Local doctors propose COVID-19 hub for COVID-19 cases

The proposal is that PeaceHealth’s Sacred Heart University District should be the designated space, so RiverBend and McKenzie Willamette could return to business as usual.

Kezi 9 news.

Some local doctors want to isolate coronavirus cases to one centralized location in lane county.

Kezi 9 news reporter kennedy dendy spoke to a neurosurgeon who believes this change would have a positive impact within the community.

Dr: "number one, the patients need to be cared for."

This is what dr. glenn keiper, a local neurosurgeon, says should be the*priority right now.

Which is why he believes his proposal is*so important.

Dr: "last week at a staff meeting between tony ballinger and myself we came up with the idea that isolating the covid patients in one facility would be beneficial to both the other hospitals who are basically sitting on their hands right now."

Keiper proposes that peacehealth's sacred heart university district be that*designated space... so riverbend and mckenzie willamette could return to business as usual.

I haven't received a response from mckenzie willamette -- but peacehealth says they're not considering the university district as a covid 19 hub.

They say they're prepared to deliver excellent care for all of their patients, even if there were a large local surge.

Dr: "i also reached out to the mayor who thinks it's a good idea but it's dependent on healthcare professionals being positive about the idea and being willing to implement the idea."

Bridge: jason davis with lane county public health said that a triage site is something officials have considered, but that it is not a needed strategy at the present time.

Jason: "we convene all of our hospital partners and other responders weekly and we talk about the different objectives and different strategies to employ."

Davis said that this topic is on the agenda for wednesday's meeting for health officials.

Reporting in eugene, kennedy dendy kezi 9 news.