“As they say, it takes a village!” Skagen says. “I am thankful for our active membership in the Oregon ASC Association (OASCA), who were instrumental in getting legislators to take action and vote in favor of our bill. Our members really stepped up to the plate to host tours, make repeated phone calls and emails, and comment regularly on this legislative initiative. Legislators really listen to their constituents, and their ongoing involvement really helps us stay on the health care radar.”
The bill is a great example of collaborating with all stakeholders to enhance the health care landscape in Oregon, says Simon Schwartz, chief operating officer of SRG. “I appreciate the opportunity to work with the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems and Providence Health and Services to create a bill that was passed unanimously by the House Health Committee, Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services, Ways and Means Committee, the full house and the full senate. It demonstrates how you can work with those that oppose a concept over many years and distill it down to a tangible bill that addresses everyone’s goals and concerns.”
While there were countless stakeholders and work groups working on the bill, OASCA lobbyist Doug Riggs, owner of Northwest Grassroots & Communications in Portland, Oregon, was an integral member of the team to develop the bill, Skagen says.
“This bill was passed because SRG worked tirelessly each year with physicians, administrators and nurses continuously educating us about the need for lobbying legislators, touring them in our facilities and contributing to our PAC,” says OASCA President Marilynn Daberkow. “Chris, Simon and Doug constantly visit us and have personal relationships with all our facilities in the Oregon.”