Jake Thomas

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The emergency department at Legacy Good Samaritan hospital in Portland on July 30, 2023. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Lawsuit over state's failure to provide psychiatric care can proceed, court rules

Federal appeals judges sided with Oregon hospitals and overturned a lower court ruling, but questioned whether a prime mover in Oregon State Hospital litigation — the advocacy group Disability Rights Oregon — can simultaneously represent two groups of patients with conflicting interests

Jun 5, 2024
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SHUTTERSTOCK

State issues dashboard as more Oregonians suffer brain injuries

Effort to raise awareness reflects increasing focus of public health research

Jun 4, 2024
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Nurses represented by the Washington State Nurses Association picket outside PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver on April 18, 2024. The picket came during difficult contract negotiations between the nurses and hospital management. | COURTESY/WASHINGTON STATE NURSES ASSOCIATION

PeaceHealth nurses in Vancouver win boost in pay but not staffing

The union argued that the Vancouver hospital would lose nurses without staffing minimums, but settled for a contract with higher wages and workplace protections

Jun 4, 2024
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Gov. Tina Kotek speaks to reporters at a press event in April 2023 in Salem. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Kotek behavioral health presentation leaves questions unanswered

On Wednesday lawmakers heard about the governor’s plans to address Oregon’s crisis in mental health and substance use disorder, but some detail was lacking

May 30, 2024
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Pictured, a team at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford cared for a COVID-19 patient in the intensive care unit during the pandemic. | MICHAEL BLUMHARDT/ASANTE HEALTH

Health care spending in Oregon grew later in pandemic

New report tallies growth in spending that lagged overall inflation, showing impact of efforts to address spread of virus

May 28, 2024
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The Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in downtown Portland, Oregon. | COURTESY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Lawsuit accusing Oregon firm of pharmacy conspiracy appealed

Federal judges disagree over a lawsuit alleging Portland-based LegitScript worked with regulators and the pharmaceutical industry to keep drug prices high and hurt a New York company's business

May 28, 2024
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U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, center, speaks about the multibillion-dollar advertising campaigns on behalf of Medicare Advantage plans during an event Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, sponsored by the Urban League of Portland at the Hattie Redmond Apartments in North Portland. | PETER WONG/©PAMPLIN MEDIA GROUP USED HERE WITH PERMISSION

Wyden wants to know how Pfizer cut its U.S. tax bill despite booming sales

Pifzer is the latest company to come under scrutiny by the Senate Finance Committee and Oregon’s senior U.S. senator as they look into pharmaceutical company tax practices

May 23, 2024
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Kevin Heinrich a licensed practical nurse at a workstation at Mirabella Portland’s skilled nursing facility. Nurses and other health care workers have become increasingly hard to find after the pandemic. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

New report too rosy about Oregon’s nursing homes, their lobbying group says

A new study ranks Oregon among the states best-positioned to meet new federal staffing rules for nursing homes. But a state lobbying group says it glosses over a new requirement of of 24-hour nurse coverage that will be tough to meet

May 21, 2024
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Oregon should do more to fix fractured behavioral health system, report finds

The state’s failure to provide the sort of treatment considered the most effective ends up increasing costs elsewhere in the system, according to researchers

May 21, 2024
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Oregon’s health care cost-growth controls hit a crucial stage

Critics disagree on whether the state’s proposed final rules for insurers and hospitals are too weak or will have unintended effects

May 16, 2024
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