Changes at Confluence

Confluence Health has announced to North Valley Hospital their intention to stop providing Hospital services at North Valley Hospital as of September 1st due to physician staffing challenges. This announcement follows previous communication in which Confluence Health informed the Hospital that it couldn’t support the Hospital’s Obstetrics program due to shortages of physicians.

Confluence Health will continue to provide outpatient care in their Tonasket and Oroville clinics.

Following Confluence’s first communication, NVH began recruiting for family practitioners who would also take care of obstetric services in the hospital.

With the departure of another Confluence Health Family Practitioner, NVH faces more difficulty with recruiting providers to support the Hospital’s OB Program. NVH’s primary focus will be to recruit physicians who can provide in-patient coverage after September 1. NVH is aggressively exploring temporary and long-term arrangements with physicians to allow uninterrupted services.

The North Valley Hospital Board of Commissioners will discuss these developments on June 20th and welcomes members of the public. Confluence Health representatives will also be present to answer any questions.