Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, Springfield OR

Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, Springfield, OR, is the newest, most state of the art hospital in Oregon. It has to be the newest, because it doesn't open until tomorrow. The staff has been working to get everything ready for the opening, including doing dry runs to transfer patients.

There will be an explosion of ambulance and helicopter traffic tomorrow as the approximately 200 patients are moved from the current hospital location in the University District of Eugene to the Gateway area of Springfield.

As part of the construction, Pioneer Parkway in Springfield was extended to the RiverBend location. It has the distinction of having one of the few roundabouts in Lane County, and the only one that is two lanes each direction.

"The move day plan allows for moving up to 300 patients over 10 hours, although the hospital has attempted to decrease its census by stopping elective surgeries so a more likely number is 150 to 200 patients," said Jill Hoggard Green, chief operating officer and administrator of Sacred Heart at RiverBend.

The hospital will have large, comfortable private rooms, many with outstanding views. There will also be in-room sleeping accommodations, so a family member can be close by for support.

The medical center is named after a bend in the McKenzie River that adjoins the property, hence "RiverBend." They have worked to keep the beauty of RiverBend through architecture and landscaping. It is set on 181 acres and blends the best of hospitality and health care design to create a place that promotes healing and wellness.