The Lund Report

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Oregon State Hospital in Salem. | OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY

Federal court oversight of Oregon State Hospital enters new phase

U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson is pressing all sides involved in decades-old civil rights litigation to pursue creative solutions, and several lawyers in the case call for further action by the state to beef up services for people experiencing mental illness

Aug 6, 2024
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Oregon Health Authority Director Sejal Hathi unveiled a strategic plan for the agency on Tuesday, Aug. 6, that promises sweeping changes for health equity in the state. | SCREENSHOT

Hathi unveils Oregon health equity plan, vows progress by 2027

The state’s new health equity strategic plan took years to assemble due to the pandemic, but the Oregon Health Authority director says measurable improvements won’t take that long

Aug 6, 2024
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An AMR ambulance at Legacy Health Good Samaritan Medical Center in Northwest Portland, Ore., on July 30, 2023. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Multnomah County to forgive $7 million in fines if AMR improves response times

Officials will relax paramedic staffing requirements in return for the private equity—owned firm's agreement to deploy more ambulances and stop violating response-time requirements

Aug 1, 2024
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A doctor using a digital tablet. | SHUTTERSTOCK

Oregon Medical Board trims anti-discrimination rule as providers worry

Doctors and others complained the rule was too vague. The board has since reworked the rule that is part of a broader push to address racism in health care settings

Aug 1, 2024
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The Oregon Health Authority in Salem. | OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY

Oregon’s landmark evidence-based coverage program is going away, but what’s next is unclear

For three decades the state has used public meetings and research to decide what services are covered under the Oregon Health Plan. Officials are deciding how to reorganize the program, but little has been shared publicly about their plans.

Jul 30, 2024
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Oregon State Hospital in Salem, Oregon, on Nov. 21, 2023. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Marion County loses latest lawsuit seeking greater state hospital access

Lawyers for the county argued the state hospital must provide outpatient treatment for people it could not admit. A judge ruled that the case was beyond his court

Jul 30, 2024
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PIXABAY

Ahmed Farag to be new Oregon dental director

Farag, a hospital system executive in New York, will oversee oral health policies affecting more than 1 million low-income Oregonians

Jul 25, 2024
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U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden at a July 9, 2022 event in Portland. | PHOTO COPYRIGHT: PAMPLIN MEDIA GROUP/PETER WONG (USED WITH PERMISSION)

Wyden seeks stiffer penalties for fraudulent signups

The Oregon Senator is proposing a crackdown on brokers and agents who switch consumers onto different health insurance plans without their consent

Jul 25, 2024
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Moss isn’t a likely source of lead exposure for humans. But researchers took samples from it in Portland neighborhoods to see how environmental lead levels vary across the region. | COURTESY/OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Study finds old telecom cables leaching lead in parts of Portland

Researchers found high levels near old cables, helping explain a long-standing mystery around why some areas are harder hit than others by the toxic substance

Jul 25, 2024
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EMILIANO BAR/UNSPLASH

State funds $13 million to improve medication-assisted treatment at Oregon's jails

New treatment providers around the state will be funded to combat opioid use disorder, including at jails, clinics and hospitals, with help from Oregon Health & Science University

Jul 23, 2024
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