Nearly 60 primary care physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants working at Logan Health clinics in Northwest Montana have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize.

The physicians are attempting to unionize with the Union of American Physicians and Dentists. Established in 1972, the labor organization is the largest bicoastal union for licensed doctors and advanced practice clinicians in the nation — representing more than 7,000 private and public-sector health care practitioners.  

The National Labor Relations Board will review the petition and determine an election method in the coming weeks, according to union officials. 

Physicians want to return to a more “sustainable, patient-centered model of care,” according to a press release issued by the union, which means “bringing back what medicine used to be: less corporate, more personal, and grounded in the genuine relationships between patients and their providers.” 

Cory Short, doctor of osteopathic medicine and the chief medical officer of Logan Health Medical Center, said administrators are aware of the petition and will continue to value their employees and respect their legal rights during this process. The hospital system will fully comply with all National Labor Relation Board procedures, Short said. 

 “I believe that the best way to address concerns and deliver on our mission is through direct, open and trusted communication between employees and our management team. I remain fully committed to that approach and the commitment to our system’s mission of providing compassionate care to every patient we serve,” Short said in an emailed response.  

The providers’ top concern is understaffing, which has led to concerns about patient access — more trouble with appointment availability, wait times and the ability to provide comprehensive primary care services, according to the union. 

Understaffing has also affected the quality of services, with staffing ratios limiting the amount of time providers can spend with patients, according to union officials. This limits the amount of time needed for providers to establish trust with patients, conduct thorough examinations, and provide education and compassionate care, union officials said.  

Logan Health providers seeking unionization said this has affected the sustainability of their workload. With no caps on the number of patients under their care, providers see an average of five new patients daily on top of existing patients, adding significant strain amid ongoing staffing shortages, according to the union.  

Logan Health recently committed to hiring 10 full-time equivalent employees across clinic locations by Jan. 15, according to the Union of American Physicians and Dentists, which sees the effort as the “first concrete action to address the staffing concerns that providers have been raising for years without a meaningful response.” 

“For years, providers have been asking for these changes through the proper channels with no action from leadership. Then, on the day they file to unionize, Logan Health suddenly announces a hiring plan. It’s no coincidence,” Union of American Physicians and Dentists President Dr. Stuart Bussey said in a statement. “With a union, providers have the power to ensure Logan Health listens and follows through. Now it’s time to negotiate a legally binding contract that outlines the terms and conditions needed to solve these problems—not just promises made in response to a union filing.” 

The plan to hire additional non-clinical support staff has been in the works for several months, according to Logan Health Senior Marketing Coordinator Chris Leopold. 

Taylor Inman may be reached at 758-4440 or [email protected].