Joint statement on Memorial Hospital exit from Virginia Mason to protect local access to health care from merger with CHI Franciscan

YAKIMA – Today, the board of directors of Memorial Hospital in Yakima announced that they are exiting their affiliation with Virginia Mason before the health system merges with CHI Franciscan. The following organizations had this reaction:
 
“We are relieved that Memorial Hospital in Yakima has chosen to put patients and workers first and will not be part of the Virginia Mason – CHI Franciscan merger. As a result, residents in Yakima will continue to have access to essential medical services, including reproductive and end-of-life care. Unfortunately, the merger will still negatively impact health care access for thousands of Washingtonians. No Washingtonian should face the loss of services due to hospital mergers and the state should take strong action to provide meaningful oversight of health system consolidations.”
 
Attributable to:
ACLU of Washington
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington
End of Life Washington
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of WA. state
Cedar River Clinics
Compassion & Choices
Legal Voice
Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawai’i
Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho