Dr. Jennifer Lincoln: A Voice for Patients and Providers in a Changing System

Dr. Jennifer Lincoln began practicing medicine in 2011. For the past nine years, she has been part of the Providence health system, serving as an OB Hospitalist. It’s a role that places her at the intersection of some of the most pivotal moments in her patients’ lives.

“I love getting to meet my patients in these life-changing moments — whether joyful or heartbreaking — and be the person to help them through it or witness it with them,” she says. Because she often meets patients for the first time during triage or in labor and delivery, she’s learned to build trust quickly. “It may sound hard, but I love it because I think I’m good at putting people at ease.”

Dr. Lincoln credits the supportive environment created by her colleagues and nurses for making such intense work both effective and rewarding. “The people I work with make this stressful environment a place where we can work hard but also have fun and know we are providing the best care possible.”

But the health care landscape is shifting. The corporatization of health care and the growing influence of private equity has created a system that prioritizes profits over patients. “Health care isn’t something you should be trying to make millions or billions from — because it means you’re going to squeeze the doctors and staff and try to do more with less,” she says. “People will die. Private equity doesn’t care about that. They care about making money, selling off, and moving on to the next investment strategy.”

Her advocacy took a public turn during the provider strike against Providence earlier this year. In January, Jennifer as well as nurses, doctors and other providers at Providence hospitals across Oregon went on strike for 46 days. Reflecting on the agreement that followed, Dr. Lincoln feels proud but conflicted. “Most importantly, we succeeded in getting language that protects us from subcontracting our jobs out to cheaper labor… But I am saddened that it took a strike to get what we did.” Providence leadership eventually agreed to terms they had previously dismissed as impossible. “Health care isn’t a game to be won,” she says. “If it was a fair contract, why didn’t they agree to these asks pre-strike so we could have avoided us having to walk out in order to get their attention?”

When asked what actions could truly improve the system, Dr. Lincoln’s wish list does not hold back.

“A single-payer system, the elimination of private equity and religious institutions in health care, better reimbursement for primary care, and the promotion of actual clinicians to leadership roles rather than MBAs who’ve never treated a patient.” She also advocates for capping executive salaries in relation to those of clinical staff. “We at the bedside are told to do more with less, and are overworked and burnt out, while the CEOs keep adding to their trust funds. In this scenario, the patients lose.”

Still, despite the challenges, she remains committed — to her patients, to her colleagues, and to the fight for a more just health care system. “A girl can dream,” she adds.