Oncology Nursing News interviews Sarah Espe Lewis, RN, about ways to improve palliative care referrals in the field of oncology; she says: “Many patients have expressed that they mistakenly believed a palliative care referral meant they would be meeting with hospice. While palliative care is used to ease the suffering in patients with late-stage disease, it can also help patients at any stage of their cancer journey if they are experiencing pain, nausea, and emotional [adverse] effects as a result of their treatment.”

Legacy Health and Oregon Health & Science University announced Wednesday that the two health care systems are combining.

OHSU and Legacy Health announce they have signed a nonbinding letter of intent to combine and create a comprehensive, integrated health system that will offer high-quality, essential health care services to patients throughout Oregon, the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Oregon Health & Science University and Legacy Health today announced they have signed a nonbinding letter of intent to combine and create a comprehensive, integrated health system that will offer high-quality, essential health care services to patients throughout Oregon, the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Legacy Health will become part of Oregon Health & Science University in a major shift at two of the region's largest health care systems.

Portland-based Legacy Health and Oregon Health & Science University have signed a nonbinding letter of intent to combine and create a 10-hospital system with more than 32,000 employees and over 100 locations.

OHSU's status as a public entity could raise questions if Legacy's workers are folded into the health care giant.

The merger of OHSU and Legacy would create the region's largest health care system, by a long shot.

Concerns about lack of competition and rising costs surface hours after OHSU-Legacy systems' announce a potential merger.

Oregon Health & Science University announced it would create a "single health system" with the Portland-based Legacy.