Patient Safety | 10.10.22
Three Oregon Hospital Systems Sue State Over Failure to Accommodate Civilly Committed Patients
by Williamette Week
Late last month, three Oregon hospital systems sued Oregon Health Authority (OHA) director Pat Allen in U.S. District Court, alleging that OHA has not met its legal obligation to serve Oregonians who have been civilly committed. Legacy Health, Providence Health & Services, and PeaceHealth jointly brought the lawsuit after PeaceHealth successfully contended earlier in the year in state court that OHA could not just leave patients who had been judged a danger to themselves or to others to languish in community-based hospitals. The lawsuit states: "Rather than ensure and provide timely access to meaningful treatment, OHA is abandoning civilly committed patients and leaving them for extended periods of time in acute care community hospitals."
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