Hillsboro Medical Center completed demolition of the old Forest Grove hospital in late December — now talks are underway for what the site could serve as.

You may have noticed, but the old Forest Grove hospital at 1806 Maple St. is no longer standing.

A pile of rubble — and a faded sign — are all that remain of the facility, which operated for decades under Tuality Healthcare, then Hillsboro Medical Center. Demolition began last October and wrapped up just before the new year, leaving residents wondering: What’s next for the site?

Services waned out long ago — the building was largely decommissioned in 2018, shuttering its geriatric psychiatry facility and later converting its emergency room to an urgent care clinic.

Site consolidation followed, with urgent care transitioning to an immediate care clinic in the adjacent building. A single X-ray machine remained in operation until March 2023.

As the hospital ceased operations, services shifted next door to the Forest Grove Primary Care Clinic, formerly the Forest Grove Maple Street Clinic, which continues to be the main spot for health services locally.

Why did the building come crashing down?

The building itself, built over 60 years ago, was not viable for redevelopment, according to Katie Koehler Reed with Hillsboro Medical Center. New requirements from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services required extensive — and cost-prohibitive — renovations of the facility, which is why the geriatric care unit moved in the first place.

Safety concerns had also prompted the decision to raze the building, according to Hillsboro Medical Center.

“Recently, the location had become a frequent location for concerning activity involving theft, drug use and illegal sheltering,” Koehler Reed said, adding that the Forest Grove Police Department reported arrests being made due to increasing activity.

“With the clinic location, residents, and other businesses in the near vicinity, we wanted to secure a safe environment for staff and residents,” she said.

Questions of services

The hospital’s demolition raises questions about health care access in Forest Grove — and how residents struggle to meet their health care needs within arm’s reach.

Many services residents are still required to travel for: services such as X-ray and on-site laboratory are currently offered at Hillsboro Medical Center’s main site in Hillsboro, and patients who need diagnostic imaging services are referred to the Hillsboro Imaging Department.

But the primary clinic in Forest Grove has recently expanded efforts to better serve local residents, Koehler Reed said, adding two family medicine physicians and one internal medicine physician. Starting this January, the site will also have a new physician assistant who will be able to see patients in need of same-day care.

“With the addition of these new providers, access to care has expanded to offer most appointments within a week, sometimes within a day or two. Our current providers offer a wide array of services including preventive care, chronic condition management, prenatal and pediatric care and more,” Koehler Reed said. “We look forward to sharing more information about our prenatal services with the Forest Grove community soon.”

The medical facility, an Oregon Health & Science University partner, has additionally added clinical support services — and a clinical pharmacist is also available part-time.

The reality is that many services still aren’t available to residents without having to travel outside the city, though Koehler Reed said that the Forest Grove Primary Care clinic has an integrated care team that can help connect patients with resources to overcome barriers to transportation.

What lies ahead

While services evolve, discussions are still underway for what the lot will ultimately become.

Among the options being weighed, Koehler Reed said the land could be used for health care services, and talks of turning the lot into housing are also on the table.

“We look forward to seeing this land used for something that contributes to a healthy and thriving community in the future,” Koehler Reed said.