Portland-based Oregon Health & Science University has cut a telehealth nursing unit that launched at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting 21 jobs.
A spokesperson for OHSU confirmed to Becker's that members of the Oregon Nurses Association accounted for 21 of 297 reductions announced in recent days. The job cuts are part of the system's larger plan to cut more than 500 jobs over a 90-day period, which was included in the fiscal year 2025 budget approved by the board of directors June 28.
"The strategic alignment work aims to shift OHSU's overall strategy to its core, state-mandated missions, including improving access to the complex specialty and subspecialty services that no other health system in the region can provide," an OHSU spokesperson said in a statement. "As a result, while planned reductions in force are largely administrative roles, other programs may be impacted as well."
According to Willamette Week, the affected nurses were part of a telehealth unit that has been cut. The ONA has criticized the layoffs, saying the nursing job cuts are "confirmation" that executives will not limit job cuts to non-patient-facing roles.
"Their cuts will reduce Orgeonians' access to care and ultimately make it harder for more people to get the care they need when they need it," Duncan Zevetski, RN, vice president of the ONA, told Willamette Week.
An OHSU spokesperson cited the June 28 board of directors meeting, where it was mentioned that "500 patient-facing roles were being added, as 500+ largely administrative roles were being eliminated."
In May, OHSU and Legacy Health, also based in Portland, signed a binding, definitive agreement to unite as one health system under OHSU Health.