PeaceHealth has received approval from the Oregon Health Authority to construct a 67,000-square-foot rehabilitation hospital in Springfield. The facility, to be majority owned by PeaceHealth and operated by LifePoint Rehabilitation, will provide physical, speech, and occupational therapies for individuals who have experienced catastrophic medical events, such as car accidents or strokes.

The new hospital will also house the region’s first brain injury unit. The estimated cost of the project is $72 million, and it is expected to be completed by January 2026. Alicia Beymer, the Chief Administrative Officer of Sacred Heart Medical Center, highlighted the community impact of the new rehab hospital, emphasizing the addition of 15 beds to the existing 27 and the inclusion of a traumatic brain injury unit, which is currently unavailable in the region.

The location of the rehab hospital will be next to the RiverBend Annex on International Way. Groundbreaking is scheduled for the fall, and the hospital is set to open in January 2026. The closure of the University District hospital in Eugene last December resulted in the transfer of 27 inpatient rehab beds to the Medical Center at RiverBend, which will continue to operate until the new rehab hospital is completed.

The regulatory approval process for the new facility began in March 2023, preceding the announcement of the University District hospital closure. The new hospital will not only expand in size but also upgrade its therapies and equipment, including a mock apartment, a car for practicing mobility, a kitchen for cooking, exoskeleton equipment, and an outdoor therapy area. Beymer emphasized that the new facility will address a significant community need and improve access to inpatient rehabilitation services in the region.