McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center [SEP] located in the administrative territorial entity
McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center
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.
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