One of the issues that needs to be raised in relation to Gov. Tina Kotek’s recent letter to PeaceHealth regarding its planned emergency department staffing transition to ApolloMD is whether there is any evidence that corporate ownership will create compliance problems with Oregon Senate Bill 951 relating to medical care decisions for individual patients.

ApolloMD states that medical care decisions will not be changed in any way. What more do Kotek, Rep. Julie Fahey and Rep. Lisa Fragala want, besides a pat on the back and some election donations from the Oregon Nurses Association?

The physicians in the ER are governed by a national standard of care. I suggest that there will be no difference in care. If there is a significant difference, then the individual physicians, ApolloMD and PeaceHealth will have to deal with those failures in medical negligence claims, just as any provider would have to. I am certain that all of them will be adequately insured.

Richard Roseta
Eugene