PeaceHealth to restore outpatient palliative care program

PeaceHealth announced plans to reinstate outpatient palliative care in Whatcom County, just three months after the healthcare system sparked community outrage when it eliminated the program.

Cascadia Daily News first reported on PeaceHealth’s plans August 24. PeaceHealth spokesperson Anne Williams wrote in a statement to The Northern Light that PeaceHealth and the St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation decided to restore the outpatient program after further discussion. The program will be both sustainable and scalable, Williams wrote.

In May, PeaceHealth cut the outpatient palliative care program, which provided comprehensive care to people with chronic illness in Whatcom County. The cut was part of larger reductions PeaceHealth implemented throughout the Pacific Northwest, including closing its allergy clinic and sleep lab in Bellingham. PeaceHealth spokesperson Beverly Mayhew previously said outpatient palliative care didn’t receive much reimbursement from insurance companies. 

Community pushback challenged PeaceHealth’s decision, which left one nurse and social worker to care for about 65 patients. People also raised concerns that local donors raised $2.5 million for the program’s first five years of funding, set to expire in 2023, and that PeaceHealth committed to sustain it. 

“Moving forward, PeaceHealth is committed to continued dialogue and a more transparent and collaborative partnership with the Foundation and the community on this and other important issues impacting the people of Bellingham and Whatcom County,” Williams wrote.

Program details are still being finalized and will be shared soon, according to PeaceHealth.