Health Compass Newsletter

Erik Thorsen, CEO

In 2010, Columbia Memorial Hospital established a clinical collaboration with Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) to enhance access to specialty care within the community. The development of new programs has been informed by both the health care needs of the Columbia coast region and our shared vision to serve Oregonians through capacity building in local communities.

This unique collaboration with OHSU has allowed CMH to remain a locally governed and independent organization focused solely on improving the health of the residents within our service area.

Through the years, the relationship with OHSU has grown, bringing much-needed services like cardiology, cancer care, endocrinology and pulmonology to our community. The growth in services offered is the main driver for the BuildCMH Expansion Project.

The timeline at right provides a summary of the CMH-OHSU collaboration since its inception in 2010. CMH and OHSU remain committed to our original vision and will continue to bring new services to the region.

Keep reading to learn more about our services in this edition of the Health Compass.

A look at the CMH-OHSU relationship over time

2010: CMH and OHSU partner to bring medical oncology and cardiology services to the region.

2011: CMH and OHSU bring tele-stroke and tele-pediatrics to CMH.

2012: Electrophysiological studies begin in the CMH-OHSU Cardiology Clinic.

2013: CMH opens Warrenton Clinic and begins to provide primary care services.

2014: CMH and OHSU partner to bring more general surgeons to the region.

2015: CMH and OHSU partner to bring board-certified emergency medicine providers to Astoria.

2016: CMH and OHSU establish a rural emergency medicine rotation for medical residents.

2017: CMH-OHSU Knight Cancer Collaborative opens. This comprehensive center provides medical and radiation oncology as well as lab and imaging services.

2020: The CMH-OHSU Knight Cancer Collaborative earns Commission on Cancer accreditation, demonstrating the organization's commitment to high-quality, coordinated care.

In Surgery, a part-time vascular surgeon begins practicing at CMH.

CMH also opens the Seaside Clinic and begins providing primary care and urgent care services to southern Clatsop County residents.

2021: The CMH Medical Group, encompassing 10-plus clinics and locations, becomes the CMH-OHSU Health Medical Group. CMH Medical Group providers join OHSU and become employees of OHSU.

2022: CMH and OHSU expand radiology services and start an interventional radiology program.

2023: CMH becomes the first Critical Access Hospital on the Oregon coast to implement a robotic surgery program with Mako SmartRobotics™.

2024: The CMH-OHSU Health Cardiology Clinic expands with six full-time providers offering a range of services. Many patients undergo heart surgery at OHSU in coordination with the team in Astoria.

CMH and OHSU now employ general, orthopedic, urologic, OB-GYN and podiatric surgeons who all perform surgeries in CMH operating rooms, with other specialties still being recruited. There are 17-plus clinics with 90-plus OHSU-employed providers.

Categories: From our CEO