OAHHS Spring Summer 2019

10 » A magazine for and about Oregon Community Hospitals. Into the Future The main drag on hospitals being able to further have an economic impact on their communities is the always- present funding issue. Oregon is facing a Medicaid funding gap for the next six years, part of which will be filled by an increase in the existing hospital assessment and part of which, in mid- May, was yet to be determined. “The politics of funding are always going to be with us,” Burke said, adding that recruiting top talent also continues to be a challenge for rural providers like Good Shepherd. Still, health care shows no signs of slowing, which means that hospitals and health systems will no doubt continue to play an integral role when it comes to making an impact on the health and economies of their surrounding communities. At Asante, a new regional cancer center that will help patients find treatments locally is on its way, while an expansion of Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford will increase its procedural platform and critical care capacity. Kelly said he thinks the systemwill surpass the 7,000-employee mark in the next decade if not sooner. At Good Shepherd, Burke said the hospital is adding a family practice clinic and a comprehensive pain center to help meet increasing demand as the community continues to grow. “This is our community,” he said. “I think that it has a sense that this is their hospital. We are a resource, and our success here is key.” continued 