely means unemployment for them.
Dunne: Practically speaking, how does an out-of-state company staff emergency departments here?
Eckert: It is complicated. Physicians need an Oregon medical license, which can take months. Oregon is not part of the interstate licensure compact used to speed the process in many states. They also need a DEA registration and hospital credentialing.
Former EEP physician Aaron Hougham told me those steps take time, even when expedited. ApolloMD representatives are now in the region trying to navigate those hurdles.
Dunne: You've also reported on layoffs at PeaceHealth. What’s happening there?
Eckert: This is the third round of layoffs in nine months. Skilled caregivers, including hospice nurses and clinical social workers, have been affected.
Dunne: Some listeners may wonder whether PeaceHealth itself could eventually leave the market. Is that a realistic concern?
Eckert: I don’t see the hospital going away. But we have seen major service reductions, including the closure of University District and earlier closures like the birthing center, often despite public opposition.
What could happen is a continued shift away from local control, which could erode community confidence. At the same time, patients have limited alternatives. McKenzie-Willamette is the other hospital, but many specialized services are concentrated at RiverBend.
Dunne: Tiffany Eckert, thanks for your reporting. I know you'll continue to follow this story.
Eckert: Thank you.
Dunne: That’s the show for today. Tomorrow, Greenhill Humane Society recounts rescuing more than three dozen cats from a single residence and how it finds homes for animals from overcrowded conditions.
I'm Michael Dunne. Thanks for listening.
