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The Medical Executive Committee at RiverBend has escalated concerns over Jim McGovern's alleged influence in emergency department patient care by filing the complaint, which builds on hundreds of pages of emails.
The Medical Executive Committee at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend has filed a complaint with the Oregon Medical Board, alleging that PeaceHealth executive Dr. Jim McGovern acted outside the scope of his administrative license by attempting to influence clinical decision-making.
PeaceHealth leadership placed McGovern on leave April 9 after learning of 300 pages of emails that appear to show McGovern overstepping his administrative role. Members of Eugene Emergency Physicians, the doctors group that staffs the emergency department at RiverBend, say the messages show McGovern directing or intervening in patient care decisions — responsibilities reserved for licensed clinicians. McGovern is chief hospital executive of the PeaceHealth’s Oregon network.
In the wake of McGovern being placed on leave, RiverBend’s chief of staff, Dr. Will Emerson, told medical staff that emails would be submitted to the Oregon Medical Board for investigation. Emerson notified staff April 24 that the complaint was filed April 22. Lookout Eugene-Springfield obtained and authenticated a copy Friday, May 1.
The Medical Executive Committee at RiverBend is a peer-nominated group of physicians and department chairs who meet with executive leadership on behalf of the broader medical staff. The committee includes 20 physicians, including Emerson, and two advanced practice clinicians, all of whom work on PeaceHealth’s medical staff.
The Oregon Medical Board reviews complaints to determine whether a licensee violated regulations governing medical practice and professional conduct.
The Medical Executive Committee has raised concerns that the issues outlined in the emails “compromised” the request-for-proposals process that led PeaceHealth to end its 35-year relationship with Eugene Emergency Physicians. Eugene Emergency Physicians had reported McGovern’s alleged overstep to the system’s top leadership.
PeaceHealth maintains its decision to switch to Georgia-based ApolloMD for emergency department staffing was made by a “multidisciplinary team of leaders” during a thorough process, and “was never a decision made by one individual.”
PeaceHealth spokesperson Jim Murez sent the following statement Friday:
“Dr. McGovern remains on administrative leave as we proceed with a careful and thorough evaluation of the concerns raised. PeaceHealth is committed to safe, high-quality care for our patients in Lane County.”
In Emerson’s April 24 email, he told staff, “after receiving and reviewing many additional submissions from members of the Medical Staff, the report was finalized and submitted.”
“The concerns raised by the Medical Staff are substantive, urgent, and directly tied to the safety, stability, and trust of our hospital and community. Those concerns include not only the outcome of the RFP, but also serious questions about the integrity of the process itself, including the role and composition of the RFP committee. A meaningful resolution will require real action,” he said.
Typically, when the Oregon Medical Board receives a complaint, it reviews the allegation to determine whether it may violate the state’s Medical Practice Act. Investigations can take weeks. In certain serious cases, practicing medicine without a license is a class C felony, which can carry up to five years in prison.
Meanwhile, Eugene Emergency Physicians remains in court over its lawsuit against PeaceHealth and ApolloMD. The case is separate from the allegations against McGovern and centers on a potential violation of Oregon’s corporate practice of medicine law. Hearings are scheduled to continue Monday, May 4.
