SPRINGFIELD – PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend has appointed James Roundtree as its new chief operating officer, effective June 2.  He will be part of the Oregon network executive team and focus on day-to-day operations, including surgical services, imaging, lab, and facilities. Roundtree brings over 20 years of[Read More…]

Chronicle news service Oregon’s overdose deaths decreased 22% between December 2023 and December 2024, a trend similar to that experienced nationwide, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. The count is still much higher than pre-pandemic years, with 1,480 deaths within that one-year time span, CDC[Read More…]

UPDATE: Due to anticipated rain, the organizers on Tuesday canceled this event. COTTAGE GROVE – One out of five adults in the United States experiences mental illness each year, according to data from the National Alliance of Mental Illness. May is “Mental Health Awareness Month,” and South Lane Mental Health[Read More…]

As Elphaba sings in the Broadway cult-classic musical Wicked, “Everyone deserves a chance to fly.”  Everyone also deserves a chance to experience the wonder of enjoying theater. This is the goal of Cottage Theatre in Cottage Grove, where a hearing loop system has been installed in the auditorium, providing patrons[Read More…]

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), last week terminated roughly $117 million in Covid-era grants and funding for Oregon Health Authority programs. The impact will be felt immediately in[Read More…]

We live in unprecedented times. There is so much confusion, so much anger, so much hopelessness, and so much division. It’s daunting. Many of us are looking for something – anything – to do that makes us feel useful, impactful, and needed. We are looking for a way to make[Read More…]

The state’s 2024-2025 influenza season is the worst since Oregon Health Authority began tracking the virus 15 years ago, with people continuing to be hospitalized at a time of the year when statewide influenza activity traditionally begins winding down, health officials say.   That means it’s still not too late for[Read More…]

A new Oregon Health Plan (OHP/Medicaid) program provides benefits to eligible young adults with special health care needs ages 19 and 20. The Young Adults with Special Health Care Needs (YSHCN)  benefits launched Jan. 1 and are the first of their kind in the nation. These benefits extend OHP coverage, enhanced vision[Read More…]

Oregon Lung Specialists to Join PeaceHealth Medical Group SPRINGFIELD – In a significant move to enhance healthcare services in the Eugene/Springfield area, Oregon Lung Specialists became part of the PeaceHealth Medical Group on Dec. 2. The clinic is renamed PeaceHealth Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine at Chad Drive, while remaining at[Read More…]