Oregon Hospitals Race to Merge | Portland News

Portland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 1, 2026 · 2m

Oregon’s two key mid-Willamette Valley hospitals, Salem Health and Santiam Hospital, are racing to merge after getting emergency approval from the Oregon Health Authority — a move designed to save local healthcare access as Santiam’s finances spiral. Facing imminent collapse and patient care risks, the hospitals’ merger bypasses normal review hurdles under emergency criteria. Lawmakers backed the move, citing statewide hospital losses of over $450 million last year. Now, the Attorney General must approve by August 5th, balancing urgency with public interest — and both hospitals hope for…