Nearly a year after the emergency room at PeaceHealth University District closed its doors, leaving Springfield as the only city in the area with an ER — the leader of McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center says they are working on opening an emergency department in Eugene.
EUGENE, Ore. — The CEO of a local hospital announced Thursday he is working on opening an emergency department nearly a year after the city was left without one.
Speaking to a community health care forum, David Butler with McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center said once the PeaceHealth University District emergency room was shuttered last December, his hospital started working with local leaders to start planning for a new “satellite emergency department” to serve the city.
“We found a local investor and a local developer that’s willing to help us put this plan together,” Butler said. “We’re actually in the phase of getting a contract where we would …