The grand opening of a state-of-the-art hospital came complete Friday with a ribbon cutting ceremony, a religious celebration and tours of the facility.
Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, set on 181 acres along the McKenzie River, will begin accepting patients August 10.
PeaceHealth spokeswoman Roz Ramberg said 1,200 chairs were filled with visitors for the celebration, and several hundred others came later to tour the hospital.
PeaceHealth Oregon CEO Mel Pyne told the celebration audience they were “standing on sacred ground, on a site that reminds us that God has been good to Oregon.”
Later Elder Nick Sixkiller, representing the Native American community in a multi-denominational religious ceremony, said the hospital was on the ancestral land of the Callapuya tribe. “Generations of people have been healed here,” he said.
Guided tours of the hospital’s cardiovascular surgical suite, general surgery suite and catheterization lab will be available every twenty minutes on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Eight tour guides were working Friday evening, taking groups of 15 along two routes between the three surgery rooms.
The general surgery stop features a skeleton named Dr. Bones performing knee surgery.
Visitors can also take self-guided tours of three other floors, including the neo-natal intensive care unit, labor and delivery suites, chapel and a cafeteria.
“I think it’s wonderful,” said Pam Hornecker of Eugene, “a terrific healing spot.”
Look for full coverage in Monday’s Emerald.