Nelson County Health System

Description

MISSION
To promote educate and serve as the philanthropic resource to improve the health status of the people served by the Nelson County Health System

History

Our History
Construction on the McVille Community Hospital began in 1916 and was dedicated on Tuesday February 6 1917 It was given the name quotCommunity Hospitalquot because according to Mr E C Olsgaard then president of the board emphasized that the institution was not built by McVille alone nor for McVille alone but was given its name because it was built by the entire community and for a community as large as its service can reachDr A O Arneson began practicing as a physician in McVille in 1906 He continued until his death in 1942 Following Dr Arnesons death Dr Muus began his practiceIn 1957 a 6 bed addition was constructed onto the hospital It was modernized in 1974 the original unit razed and a replacement builtNelson County Health Center Care Center was dedicated on July 3 1963 and was originally designed to serve the area as a Rehabilitation Center In April of 1966 the Center was purchased by Friendship Homes Inc and began to serve as a skilled nursing home The City of McVille purchased the Center on January 1 1998 It is a 39 bed facility offering skilled nursing care rehabilitation hospice and respite care

The clinic facility in McVille was completed in 1968 and Dr Dale Iverson was welcomed to the community as physician in 1970 Currently it is staffed by two physicians and a nurse practitioner There is a satellite clinic in Lakota that is staffed three days a weekIn 1972 the name was changed from Community Hospital at McVille to Community Hospital in Nelson County and an effort was made to better serve the health needs of the entire areaIn 1974 the assets of the hospital were deeded to the city of McVille in order to betterenable the financing of the building project Since that time the debt has been retired and the hospital has been deeded back to the organizationThe name was later changed to Nelson County Health SystemIn 2000 the hospital was designated as a 20bed Critical Access Hospital with a Swing Bed program This allowed

costbased reimbursement and improved efficienciesThe McVille Medical Clinic and Lakota Health Center both became Rural Health ClinicsIn a time of changing health care and financing in rural areas changes continue to be made in services provided by NCHS