As an Oncology Nurse Practitioner at Good Shepherd Medical Center, you'll find yourself at the forefront of building a comprehensive cancer program in a community with significant unmet needs. Unlike metropolitan settings where oncology services are abundant but your impact might be diluted, here you'll play an instrumental role in transforming cancer care delivery for an entire region. You'll join at a pivotal moment as the organization breaks ground on a proposed new 12,000-square-foot Cancer Center, offering the rare opportunity to help shape both facilities and clinical protocols from the ground up.
Your practice will bridge critical care gaps in a community currently without oncology competition, where patients otherwise face lengthy drives to Spokane, Portland, or the Tri-Cities for treatment. You'll work alongside two newly contracted oncologists in establishing comprehensive services that allow patients to receive sophisticated cancer care close to home, preserving their energy for healing rather than travel.
Your role extends beyond individual patient care to helping establish a robust oncology program that will fundamentally transform healthcare delivery in the region. As Good Shepherd breaks ground on its new Cancer Center, you'll witness the expansion from the current 3,500-square-foot clinic to a comprehensive 12,000-square-foot facility featuring an expanded infusion center, dedicated pharmacy, and radiation oncology services.
With surrounding communities like La Grande, Walla Walla, and The Dalles having limited or closed their oncology programs, you'll be participating in meeting a substantial regional need. Your expertise will contribute to building strong referral networks and establishing protocols that keep appropriate cases local while maintaining relationships with tertiary centers for complex cases.
This position represents a rare inflection point where clinical expertise meets program development in a community poised for transformation. You'll experience the professional satisfaction of creating lasting impact while enjoying the supportive culture of a financially stable health system committed to excellence. For the right candidate, this role offers the chance to build not just a practice, but a legacy of care that will serve generations to come.