Bradford Regional Med Center

Description

About BRMC
Founded in 1887 Bradford Regional Medical Center BRMC is a 107bed acutecare community hospital located in Bradford Pennsylvania In addition to an acutecare hospital BRMC also has a full service home health division a 95bed skilled nursing facility and a comprehensive inpatient and outpatient behavioral health program including one of the few dual diagnosis units in Pennsylvania Ohio and New York

History

Our Beginnings 18851938

1885
quotThe stockholders of the Bradford Hospital Association assembled in their regular meeting this Saturday evening June 20 1885 hereby issue the following appeal to the public for their cooperation and support in establishing in this city an institution for the care of the sick and injuredquot These were the historic words of PM Shannon VicePresident of Bradford Hospital Board of Directors in a published notice to Bradford residents Over a month later on August 4 1885 McKean County President Judge AG Olmstead issued the original Bradford Hospital charter

1887
Bradford Hospital first opened its doors on May 10 1887 in a remodeled farmhouse The house was located on the current site of the Medical Arts Building on Pleasant Street The cost to purchase and renovate the building and equip it with the most modern medical equipment at the time was a 471257 Todays list price for one stretcher with wheels for a Same Day Surgery area When completed the building housed 14 beds and had a medical staff of three physicians It was recorded at the time as being one of the few if not the only hospitals available between Buffalo NY and Pittsburgh PA

1891
The original building served as the hospital for 20 years It was expanded in 1891 to hold 32 beds In 1893 electric lights were installed An important part of Bradford Hospital history is the Bradford Hospital Nurse Training School one of the first in the state Chartered on January 21 1897 the school provided valuable training for more than 600 nurses until 1956 Their yearbook The Gusher has become a beloved treasure of days past

1906
As the areas need for medical services grew so too did Bradford Hospital The new hospital was built of brick on the current site of the Bradford Nursing Pavilion on Pleasant Street The building included a mens building a surgical wing a kitchen and administrative wing In the next few years additional wings were added including a womens building a maternity unit and a childrens ward

1925
In 1925 a fire destroyed the maternity wing This structure was rebuilt the following year with the addition of a second floor In later years the building held the Guidance Center Ironically fire again destroyed the building in the 1980s After the Depression as the economy began to recover the directors envisioned a long range building program

1938
The Kennedy Unit erected in 1938 was designed to serve as the nucleus for an entirely new hospital structure It housed a modern surgical suite labor and delivery rooms Physical Therapy and XRay Departments In 1940 the John Ley heating plant central hot water systems and modern laundry facilities were completed