Grande Ronde CEO named chair-elect of Oregon hospital board

Jeremy Davis, president and CEO of Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande, was named chair-elect of the Board of Trustees for the Hospital Association of Oregon, a leadership post that elevates Union County’s voice in statewide healthcare policy. The selection highlights the role rural hospital leaders play in shaping priorities around access to care, workforce stability, and the financial sustainability of small hospitals.

Davis has led Grande Ronde Hospital since 2018 and will work with the Hospital Association’s board and member hospitals to guide statewide initiatives and advocacy. The association sets policy positions, coordinates improvement efforts, and represents hospitals’ interests at the state level—functions that can affect funding, regulatory changes, and programs that directly touch patients and providers across Oregon’s rural communities.

For Union County, the appointment could mean more direct representation when the association negotiates priorities that affect emergency services, recruitment and retention of clinicians, telehealth expansion, and reimbursement strategies. Rural hospitals statewide face persistent staffing pressures and tight margins; having a local CEO in a leadership role offers a channel for local concerns to reach policymakers and regional partners.

Grande Ronde Hospital’s visibility within the association also creates opportunities for collaboration with other rural providers on shared solutions, from training pipelines for nurses and allied health staff to pooled purchasing and quality improvement efforts. Those kinds of regional partnerships can reduce costs and help stabilize services that residents rely on, including inpatient care, maternity services, and emergency response.

The appointment places Grande Ronde Hospital alongside other member institutions shaping how the Hospital Association of Oregon allocates advocacy resources and technical assistance. While many policy outcomes will depend on statewide deliberations and budget decisions in Salem, the chair-elect role is a platform for promoting priorities important to Union County and similar communities across eastern Oregon.

For local patients and taxpayers, the immediate effect will be less visible than direct service changes, but the long-term influence could be substantial: strengthened advocacy, heightened attention to workforce strategies, and a seat at the table when statewide policies affecting rural hospital viability are set. In the months ahead, Davis will help the association set its agenda, a process that will determine which rural health challenges receive priority attention and which initiatives reach the communities that need them most.