Salem Hospital: Current Facts and Services

Salem Hospital is a not-for profit community hospital, licensed for 419-bed acute care and 35-bed skilled care patients, operating under policies established by a 15-member volunteer Board of Trustees. The hospital serves an area of 300,000 people, including all of Marion and Polk and portions of Yamhill counties.

The hospital is the city’s largest private employer, with approximately 2,700 full and part-time employees. Annual payroll, including benefits, totals more than $121 million. There are 390 physicians, representing all specialties, who admit patients to the hospital. Over 500 active volunteers provide non-medical support for the hospital.

Salem Hospital is one of the largest of Oregon’s 65 hospitals.

A full range of emergency, medical, and surgical services are available at Salem Hospital. A new Center for Outpatient Medicine, located just east of the main hospital, houses the hospital’s regional Cancer Center, outpatient surgery, Imaging, Sleep Disorders Center, and a SHAPES clinic, along with a number of other outpatient programs. More than 20 physician offices and clinics are located on the upper floors of the five-story center. The building is connected to the main hospital and a seven-story parking structure by sky bridges.

Salem Hospital’s Regional Rehabilitation Center, located across town from the main hospital, provides comprehensive inpatient treatments for stroke and head-injured patients, as well as a wide variety of outpatient rehabilitative services. Home Care services are also located at this site. Nurses, therapists, social workers, and home health aides provide services to people living in a six-county area.

A Psychiatric Medicine Center and Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Medicine Center provides services to people with psychiatric disorders. The hospital’s Urgent Care Center provides care for minor emergencies. Open MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) services are available at the Outpatient Imaging Center.

Salem Hospital Offer Extensive community service and education programs, including classes, forums, health screening, and special events.

The Salem Hospital Foundation is a charitable, tax-exempt organization that supports medical and medically related projects. The Salem Hospital Auxiliary supports a variety of hospital programs through various fund-raising activities.

Staffing

Salem Hospital’s greatest assets ate the employees, physicians, and volunteers. There are approximately 2,700 full and part-time employees, 385 physicians on the medical staff, and over 300 active volunteers. Without them, Salem Hospital could not provide the wide range of services available to the thousands of patients served each year.

Financial and Statistical Highlights:

(for the year ended September 30, 2000)

Admissions (excluding surgery): 17,333

Emergency Department/Urgent Care Visits: 89,744

Births: 3,456

Total Surgeries: (54.7% outpatient surgeries) 14,225

Patient Services Revenues: $261,812,000

Services

In 2000, the not-for-profit community hospital, serves more than 87,000 patients are treated each year in the Emergency and Urgent Care centers, and more than 20,000 patients per year are admitted. Last year, over 3,500 babies were born in our Maternity department. In 2000, the daily room rate remained one of the lowest in the state.

Salem Hospital has a comprehensive list of resources available in 2000 including:

  • Duerksen Care Unit: Located on the hospital’s sixth floor, this skilled nursing unit provides nursing and rehabilitation services.
  • Regional Cancer Center: Provides a full range of treatments.
  • Special Care Nursery: Designed for babies needing extra attention.
  • Home Care: Helping patients who need care at home.
  • Walton Guest House: Salem’s hospital hospitality house serves out-of-town families who need a place to stay while their loved ones receive hospital services. Located in a quiet residential neighborhood, the house is just a ten-minute walk from the hospital.
  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Medicine Center: The day hospital program offers intensive, short-term community-based and family-focused assessment and treatment for children with a wide range of problems.
  • Psychiatric Medicine Center: A 24-bed facility where patients with severe psychiatric disorders receive treatment on an inpatient basis.
  • Imaging Services: Convenient outpatient imaging, including two MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) units, as well as an open MRI unit.
  • Regional Rehabilitation Center: Provides comprehensive health care services which enable patients to achieve a quality living style. Patients can relearn everyday living skills on Oregon’s first “Easy Street” – a replica of a city street with a car, bank, grocery store, pharmacy, and kitchen. A warm-water thermal pool complex and a transitional living center are also available to rehabilitation patients.
  • Heart Surgery: And other cardiac services are available at Salem Hospital.
  • Urgent Care Center: For minor emergencies.
  • Occupational Medicine: Preventive and rehabilitative medicine geared toward businesses.

Compiled by Cynthia Harvey and Monica Mersinger

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Bibliography:

Salem Public Hospital Patient Information Guide, published 2000

A Century of Service, Salem Hospital 1896-1996 by John McMillan

This article originally appeared on the original Salem Online History site and has not been updated since 2006.