💉 Checking the Pulse 04/15/26

On the record: Since I joined Cascadia Daily News in July 2025, I’ve been granted only one on-the-record interview with a member of PeaceHealth’s leadership team. That changed recently when Bellingham-based Charles Prosper, the health system’s chief executive for its Northwest network, sat for an interview. Up until that point, if I had questions for the hospital — which, let’s be real, is often — the hospital would only answer them via email. So, what changed?

While I can’t say for certain, I would venture a guess that when public pressure and accountability journalism mount, companies and institutions seek ways to respond. So, what did Prosper say?

After chatting for about 20 minutes, the situation Prosper is in came into focus. He is leading a nonprofit Catholic hospital that, as part of its founding mission and requirements as a mostly tax-exempt organization, has an obligation to care for anyone who comes through the emergency department. When nonprofit hospitals treat uninsured patients and report the uncompensated care as charity care, they’re fulfilling part of their “community benefit” requirements by the IRS. That said, uncompensated care is a slippery slope for hospital executives who must not lose sight of bottom lines.

With health care organizations staring down uncertain and frightening financial outlooks in the Trump-era, my conversation with Prosper made clear that this situation is top of mind for him as he watches the number of uninsured patients already rising at St. Joseph Medical Center. Or, that's what he wants me to think is top of mind.

Oh, and yes, I asked if he watches “The Pitt,” and indeed, he does.

As a loyal reader of my coverage, you’ve likely noticed my sources who work in health care frequently request anonymity. Almost always, this is because they know former colleagues who were reprimanded for speaking out internally or publicly. Now, some staff are wondering if this level of employment-based retaliation extends to leadership in the form of scapegoating.

PeaceHealth elevated one of its St. Joseph leaders to serve as chief nursing officer (CNO) for its Ketchikan, Alaska, hospital. The two-decade veteran of the health system was the director of patient care in Bellingham. Then, not too long after arriving in Ketchikan, PeaceHealth’s skilled nursing facility there had its overall rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services drop from five out of five stars to one out of five following an inspection. Addressing staff in recent weeks via email, PeaceHealth’s chief administrative officer in Ketchikan said the CNO “elected to leave” to “pursue other opportunities,” according to the email I viewed.

Then, just last week, PeaceHealth placed its top executive in Oregon on leave after he was the subject of months of ongoing backlash over a staffing contract shakeup he took responsibility for. While this leave involves a forthcoming complaint from staff to the state medical board, indicating there's more to the story than run-of-the-mill scapegoating, the move is a part of a larger system-wide shakeup. (The hospital recently laid off the top administrators at its Sedro-Woolley and Friday Harbor hospitals.)

For somewhere between $341,409 and $460,912, you can help shape PeaceHealth’s public relations. Down at PeaceHealth headquarters in Vancouver, Clark County, the health system is hiring a System VP Marketing and Communications role. This is particularly interesting as PeaceHealth recently laid off its System Director of Strategic Communications in Vancouver, and a communications specialist in Bellingham, along with a few other communications, social media and marketing folks. However, after PeaceHealth laid off its project manager for design and construction in Bellingham in October 2025 amid an ongoing $336 million construction project, no layoff news in health care surprises me anymore. (They’re hiring for that role, too.)

If you already read my story published Sunday about the role of private equity in the PeaceHealth emergency department, then here’s a follow-up. The emergency room staffing group, TeamHealth, which is being sued by Dr. Ming Lin, a former employee whose wrongful termination and discrimination case I recently reported on, is asking Lin to pay $589,847 in attorney’s fees, according to court documents filed this month.

Health Care un-covered: Why are Catholic nuns suing UnitedHealth Group? This enjoyable newsletter by a former health insurance executive turned whistleblower explains why.

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Thousands in Washington have lost food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to this helpful tracker.

Western Colorado University: New research that examined 36 years of snowpack in the west paints a grim outlook for fire season in our region after a winter of high temperatures and low snowpack.

“The Pitt”: Yes, I’m looking forward to the season finale of “The Pitt” tomorrow, and no, Prosper and I don’t watch together.