Eugene has been without an emergency room for nearly one year since the closure of PeaceHealth’s ER in December 2023 — but that may soon change.

During a citywide healthcare forum on Sept. 26, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center CEO David Butler announced plans for a new 12-bed satellite emergency department that will be built in Eugene.

At the forum, Butler responded to an audience member’s inquiry about the possibility of a new hospital or emergency department in Eugene. According to Butler, McKenzie-Willamette’s plan has already been approved by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek.

“We actually met with the governor of Oregon and got the green light to move forward with a certificate of need application,” Butler said. “We’ve done a lot of due diligence in the Eugene area and found a local investor and a developer willing to help us put this plan together.”

Butler declined to reveal the facility’s exact location but said that a site had been selected.

“I don’t want to tell you about it—you might go out and buy it—but it has great access,” Butler said. “About 25,000 cars go by there every day, and we’re close to signing a contract, which would allow us to move into the design and architectural phase.”

PeaceHealth’s emergency room was a central location for students and residents to access emergency services. Since its closure, some people have been diverted to the nearby urgent care facility on East 13th Avenue.

However, urgent care is intended for non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries and is not a substitute for emergency services. For those needing immediate or life-saving medical care, the nearest ER is McKenzie-Willamette in Springfield, about 4.5 miles from the University of Oregon campus and on the other side of the Willamette River.

One student affected by the closure was UO junior Lily Thompson, who was struck by a pickup truck while crossing Franklin Boulevard last spring.

“I remember being on the phone with my parents, freaking out and trying to find an ER I could Uber to, but since there were none in the city, I ended up at urgent care,” Thompson said.

Thompson’s experience is not unique. Senior Henos Kissate was skateboarding down 18th Avenue last fall when he fell and knocked out several teeth.

“It was definitely very inconvenient,” Kissate said. “When the firefighters came, all they did was give me some Tylenol. I had to wait until the next day and pay for an Uber to get to where I could receive help. I ended up needing to see a dentist and an oral surgeon. It would have made me feel a lot better if I could have just gone to a nearby ER right away.”

According to Butler, the timeline for the new emergency department’s construction is around two to two and a half years. The satellite facility would  operate under McKenzie-Willamette’s existing license and could potentially expand beyond the initial 12 beds.