McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center is an acute care hospital located in Springfield, Oregon, United States. Opened in 1955, it serves the Lane County area. McKenzie-Willamette is investor-owned, and accredited by the Joint Commission. Licensed for 114 hospital beds, the facility was the only hospital in Springfield until the Sacred Heart facility at RiverBend opened in August 2008.
History The need for a new hospital on the Springfield side of the Willamette River became evident in 1948 when the river flooded, cutting off access to the existing Sacred Heart Medical Center in neighboring Eugene. A group of residents formed a board and raised funds. In May 1955, McKenzie-Willamette Hospital was established.McKenzie-Willamette History Retrieved on 2008-08-27
By early 2002, the medical center employed 1,150 people and was the second largest employer in the city. In 2002, the hospital sued rival area hospital operator PeaceHealth for antitrust claims, with a jury awarding McKenzie-Willamette $16.2 million in damages. The decision was later overturned and the two reached a settlement in August 2008.
In late 2002, McKenzie-Willamette Hospital began to have financial difficulty. They searched for a partner that could keep them from going bankrupt. On January 30, 2003, they announced a partnership with publicly traded Triad Hospitals."Springfield hospital links with big chain.", Joe Harwood and Matt Cooper, The Register-Guard, Business Section, January 30, 2008Lane County Board of Commissioner's Regular Meeting, February 12, 2003 , Section 5.a, Retrieved on 2008-08-27 After a state-mandated public review period, Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers announced his approval for the joint venture.AG Myers Announces Approval Of Joint Venture Between McKenzie-Willamette Hospital And Triad Hospital (Oregon Department of Justice News Release) Retrieved on 2008-08-27
On October 1, 2003, McKenzie-Willamette Hospital partnered with Triad Hospitals in a joint venture."Hospital caps deal to thrive with Triad", Tim Christie, The Register-Guard, Health Section, October 2, 2003. This reorganized the hospital from a non-profit organization, into a for-profit, limited liability company. Triad Hospitals has since been bought out by Community Health Systems, Inc.
Proposed relocation On November 16, 2005, McKenzie-Willamette announced that they had struck a deal to purchase from River Ridge Golf Course, north of Eugene."Proposed hospital concerns neighbors", Tim Christie, The Register-Guard, November 18, 2005 They intended to build a new campus, and move from their existing facility in Springfield.
This idea was immediately met with community concern about the impact it would have on traffic and the local property values. Groups such as the North Delta Neighbors were formed to oppose the re-zoning and development of the Delta Ridge site.
After two years of working with the community, on January 11, 2008, McKenzie-Willamette announced that they were withdrawing consideration for the Delta Ridge site, and would look at their alternative sites to build a new hospital.McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center Seeking Alternative Sites News Release, Retrieved on 2008-08-27 The alternate sites include their existing campus in Springfield,"Hospital may just decide to stay put", Andrea Damewood, The Register-Guard, August 21, 2008 a site in Eugene, and a tract in Glenwood.
Heliport There is a 53 x 53 ft (16 x 16 m) heliport on the roof of the hospital. it is identified by the FAA as Mc Will Hospital Heliport .
See also List of hospitals in Oregon
References
External links McKenzie-Willamette Hospital finds for-profit backer - Portland Business Journal