Oregon Public Broadcasting

Last month Horizon Airlines announced it would drop flights between Portland and the Coos Bay area.  That could seriously affect local hospitals that depend on airplanes to deliver medical supplies.  Katie Arrants reports.

Horizon plans to stop flying between Portland and North Bend in October. Right now, Horizon is the only airline at the North Bend airport that offers flights to Portland.

Katherine Hoppe is with the North Bend visitors' bureau. She says the loss of flight service to the area could have far-reaching effects on coastal communities.

Katherine Hoppe: “It doesn’t just affect our hospital here.  We have the largest hospital on the coast, but it’s also a feeder for the smaller hospitals.  So, when things like blood are needed, it has to be brought in on a plane. So, losing that, and losing the immediacy of being able to get those supplies is really going to hurt the hospital industry here.”

Hoppe says the loss of flights will also make it harder to attract new doctors to the area.

She says hospitals are looking into using special couriers for their medical supplies, but says that will be much more expensive.