The Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, together with the leaders of several Oregon health care systems, the Oregon Nurses Association and Oregon Medical Association, joined Governor John Kitzhaber Monday, Oct. 27, to announce that Oregon public health officials, hospital systems, and the major medical associations have agreed upon an updated and coordinated strategy for caring for potent ial Ebola patients. No cases of Ebola have been diagnosed in Oregon as of Monday, Oct. 27. Six Oregon health systems have agreed to serve as referral centers for patients positively diagnosed with Ebola, indicating they will have the capacity and the training to offer appropriate and safe treatment: OHSU, Legacy Health, PeaceHealth, Providence Health & Services, Samaritan Health Services, and Kaiser Permanente Northwest. These six organizations are prepared to accept patients who have a confirmed case of the Ebola virus from other Oregon hospitals, clinics or EMS providers, if no federal facility is available. These systems will work with the CDC and other federal and state agencies to handle any circumstances that could arise during the course of treatment.
