Frequently Asked Questions

The Blue Mountain Hospital District operates the Blue Mountain Hospital, which employs physicians and other healthcare providers, including 4 full-time Board-Certified physicians in the Emergency Department and visiting specialists.

Emergency Department and Hospitalist Services (as of September 2026):

1. Kendel Margart, DO, Board Certified Emergency Medicine, full time
2. Paula Godfrey, DO, Board Certified Emergency Medicine, full time
3. Derek Zickgraf, DO, Board Certified Family Medicine, full time
4. Brett Mumford, DO, Board Certified Family Medicine, full time
5. Jens Johansson, DO, Board Certified Emergency Medicine, Casual
6. Russ Nichols, MD, Board Certified Family Medicine, Casual ER and SWCC
7. Drs. Andrew and Andrea Janssen, Family Medicine, Casual

Specialists (as of September 2026):

1. Jill Olinger, MD (Dermatology)
2. Daniel Hanson, MD (Ophthalmology
3. David Archibald, OD (Optometrist)
4. Matthew Lilley, MD (Orthopedic Surgery)
5. Korena Larsen-Farris, PA-C (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)

The Blue Mountain Hospital District operates the Strawberry Wilderness Community Clinic, which employs 6 providers (as of September 2026):

1. Robert Yee, MD Board Certified Family Medicine
2. Shelly Boyd, DNP Nurse Practitioner
3. Erika Adams, DNP Nurse Practitioner
4. Erin Gosnell, FNP-C Nurse Practitioner
5. Dawn Marten, Certified Nurse Midwife
6. Nina Ruckhaus, MD (Starting 2027) Family Practice and Obstetrics

One Primary care provider (physician, Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife) is generally recommended per 1,000 people. Based on Grant County population of 7,075 (US Census Bureau 2025), this equals 7 providers. BMHD currently has 9 providers across roles and specialties between the hospital and SWCC. There are also currently 3-4 additional primary care providers in Grant County, who serve the community but are not employed by the District.

BMHD staffing levels are also determined by volume of appointments, wait times, appointment types, and patient needs. We are actively reviewing these factors in our clinic to ensure we have sufficient staffing at all times. We are currently hiring for roles including certified nurse midwives, and have a provider contracted to begin in 2027.

By 2038, there is a projected shortage of 70,610 FTE primary care physicians and 108,960 registered nurses according to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA). In addition to recruiting for our facilities, we are also committed to growing the workforce locally and providing career opportunities for residents to work where they live.

• BMHD hired 6 new providers in the last 12 months across roles and specialties.
• BMHD facilitates clinical rotation partnerships with several top-tier regional training hospitals and universities.
• BMHD recently hired a Nurse Practitioner through our Grow Your Own Program, and
this fall, the program is hosting its 4th cohort of CNAs.

Annually, BMHD completes a market assessment of all positions using salary surveys, and local market data. Positions are evaluated on multiple levels including wage assessment to market and recruitment challenges, and adjusted per pay equity internally and externally. We restructured physician compensation to remain competitive in a high demand rural market, and our base salaries now exceed median compensation levels. We also offer loan repayment programs, residency stipends, and relocation bonuses to support our recruiting efforts.

BMHD underwent a year-long process to change the wage structure so that it could be more competitive. We currently need to maintain status quo for working conditions during union discussions, and cannot implement broader changes to our structure at this time.

Oregon hospitals are facing significant financial challenges, and BMHD is no exception. In response, the District has focused on keeping local services by improving operations and focusing on patient experience, pursuing new funding opportunities, and advocating for rural healthcare at both the state and federal levels, including:

• Maintaining strong relationships with elected officials to ensure BMHD healthcare issues remain a priority.
• Securing $19,308 from the Oregon Community Foundation to support BMHD's CNA training program.
• Receiving a share of Oregon's $37.5 million rural maternity care investment, helping strengthen maternity services in Grant County.
• Raising more than $30,000 through the Blue Mountain Healthcare Foundation to support the future purchase of a new C-arm imaging device for the Radiology Department.
• Actively pursuing additional grant funding through the Oregon Health Authority's Rural Health Transformation Program to support initiatives such as maternal care, workforce development, and aging-in-place services.
• Leading innovation as a founding member of the Cascades High Value Network, a clinically integrated network of 11 independent Oregon hospitals, that is currently in the state's approval process.

Blue Mountain Hospital District made the difficult decision to conduct a strategic restructuring that included limited staff and leadership roles. This became necessary in response to losses from operations, continued lower than expected utilization of services, increasing labor and supply costs, and to prepare for potential cuts to Medicaid reimbursement in the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Becker's Hospital Review lists 57 hospitals since January that have had to reduce their workforce in the face of ongoing financial strain and lower reimbursement. BMHD is not alone in this struggle.

No, Blue Mountain Hospital was not fined for staffing violations. BMHD operates a longterm care center in Prairie City, OR, called the Blue Mountain Care Center, which was fined $9,000 for CNA staffing shortages in October, 2025. The Care Center had one documented incident in 2025 in which the scheduled Registered Nurse became ill unexpectedly. The Chief Nursing Officer covered the majority of the shift, and the Administrator was on-site. There was a brief period before the Chief Nursing Officer arrived in which the facility fell short of its RN coverage requirement. The Care Center hired a third party to assist with the corrections, and the State of Oregon conducted a follow-up review on December 9th, 2025, finding it back in full compliance.

Per Oregon State law, Blue Mountain Hospital has a staffing committee comprised of direct care RN’s and nurse leaders, currently co-chaired by Doris Harper, RN, and Debbie Morris, CNO. The committee reviews the hospital's staffing ratios, plans, and evaluates any concerns raised by nursing peers. No staffing complaints have been received to date. The Committee has adopted a staffing plan of 3 RNs and 1 CNA for dayshift, and 3 RNs and 1 EMT for nightshift. With average daily volumes of 10.6 ER visits and 4.3 inpatient/swing bed patients, staffing 3 RNs per shift exceeds standards for this patient load.