The Bates County Memorial Hospital will officially celebrate it's 50th Anniversary this Thursday. The following establishes a timeline that goes back nearly 100 years:
HISTORY OF BATES COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
In response to the great need in our growing city, Mrs. S.C. Stayton rented a two-story house at 107 S. Havana Street and opened a hospital. She furnished five upstairs rooms for patient use and local doctors furnished an operating room. The first patient was admitted on June 17, 1926. Mrs. Stayton was manager, and for the first year, the citizens of Butler paid for a registered nurse. Within a few months, it was necessary to convert the first floor into patient rooms.
In 1943, the City of Butler purchased the building for $20,000. Many additions and improvements were made over the years, but by the late 1950’s, it was apparent that a larger, more modern facility was needed.
Early in the year of 1957, the State Division of Health adopted new rules and regulations for the operation of hospitals in Missouri. Unless costly improvements were made very soon, Butler Memorial Hospital was in danger of losing its license. Thousands of dollars would be needed to satisfy these new laws. Included in the laws were costly fire prevention regulations, and many, many safety rules.
It was decided that a new county hospital should be built. A mass meeting of some 200 interested citizens was held at City Hall. It was a lengthy meeting, beginning at 8:00 p.m. and ending at midnight. The main speaker at the meeting was Arthur L. Wood, Secretary of the Butler Memorial Hospital Board. He gave a detailed account of the conditions of Butler Memorial Hospital. At that time, the hospital was admitting an average of 1,400 patients each year, and between 65 percent and 70 percent of these patients lived outside the residential limits of Butler.
Candidates were picked from every section of Bates County, according to population figures, to form a new Board for the new County hospital. An 8-man Board of Directors was elected, the members being:
Ray Butcher - Adrian
Troy R. Barton - Amoret
E. J. Evens - Amsterdam
Carl J. Henry - Butler
Arthur Alvis - Butler
Charlie Smothers - Butler
Fred Marquardt - Rich Hill
George Newell - Rockville (member at large)
The Board elected its new officers to be: Carol J. Henry, President; E. J. Evens, Vice-President; Charlie Smothers, Secretary; and Ray Butcher, Treasurer.
The Board of Directors took immediate steps to apply for Federal Aid before the June 1, 1957 deadline. They appointed seven additional Board members from outlying areas in the County. One of the major concerns at this time was to determine whether to raise the money for construction of the new hospital by popular subscription or through a county bond issue.
It was decided to raise funds for the new hospital by voting on a county bond issue in the amount of $350,000. If it passed, we would be able to apply for federal aid under the Hill-Burton Act. Tuesday, September 17, 1957 was election day. The vote was almost 5-1 with 4,056 voting yes and only 972 voting no. Mr. Carl J. Henry, Chairman of the County Hospital Board, was recorded as stating the following:
“The Bates County Hospital Board wishes to thank all the clubs, organizations, groups and individuals who contributed so much to the education campaign favoring the bond issue for a county hospital.
“The result is evidence of what good citizens, forgetting selfish interests, jealousies and personalities, can do when they cooperate in behalf of a worthy cause.
“Members of both political parties and all religious denominations and county newspapers, marched shoulder to shoulder in a drive for better living conditions for all the people.
“Bates County can now proudly step forward as a progressive and growing community that will attract new residents and industrial plants.”
The County Court, acting on November 25, 1957, appointed a Board of Hospital Directors consisting of five members as follows: O. E. Bennett of Rockville; Roy R. Hamilton of Amoret; Dr. L. D. Harper of Adrian; Carl J. Henry of Butler; and Fred Marquardt of Rich Hill. Mr. Henry was chosen as Chairman.
The County Court sold the bonds and purchased a site of 19 acres on West Nursery Street for $15,000. The Board contracted with Hewitt and Royer, architects of Kansas City, to draw plans and specifications. Bids for construction were received by the Board on April 15, 1959 and construction began on May 12, 1959. By November 6, 1959, construction was about 42 percent completed, the roof on, concrete floor laid and most brick walls completed.
A bitter cold day greeted those who attended the cornerstone ceremonies on Friday, November 5, 1959. It was conducted by the Grand Lodge of Missouri, A.F. & A.M., under the auspices of Butler Lodge 254 with the assistance from the Adrian, Rich Hill, Amsterdam, Foster and Hume Masonic Lodges.
A copper box containing a current copy of the Bates County Democrat, certain current coins, and other items that will be of historic interest to generations yet unborn, were sealed within the stone. The copper box itself is rich in history, it being in the cornerstone of the old Butler Academy as of June 6, 1877 by the Masonic Order. It later became the property of Judge Carl J. Henry, who in turn presented the box for use by the new Bates County Memorial Hospital.
Currently, Bartz Photography of Butler is preparing a shadow box containing the copper box and contents to be on display at the hospital.
Over 1,000 Bates Countians attended the dedication ceremony of the new Bates County Memorial Hospital on Sunday, August 28, 1960. Judge W.O. Jackson was Master of Ceremonies. The presentation of the new building was made by officials of Hewitt & Royer Architectural firm of Kansas City and the Seal-Corazin Construction Company of Kansas City. Acceptance was made by Carl J. Henry, Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Dr. Charles A. Lusk, Jr., Chairman of the Medical Staff. A telegram of congratulations was read from Governor James T. Blair.
Judge Carl J. Henry presented a Dedicatory Address. At the conclusion he stated:
“….And to such a purpose we dedicate this institution. Human welfare must ever be a first concern of a Christian society. We boast of freedom, but an afflicted man is not entirely free.
“There must be no disease for which man cannot find a cure. To heal, to cure, we have built this institution, and committed it into the hands of a competent medical staff. Nothing worthwhile is achieved without great effort. This Board has made the effort, and met the challenge.
“And so today we present to the people of Bates County a hospital and equipment second to none in rural Missouri, and in the service of a medical staff second to none in rural Missouri. We should all be proud of this advancement in the field of human welfare. And I am sure you all will join me in saying, ‘Long live the Bates County Memorial Hospital.”
The Bates County Memorial Hospital, a modern general hospital, opened September 16, 1960. The hospital is of fireproof construction on ground level. The nursing area had a capacity of 52 beds and 10 bassinets. Complete facilities were provided for clinical laboratory and x-ray work. Also included in the same are the Emergency Room and a lobby for outpatients. The Obstetrical Department had a large delivery room and two labor rooms. The surgical suite contained two operating rooms. A large kitchen and dining room with cafeteria service comprised the Dietary area. Hospital linen was fully processed in an ample size laundry. Separate lounges were provided for male and female help, nursing service employees, and the professional staff.
It rained and rained and rained that first day. There were approximately 65 employees on staff. The doors of offices and ancillary departments did not yet have any signs and the employees were walking into the wrong departments constantly. Our Medical Staff at that time consisted of 17 physicians:
R. E. Beach, D.O.
M.O. Bjerke, D.O.
T.F. Boyd, D.O.
D.S. Colsen, D.O.
Paul Green, D.O.
Arthur L. Hansen, M.D.
L. D. Harper, DDS
R. P. Hinshaw, DDS
H. E. Kirsch, D.O.
L. D. LaHue, M.D.
C. A. Lusk, Jr., M.D.
C. W. Luter, M.D.
C. W. Marsh, D.O.
N. A. Masor, M.D.
E. E. Robinson, M.D.
D. C. Ronald, M.D.
W. H. Schubert, D.O.
Dr. Donald Piper, Dr. Everett Wilkinson, Dr. Robert Reinhardt and Dr. Albert E. Soper were on our Associate Staff. Dr. Sheldon Berenson and Dr. John Barry were our Radiologists.
The first patient admitted was moved from the Butler City Hospital and was a 98 year old woman with a broken hip. A total of 15 patients were transferred from the old hospital and admitted to the new hospital. Culver-Underwood Funeral Home assisted in transferring the patients to our new hospital.
Two babies were born in the hospital that first day delivered by Dr. W.H. Schubert and Dr. D. C. Ronald. There was another baby born in a taxi in the parking lot that afternoon.
During our first five months of operation, 564 patients were admitted and there were 87 births.
In July of 1964, Dr. Curtis W. Long, Dr. Robert L. Strobach, and Dr. William W. Haynie were added to our Medical Staff.
As our County continued to grow and better medical assistance for the aged and indigent became available, it was increasingly apparent that the existing facility could not handle the increased patient load. There were patients in the halls and lobby 100 percent of the time. There was as much as a three-week waiting period with as many as 20 names on a list, waiting to be admitted to the hospital. We were reprimanded for those over-crowded conditions by the State Inspector on December 13, 1967, and it was recommended that we correct this situation. The cost of expanding our hospital would be $827,000. In 1965, a bond issue was approved for $260,000. No federal funds were available. We needed $550,000 more. The citizens of Bates County were asked to go to the polls on May 7, 1968 and vote “yes” for a bond issue to expand Bates County Memorial Hospital.
On Thursday, January 16, 1969, groundbreaking ceremonies marked the new 40-bed addition to Bates County Memorial. In February, 1970, the new addition to the hospital was completed. Added were 13 semi-private rooms, 6 private rooms, a 4-bed Intensive Care Unit, and a 4-bed Pediatrics Ward. This brought our total bed capacity to 90 beds and 10 bassinet nursery. Also added was room for a new Dietary Department, additional outpatient and Emergency Room areas, an expansion to the Maintenance Department and additional storage area.
On January 1, 1973, the City of Butler gave Bates County Memorial Hospital $10,000 in operating funds and our first ambulance. It was a 1967 Oldsmobile High Top. On April 17, 1973, we purchased a 1970 International High Top ambulance. It was sold in June of 1980. In December of 1973, we purchased a 1974 Dodge Van ambulance. In February of 1976, we purchased a 1976 Dodge van ambulance. On November 21, 1978 we purchased a 1979 Ford Stahl Modular ambulance. In August of 1980, we bought a 1980 Ford Stahl Modular ambulance and traded in our two Dodge van ambulances.
In December, 1974, another addition to Bates County Memorial Hospital was completed. This expansion included a cafeteria, kitchen, kitchen storage area, doctors’ library and living quarters, Social Service office, purchasing office and storeroom, housekeeping and laundry, a classroom, Medical Records office and storage, and the ambulance garage.
In 1977, another addition was completed. This addition provided a new Pharmacy, Outpatient Office, waiting room and treatment rooms, as well as adding much needed space for our Respiratory Care Department.
In 2003, the last addition to the hospital added during its first 50 years was completed. The hospital added a second story to its building to accommodate an Obstetrical Suite, Medical/Surgical suite, and Critical Care Unit. The first floor of the hospital expanded to accommodate a new Outpatient Clinic area, Rehabilitation Services that included Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy, new Pharmacy, new front lobby, and new admissions areas. The cost of this addition was $13.35 million dollars. Architects for this addition were Hoefer-Wysocki Architects. The hospital offers digital mammography, open-air MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), 24/7 emergency physicians. The Obstetrical Suite was closed in 2009 and has been converted to a Surgical Clinic.
In 2009, the hospital hired all of the physicians and their staff who had been practicing in Bates County. This increased the total number of employees as of September, 2010 to 320. The hospital continues to strive to meet the needs of the community by improving services and its facility.
The hospital is preparing a copper box Time Capsule to contain interesting information that our future generations may find interesting when they open it in 50 years. The Time Capsule is tentatively scheduled to be buried at 6:00 p.m. on September 28, 2010 by the flag pole in front of the hospital.
No comments:
Post a Comment