Dear Dr. Kaplan:
As WSNA nurses at Virginia Mason, we show up every day to provide care that is compassionate and respects the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person we serve. As an employer, Virginia Mason has provided nurses an opportunity to serve patients regardless of race, socio-economic status, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. We are proud of the care we provide in our community which is why we are standing up and speaking out against the announced profit-driven partnership with another health care system that could fundamentally change and discriminate in the delivery of care.
We are concerned that the commitment to provide Washington residents access to the full range of legal health services including women’s health services and end of life care will be abandoned under the proposed Joint Operating Company (JOC) with CHI Franciscan. We are also concerned that comprehensive health care services to the LGBTQ community will be at risk under the JOC. This partnership and the resulting impact on care is not motivated by the needs of patients. This proposed partnership is deeply flawed and misguided, and it should not be approved unless there is a commitment to deliver the same quality and breadth of care our community has come to expect from Virginia Mason.
We choose to stand with our patients, our community, health care advocates, medical providers, allied health care workers and elected officials who oppose this merger. We share deep concern that the merger could:
Limit access to a full range of health care services;
Discriminate against those seeking legally approved medical care;
Deny access to reproductive health services;
Severely restrict end of life care services;
Undermine LGBTQ care;
Jeopardize employee health benefits; and,
Put profits before patients.
We call on you to defend all the health care services we currently provide at Virginia Mason and resist any effort to limit those services as part of any agreement with CHI Franciscan.
Sincerely
Virginia Mason Nurses
