Adventist Health Columbia Gorge critical access hospital proposal considered

HCMO’s 2023 approval was made with conditions, including that hospital services would not be significantly reduced, and that Adventist Health Columbia Gorge would continue to be licensed as a general hospital — a state license for hospitals that requires a hospital to provide general medical, maternity, surgical and emergency department services. OHA’s new decision notes the hospital violated certain approval conditions in the 2023 order, including failing to notify HCMO before transitioning from a trauma level III to a trauma level IV hospital in June 2025. More information is available on the HCMO webpage dedicated to the 2023 affiliation between Adventist Health and what was formerly known as Mid-Columbia Medical Center. 

In addition, another part of OHA — the Health Facility Licensing & Certification (HFLC) program — also needs to consider the hospital’s proposal, which is expected to include reducing its licensed bed count from 49 to no more than 25. Adventist Health Columbia Gorge has started the HLFC process to reduce the hospital’s licensed bed count.  

If HFLC believes Adventist Health Columbia Gorge meets federal requirements to become a critical access hospital, OHA will forward the hospital’s application to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS would then order an on-site survey to measure compliance with federal requirements. CMS makes the final determination on whether hospitals receive the federal critical access designation.