[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6468138,"mediaKeyId","5782767-be57eb24d7c8e2e0865fb8006233f35f","parentId",5782767,"title","Sky Lakes and Oregon Tech plan osteopathic medical school; commissioners urged to plan for housing and workforce growth","audioSeconds",456,"startMs",936000,"endMs",1392000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782767-be57eb24d7c8e2e0865fb8006233f35f&start=936&end=1392","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782767-be57eb24d7c8e2e0865fb8006233f35f/thumbnail_936000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6468138/Klamath-County/Oregon/Sky-Lakes-and-Oregon-Tech-plan-osteopathic-medical-school-commissioners-urged-to-plan-for-housing-and-workforce-growth","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6468138-00def71c69cb91a767404af0281f8eeb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775391142&Signature=ZbYTKBL6hQLBUYUtcYr1tA4i3wpCK3ORotprLsc1-A1yXfA~FZC1XC4glVGRsFmx7tQtSkQotzGn89DciKUBsW0iH3U8DFZ8VlRds~bQ3ii-JdP4zmeLfmLWJXl6HhpS6YWZyoEv684pysKfVHUlfyfOg-3e3hG0sCAdocoq-9nqG3YWqYGiMMClihBoO3J95FywMOQX4IIUZELGoMy4BrqElpHQe7OjgJMOKDZUFdUR8WoUFwR1tKTMYXfPhYBKSuQUxYFqk4xplRlM6Js3OcNN9dY9rHz3dpxf2f9vsTu0HzlRlV1FP0wp8VnW~IzWAUJ1LpwaEPW5BG8y-HhJ4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Klamath County","date","2025-09-17T23:44:36Z","article","David Cobble, chief executive officer of Sky Lakes Medical Center, told the Klamath County Board of Commissioners that Sky Lakes and Oregon Tech (OIT) are advancing planning for an osteopathic medical school and that a university planning study is underway to define scope and timeline.

\"2031 would be what we're hoping would be on the most maybe the most optimistic that we would have our first class of medical students at OIT,\" Cobble said, describing the date as an optimistic target. He said the partners have been public about planning for an osteopathic program and that the school would aim to train physicians in a rural setting.

Cobble told commissioners training physicians in a rural setting can increase the likelihood that graduates practice in rural areas. He said the hospital and university are discussing class sizes but noted even moderate enrollment would create housing demand. As an example, Cobble said a 25‑student class could quickly scale to four class years (about 100 students) and that a larger eventual enrollment could bring roughly 200 students requiring housing; he said many students arrive with spouses or partners who also need work and housing.

Cobble urged county and city planning offices to consider residential zoning and incentives to accommodate higher‑density and newer apartment housing to meet student and early‑career family needs. He said Sky Lakes anticipates the school would also boost recruitment and retention of physicians and advanced practice providers; he noted the hospital recruited roughly 24 new physicians and APPs last year and cited high retention from local training programs such as Klamath Community College.

Cobble also described local facility investments tied to outpatient growth: Sky Lakes has begun work on a downtown clinic in the former DHS building and expects the physical therapy clinic to attract an estimated 200–300 patient visits per day, which the hospital said would circulate more activity to downtown Klamath Falls.

Commissioners indicated interest in early coordination between the county, city and Sky Lakes on zoning and infrastructure to support housing demand; no formal actions were taken at the meeting. Cobble and his partners said they will return with further details as the OIT planning study progresses.

Background: Cobble and others said training physicians in rural settings increases the likelihood of subsequent rural practice; they framed the medical school as a multi‑year project with substantial planning, capital and housing implications for the county.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","9-17-25 BOCC Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","David Cobble, chief executive officer of Sky Lakes Medical Center, told the Klamath County Board of Commissioners that Sky Lakes and Oregon Tech are advancing planning for an osteopathic medical school and that a university planning study is under way.","taxTitle","Klamath County, Oregon","taxId",52087,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6468142,"Sky Lakes CEO urges Klamath County support as state rules squeeze hospital finances",636,1400000,764000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782767-be57eb24d7c8e2e0865fb8006233f35f&start=1400&end=764","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782767-be57eb24d7c8e2e0865fb8006233f35f/thumbnail_1400000.jpg","/articles/6468142/Klamath-County/Oregon/Sky-Lakes-CEO-urges-Klamath-County-support-as-state-rules-squeeze-hospital-finances","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6468142-90f0121ee0b2977e7328ac75e453b364/orig.mp4?Expires=1775391142&Signature=QExQKCEdNxL77NAargRbCmqsk2kga1Y~3ypNmk6VuM2TYNffUfYV2mGRcMRabHqUtwaCxSdWnOdNwL9QP-b78YiHZ21zykUgaT1CUxqtBD9G05ieUKQECP98--qvC~OU66u0EdKbud-EYo-nZQmwCe8Sx-UV1t43FbcBIzdQdxz0baEYyMD0H24s~7B5kst6b430OGDsG2VS2oC6P4~35H0uKqAlh0u8Rjb0MifqSwn5l3Udgj4~4YpePwTHJ-HUdBfb5A1CMpPckF1KkrGqTjpXpD9jy3mTUNZx9cd9vccY7nEJdoczIck~rI7H0oANKRtpCMwhi-BzlvAuKFF4VA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","David Cobble, chief executive officer of Sky Lakes Medical Center, told the Klamath County Board of Commissioners that the hospital faces growing financial pressure from state and federal rules and will seek county help when it advances a measure in the legislature to secure a special designation for rural hospitals.

Cobble told the commissioners that Sky Lakes is the county’s largest employer and a ‘‘sole community’’ hospital serving a roughly 10,000‑square‑mile area. He said about 25 percent of the hospital’s revenue comes from Medicaid and about 50 percent from Medicare, and added that government payers together account for roughly 80 percent of revenue. \"We generate roughly $500,000,000 of revenue or, you know, just economic impact to the county,\" Cobble said.

Cobble said state actions have raised operating costs. He credited the county and local partners with helping persuade the Oregon Health Authority to rescind a pending decision that would have harmed the hospital’s Medicaid reimbursements. \"It did make a difference,\" he said. He also cited three recent state changes that he said have increased costs: the hospital staffing law, the Oregon Paid Leave rules and changes to charity‑care requirements. Cobble estimated the staffing law increased his operating costs by about $6 million a year, paid‑leave backfill added roughly $4 million to $6 million, and the combined effect of regulatory changes has been on the order of $10 million to $20 million over recent years.

Cobble said Sky Lakes is preparing to ask the legislature for a designation that would treat it differently from large metropolitan hospital systems. \"We're too big to be considered a special small hospital, and we're too small to be a big hospital,\" he said, arguing the hospital is an ‘‘in‑betweener’’ and should receive protections similar to those granted to remote critical‑access hospitals.

Dave Hensley of United Strategies and Consulting, a government affairs firm working with Sky Lakes, told the commissioners he expects the hospital to present a formal list of legislative priorities at a future meeting and that the special designation would be foremost. \"Sky Lakes is, without Sky Lakes, this community would start to fall apart,\" Hensley said.

Commissioners responded that they would provide letters or other outreach when asked. Cobble said he would return with a one‑page summary of priorities ahead of the short session and asked the county to be prepared to advocate by phone or letter when needed. The presentation included no formal motions or votes by the board and no binding commitments by the county; commissioners offered general support and a willingness to assist moving forward.

Background and context: Cobble characterized Sky Lakes as a critical economic anchor for Klamath County and said federal and state funding policy changes — including potential shifts in Medicaid reimbursement and wage/ staffing mandates — directly affect the hospital’s ability to operate. He warned that similar proposals could reappear and that continued advocacy may be necessary.

Next steps: Sky Lakes plans to present formal legislative priorities in a future meeting and will request county support, including letters and contacts with legislators, to pursue the proposed special designation and other priorities.","David Cobble, chief executive officer of Sky Lakes Medical Center, told the Klamath County Board of Commissioners that the hospital faces growing financial pressure from state and federal rules and will seek county help when it advances a measure in the legislature to secure a special designation for rural hospitals.","actionData","errors"]

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Sky Lakes and Oregon Tech plan osteopathic medical school; commissioners urged to plan for housing and workforce growth

Sky Lakes CEO urges Klamath County support as state rules squeeze hospital finances