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Why does Sacred Heart need a new hospital?
According to the Health Care Advisory Board, a health care industry research organization, demand for hospital beds nationally will increase by 40 percent by the year 2010. This demand is driven by a number of factors including population growth and aging, less restrictive insurance policies, consumer expectations, and new therapies and technologies. Sacred Heart’s experience mirrors these trends using moderate growth estimates and recent historical trends for our regional service area. Despite the increased demand, growth of hospital facilities has remained stagnant for two decades. Sacred Heart’s current University District campus is landlocked and bursting at its seams, and many of its buildings are outdated and out of compliance with current standards. Changes in technology and in methods of care are rapidly changing, requiring a different — and more flexible — configuration of space.
What will this new facility mean for our community and region?
Sacred Heart Medical Center was already one of the largest hospitals between Portland and San Francisco (422 beds) and the Level II trauma center for an
eight county region. A new state-of-the-art facility, one that provides for an exciting marriage of technology and patient- and family-friendly services, means this region will have access to world-class hospital services for generations to come. This is truly
a once-in-a-century opportunity for our community and region.
What will become of the current hospital?
In 2008, when Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend opens, we will begin work on renewing the original hospital campus, now called Sacred Heart Medical Center, University District. The $97 million project includes demolition of three older buildings and renovation of the remaining buildings, improving them to meet current seismic standards. The entrance will be moved from its current location on Hilyard Street to a new entrance on Alder Street. The University District campus will include a 24-hour emergency department, specialty care at several centers of excellence, 104 inpatient beds and an intensive care unit. The renewal project is expected to be complete by the end of 2010.
What is Sacred Heart doing to keep the area surrounding RiverBend “green”?
To safeguard RiverBend's natural environment and to assure that its beauty is preserved for both enjoyment and healing, we have made some important commitments including preservation of more than 85 percent of the Douglas fir grove adjacent to the river. Within 10 years of project completion, the site will have a 50 percent net increase in tree canopy. In addition, the river’s heavily degraded riparian corridor has been restored and enhanced, with more than 2 ˝ years of invasive plant removal and installation of native plants.
In order to preserve the natural state of the McKenzie River, all storm water runoff will be directed away from the
river, and instead directed to on-site detention systems for filtration,
treatment and distribution to the northwest away from the river. Also, as of November 2007, more than 1,500 tons of construction materials and waste have been diverted from landfills been recycled. These are just a few examples of Sacred Heart’s commitment to
sustainability. Learn MORE>>
What is Sacred Heart doing to prepare for the move?
The patient move from Sacred Heart, University District, to Sacred Heart at RiverBend is scheduled to take place on August 10, 2008. Our plan allows for moving up to 300 patients over 10 hours. We will move three patients at a time (from three different staging areas). Each staging area will be moving a patient every six minutes, which adds up
to 10 patients from each staging area per hour, or 30 patients per hour total. Over ten hours, that adds up to 300 patients! Leading up to the move, our team will also work with police and fire agencies throughout the state to stage a series of “mock moves.”
What is the Pebble Project? Why did Sacred Heart join?
The Pebble Project is a joint research effort between The Center for Health Design, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization, and health care providers like Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. The purpose of the Pebble Project is to create a ripple effect in the community by sharing researched and documented examples of health care facilities that have used evidence-based design to improve the healing environment, quality of care and financial performance of the institution. As a member of the national
Pebble Project, we will study how the design of Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend improves patient care, enhances operational efficiency and productivity, and increases staff engagement and retention.
What additional facilities comprise the RiverBend medical campus?
After 40 years of providing heart and vascular care within Sacred Heart, Oregon Heart & Vascular Institute will have a separate state-of-the-art facility adjacent to Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. In addition, two medical office buildings are located on the north side of the campus.
RiverBend Pavilion will house PeaceHealth Medical Group specialists, hospitalists and Urgent Care; in addition, the Northwest Specialty Clinics building will house a variety of physician offices.
How many new jobs will RiverBend create?
When Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend opens, about 2,500 employees will begin work at the campus, and another 1,400 employees will stay at University District. We anticipate adding nearly
250 jobs as a result of the new facilities at RiverBend, further establishing PeaceHealth’s role as Lane County’s largest private employer with 5,800 employees working in Eugene/Springfield, Florence and Cottage Grove.
Which is it: PeaceHealth or Sacred Heart?
Sacred Heart refers to the hospital. The new hospital campus at RiverBend is Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, while the original hospital is Sacred Heart Medical Center, University District. PeaceHealth is Sacred Heart’s nonprofit parent organization. PeaceHealth has six hospitals and six medical groups and related services in Alaska, Washington and Oregon. Sacred Heart Medical Center is the largest hospital in the PeaceHealth organization.
Will the RiverBend campus significantly impact the traffic in the Gateway/Belt Line area?
A yearlong traffic study that involved a private engineering firm, the Oregon Department of Transportation and the City of Springfield concluded that the RiverBend development will not cause key intersections to exceed their design capacity. The transportation system for this growing part of Springfield was earmarked for improvements prior to Sacred Heart’s planned development at RiverBend. PeaceHealth has agreed to provide an unprecedented level of transportation improvements, including nearly $20 million for the Belt Line/Gateway intersection construction, the Pioneer Parkway extension, and capacity improvements at the interchange of Pioneer Parkway and Highway 126. All of these improvements were deemed necessary long before Sacred Heart contemplated a move.
What has been done to assure access to health care in an emergency for people on either side of the Willamette River?
PeaceHealth will maintain its University District campus in Eugene and offer a 24-hour Emergency Room there. In the event of virtually any emergency, this facility could meet all but the most critical health care needs.
Sacred Heart at RiverBend has been built in an area of low seismic or flood risk. Moreover, the structural design of the new hospital
exceeds state building code requirements to ensure that the new facility will be available for immediate occupancy following a major earthquake. Local emergency medical professionals have confirmed that the location of the new facility does not pose any significant problem.
Will PeaceHealth pay taxes?
Yes. Only real property that is in service for a non-for-profit purpose of the organization (i.e., health care) is tax-exempt. Any activity on PeaceHealth property that is for housing, commercial offices or medical offices and is not owned or operated by PeaceHealth or similar tax-exempt entities will be subject to property taxes. A recent study showed that the property taxes assessed this development at full build-out will generate more than $16 million — more than twice the amount generated than if the property were assessed under its former designation as medium density residential. In 2006 PeaceHealth paid $958,575 in Lane County property taxes — one of the ten largest property tax bills in the county.
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