After U.S. Catholic leaders voted this week to prohibit gender-affirming care at hospitals tied to the church , Oregon’s largest health system is now evaluating what the decision could mean for patients across the state.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops approved changes to the ethical guidelines that govern thousands of Catholic hospitals and clinics nationwide. The updates formally instruct Catholic institutions not to provide gender-affirming medical interventions, including hormone treatments and surgeries. The vote cements a position the bishops outlined in 2023 , when they advised Catholic facilities to halt such care.

Catholic health systems are a major part of the country’s medical landscape: about one in seven U.S. patients is treated at a Catholic hospit

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