Changes coming to hospitals in Everett, Edmonds

Anesthesiology and emergency room services are changing at two area hospitals.

Providence Regional Medical Center Everett has been unable to reach a new contract agreement with the 25 physicians who provide anesthesiology services at its Pacific and Colby campuses as well as in its baby delivery unit.

And Stevens Hospital in Edmonds has decided to end its contract with the group of physicians that has provided emergency room services there for 35 years.

Providence’s contract with its anesthesiologists ends May 18. Hospital officials said they hope to have a plan in place in the next two weeks to ensure continuation of anesthesiology services and prevent surgeries from being disrupted.

Anesthesiologists provide medicine to block pain or knock patients out during surgery.

About 12,000 surgeries are performed at the Everett hospital each year. Some 4,000 moms deliver their babies there each year, about 85 percent of whom use anesthesiology services.

The physicians work for ­Belle­vue-based Pacific Anesthesiology, a group of 65 doctors who also work at hospitals in Tacoma and Edmonds.

Negotiations between the physicians and the hospital began in December, said Steve Avery, chief financial officer for Obeo Management Corp., a practice administrator for Pacific Anesthesiology. Doctors involved in the contract dispute with the Everett hospital declined to be interviewed, Avery said.

The two sides met several times trying to reach an agreement, he said.

Registered nurse anesthetists, and what role they should take in patient care, was one of the issues in the talks, Avery said.

Currently the hospital does not employ registered nurse anesthetists, although it has in the past, said Dave Brooks, the hospital’s chief executive. It is considering using them again, he said, noting that they are used at other area hospitals.

Harborview Medical Center in Seattle has used certified registered nurse anesthetists for the past 22 years and now has 25 on staff, said spokeswoman Susan Gregg-Hanson.

After Providence decided to open the anesthesiology services contract to other medical groups, Pacific Anesthesiology physicians gave notice to the hospital on Feb. 17 that it would terminate its contract, now in its third year, Avery said.

“It’s emotional because you have 25 guys with ties to the community,” Avery said.

Brooks said the hospital has several options for how anesthesiology services will be provided. “I don’t think it’s a change that will end up being disruptive for the patient or the surgeons,” Brooks said.

Brooks said he regretted that an agreement could not be worked out with the 25 anesthesiologists, some of whom have worked for the hospital for more than 20 years.

Stevens Hospital announced the switch from Edmonds Emergency Room Physicians on Friday. Beginning July 1, ­California-based CEP America, a ­physician-owned management company, will take over an emergency room that treats about 42,000 patients a year.

CEP now provides emergency medical department management services for 62 hospitals, most of which are in California.

Physicians currently working in the emergency room have been invited to work for CEP but so far only one of the group’s eight physicians has decided to do so, said Dr. Richard ­McClelland, president of Edmonds Emergency Room Physicians. Contract issues may prevent some of the current doctors from signing on with CEP, he said.

McClelland said that some of the doctors in his group have worked at Stevens for more than 20 years.

Representatives of CEP declined to comment on Friday.

In a statement, Stevens’ Chief Executive Michael Carter said he was extremely grateful for the skill, dedication and service provided by the hospital’s current emergency room physicians.

Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486, salyer@heraldnet.com.