PeaceHealth nurses, patients decry ER waits in Eugene

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PeaceHealth nurses, patients decry ER waits in Eugene

PeaceHealth patients are facing long emergency room waits, difficulty scheduling appointments and insufficient time with their health care providers, according to an Oregon Nurses Association survey of patients.

PeaceHealth closed the University District emergency room in Eugene on Dec. 1, 2023, with the stated goal of consolidating staff at PeaceHealth Riverbend in Springfield.

On Thursday, the Oregon Nurses Association and Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association released the results from a survey of PeaceHealth patients. They found that 97% of respondents reported a negative experience, with emergency room wait times being the biggest complaint.

Nurses with the Oregon Nurses Association and PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services speak during a press conference in December of 2023. Since PeaceHealth closed its Eugene emergency room facility to consolidate services at the Riverbend campus in Springfield, nurses say patients have experienced longer wait times, among other issues.

Survey findings

The survey asked respondents to select zero to five different “negative experience(s)” they had at a PeaceHealth facility and found:

  • 70% experienced long emergency room waits, with several reporting delays of eight hours or more.
  • A majority struggled to schedule appointments, with some waiting over six months.
  • Half felt they had insufficient time with their provider, attributing it to apparent understaffing.
  • One third reported long waits for urgent care services.
  • One quarter encountered high or unexpected medical bills.
  • 71% said they had a negative experience at Sacred Heart RiverBend.

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