After another patient died at the Oregon State Hospital, bringing the number to 21 since 2020, Governor Tina Kotek announced a leadership overhaul at the hospital, including a new acting superintendent.
Kotek directed Kristine Kautz, the acting Director at the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), to install new leadership to enhance patient safety less than 24 hours after the Governor’s Office received information about the death.
Dr. Sara Walker, the Interim Superintendent and Chief Medical Officer, resigned, and the governor’s orders, effective immediately, were:
- Dave Baden, the current Deputy Director of Policy and Programs at OHA, was appointed Acting Superintendent.
- The agency must create a 30-day plan to address patient care and safety issues.
Federal investigators indicated that hospital staff failed to conduct hourly checks to ensure patients were alive and breathing, leading to a patient being found dead last May…