History
Early years
In 1949 Dr. Charles Fluke was asked by Sister Theodore Marie to assume control of the Anesthesia Department for Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene, Oregon. He was one of the first anesthesiologists in the state outside the Portland area and directed a Department of Nurse Anesthetists. Shortly after Dr. Fluke established the Department, he began recruiting anesthesiologists to Eugene to assist in his vision of quality physician directed anesthesia for a growing community and medical center. He was followed to Eugene by Drs. Tim Brinton, Don Brinton, John Siebs, Ken Hillyer and Steve Bennett over the next ten years.
Expansion and growth
As the hospital expanded, the group grew to meet the needs. In 1973 there were ten anesthesiologists and six nurse anesthetists when the group incorporated as Anesthesia Service of Eugene, P.C. At that time, over 10,000 operating room anesthetics per year were being administered.
In the 1970s and 1980s continued growth of Sacred Heart Medical Center necessitated the expansion of the group to 20. In the late 1980s and the last decade of the century, expansion of services to include 24 hour obstetric coverage, pain services and an expanded pre-anesthetic testing program led to the addition of more personnel.
The last five years has seen a growth to 35 physicians and 7 CRNAs, who provide over 22,000 anesthetics per year, perioperative physician involvement, and increasing expansion into outpatient and office based anesthesia.
Northwest Anesthesia Physicians, P.C.
As a result of PeaceHealth building a new hospital in Springfield and retaining a campus in Eugene, the name Anesthesia Service of Eugene did not reflect the entirety of the services. A new corporate name was introduced in 2005, that being Northwest Anesthesia Physicians, P.C. The group will continue to provide quality anesthesia services to both of the PeaceHealth facilities, as well as meet the needs of outpatient and perioperative services in the Eugene/Springfield area.