Budget woes hit Oregon hospitals hard in 2022
Oregon hospitals continued to struggle with financial problems in 2022. A report released this week by the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems found a more than $380 million operating deficit last year. Many hospitals said labor costs remain high as a result of the pandemic. Experienced workers are leaving the health care industry and hospitals are keeping patients in their care for longer. Those factors are driving expenses higher. The report warns that a recession this year could deepen financial issues for Oregon hospitals. (OPB Staff)
New state dashboard aims to help Washington counties with more overdose data
An opioid and drug overdose dashboard launched last week by the Washington State Department of Health shows overdose deaths in Clark County doubled between 2016 and 2021, rising from 58 to 117 deaths. State officials say the aim of the dashboard is to provide communities with data to help them make more informed decisions. The good news for Clark County: While overdose deaths have risen, the dashboard shows the county’s numbers are among the second-lowest tier. In 2021, the county averaged 23.4 overdose deaths per 100,000 people compared to a statewide average of 29 per 100,000. The county, much like the rest of the state, is suffering from a surge in overdose deaths largely driven by synthetic opioids, specifically fentanyl. (Kelsey Turner/The Columbian)
Central Oregon Community College expands student services for veterans
With the help of a recent federal grant, Central Oregon Community College plans to expand on a program it launched last year to help veterans on campus. That program began early last year after the college received a grant from Veterans Affairs. College officials said it was so successful, they applied for more grant money to do more for students who’ve served in the military. That application resulted in a $600,000 grant from the Department of Education that officials say will help fund a three-year plan to provide more services. The program assists veterans with transitioning away from the military and toward a community college education, helping with housing, relocating, health benefits and dealing with loss of the military community. (Noemi Arellano-Summer/The Bulletin)
Report: Northwest farmers will plant more barley and corn this year
Northwest farmers plan to plant more barley and corn this year after shying away from the crop last year, according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At the same time, the amount of wheat planted this year is expected to drop slightly in Washington while increasing in Oregon and Idaho. Amanda Hoey, Oregon Wheat CEO, attributes the uptick in corn plantings to an improved water situation in some irrigated areas. In Oregon, an estimated 85,000 acres of corn are expected to be planted this year, a 13% increase from the previous year. Barley planting are estimated to grow in the state by 11%. (Matthew Weaver/Capital Press)
Lawsuit alleges Legacy illegally forced out disabled nurse
A disabled nurse alleges in a lawsuit that Legacy Health assigned her to a heart failure hotline after she was diagnosed with heart failure and later forced her out of her job by misapplying its leave policy. The lawsuit was filed March 27 in U.S. District Court in Portland on behalf of Amanda Zabloudil, a registered nurse who began working for Legacy in 1997. Zabloudil, a pediatric nurse, suffered from a serious medical condition that put her at high risk for COVID-19 exposure, according to the lawsuit. She asked Legacy in early April to place her in a job limiting her exposure to the virus, but the lawsuit alleges her requests were initially brushed off. Legacy has declined to comment on pending litigation, and Zabloudil’s attorneys did not respond before publication. (Jake Thomas/The Lund Report)
