Buffalo Hospital

Description

Buffalo Hospital is a nonprofit regional medical center committed to providing quality comprehensive care to patients in and around Wright County Located just west of the Twin Cities Buffalo Hospital provides exceptional patientcentered care to nearly 70000 patients every year We provide a full range of inpatient outpatient and emergency care services and many specialty services so you dont have to travel far from home

Overview
For nearly 100 years Buffalo Hospital has been dedicated to delivering exceptional care for all who live and work in our community

Buffalo Hospital is a notforprofit regional medical center located on the western edge of the Twin Cities metropolitan area Each year the hospital provides advanced care to nearly 70000 patients and their families

In 2009 Buffalo Hospital was recognized as one of the nations 100 Top Hospitalsreg as determined by a comprehensive analysis of nearly 5000 hospitals by Thomson Reuters In addition Buffalo Hospital is one of 23 hospitals among the 100 winners to be recognized as an Everest Award winner for the greatest rate of improvement over a fiveyear period

At Buffalo Hospital youll find stateoftheart facilities personalized care in private rooms and services that are continuously being expanded We routinely are recognized for quality safe care and outstanding patient outcomes Employees overwhelming say they are proud to work at Buffalo Hospital and would refer their loved ones here for care

History

History of medical care in Wright County
1905
John J Catlin MD opened a medical practice in three rooms above the old Buffalo Hardware building in downtown Buffalo

1914
John J Catlin MD moved his practice across the street into 12 rooms on the second floor of the new Schmidt Drug Store building This was called the Catlin Hospital In the years following his son Ted J Catlin MD joined his practice and many years later R Sandeen MD joined them From 1918 until Sept 4 1951 the doors of the hospital never closed

1940
City of Buffalo hires architect to begin planning a 15 to 20 bed hospital at a cost of 33000 with WPA providing labor In a special election citizens voted 310 to 188 to sell bonds to build the hospital Before the project could get started World War II put the project on hold

1946
Another election confirms towns desire to build a hospital Cost for the building alone was placed at 150000 and bonds were to be sold As an area hospital its ultimate capacity would eventually be 62 beds Total cost of the project was set at 300000

1947
Hospital Board created Members were Vance Weaver Joe Peterson AP Stafford Harold Templin Mrs Lillian Welch Mrs Earl Peterson and Mrs Carl Lindberg

May 1950
Construction started on new hospital located on Tower Hill Building would have room for 28 beds and a staff of 25 Ground breaking for the project was June 8 1950 with cornerstone ceremony on September 19 1950

1951
Buffalo Memorial Hospital opens with dedication on August 26 1951 and operation began on September 5th It had 29 beds and an average daily census of 22 Total cost was 357000 with monies coming from Village funds bond issue local residents and a grant from the Federal governmentBuffalo Clinic opens Wright County Public Health established

1952
Buffalo Memorial Hospital Auxiliary organized by women of various local communities Membership was very high and they were extremely active in fundraising They were instrumental in buying many pieces of equipment and furnishings including a cardiac monitor defibrillator incubator fetal monitor and several items used for physical therapy They promoted many large community projects to raise money such as style shows rummage sales and craft bazaars The Auxiliary eventually disbanded sometime after 2000

1957
An addition to the Buffalo Memorial Hospital approved by voters to increase by an addition of 16 beds 50000 in bond sales were approved and another 43887 used form other city funds to increase the facility to 45 bed capacity

1959
Buffalo Memorial Hospital first addition opens with 8 additional rooms 2 beds and a large bathroom in each additional storage rooms a morgue and physical therapy department

1967
A second addition approved for Buffalo Memorial Hospital to make room for 26 more beds one pediatric room a laboratory and xray room General and administrative offices as well as medical records were also included

1968
Cokato Medical Clinic established with one physician and three exam rooms
104 full and parttime personnel were employed at Buffalo Memorial Hospital

1969
May 25 1969 open house was held for the second addition to the hospital This new addition offered an expanded emergency room pediatric ward an intensive care observation room and larger office and lobby areas

1971
Buffalo Memorial Hospital joins the Health Central Hospital Group to participate in the new and efficient cost cutting method of group buying for lower costs

1973
Health Central took over business office accounting and budgeting for the local hospital

1975
Hospital opened a chemical dependency facility in purchased Covenant Church manse

1977
City of Buffalo sells hospital to Health Central Inc

1979
Health Central Inc breaks ground for new hospital at present location on Highway 25Buffalo Clinic moves from downtown location to building at present location on Highway 25 The new facility had 10 providers 30 exam rooms and six bays in the ER

1980
Hospital opens new building in October

1982
Annandale Family Physicians opens in Annandale with one doctor and two other staff members

1985
Basic 911 service started in county

1986
Buffalo Memorial Hospital name changes to Health Central of Buffalo

1987
Independently owned FamilyCare Centers of Wright County Albertville Annandale Buffalo Cokato Montrose and Rockford opened with six exam rooms in the Buffalo Hospital building to provide specialty services to patients The first year of the clinics operation provided specialty services and discovered that additional primary care services were needed in Buffalo These services were provided by physicians from the other FamilyCare Centers on their days and evenings off in Buffalo

1988
FamilyCare Centers of Wright County changed name to Buffalo Family and SpecialtyCare Center and recruited Dr Andrew Burgdorf as family physician Dr Burgdorf is still with the clinic today

1989
Name change to Health One Buffalo Hospital merge with Health One organization

1991
Cokato Medical Clinic sold its private practice to LSI in April and was then helped in staffing by physicians from Litchfield

1993
911 service enhanced to include name phone and address

1995
Buffalo Family and SpecialtyCare Center is purchased by Healthspan and name changed to Wright Medical ClinicCokato Medical Clinic moves into new stateoftheart building in prime location along US Highway 12 in Cokato Wellness On Wheels WOW van created by partnership between Wright County Public Health and Buffalo Hospital

1996
Buffalo Hospital creates new wing on the north side of the existing building moving and expanding Emergency Services creating a new lobby and entrance along Highway 25 and providing new larger space for clinic
Wright Medical Clinic moves into new wing of hospital building with 33 exam rooms as well as a patient education area Adds three new doctors

1998
Hospital opens Rehab Center

1999
Allina Medical Clinic Annandale moves into new building on Hwy 55 and has three physicians a psychologist Sister Kenny physical therapy lab and xray capabilities

Buffalo Hospital expands Birth Center

Buffalo Hospital purchases new CT scanner

Buffalo Hospital named a national top 100 hospital for the second time
2001

Wright Countys first permanently based MRI opens at Buffalo Hospital
Buffalo Hospital adds newborn pages to their Web site spring
Buffalo Hospital auxiliary disbanded
2002

Buffalo Hospital expands Short Stay Center and adds two additional operating
rooms

Buffalo Hospital is second hospital in nation to add Instymeds an automated
system for dispensing prescription dedications for emergency and urgent care
patients fall

2003
Buffalo Clinic opens new twostory Medical Office Building with 20 providers 59 exam rooms nine special procedure rooms connected to Buffalo Hospital Buffalos first skyway

Buffalo Hospital Foundation founded

Buffalo Hospital Cardiac Center opens

Buffalo Hospital Sleep Center opens off site

Buffalo Hospital Emergency and Urgent Care expand

2004
Buffalo Hospital implements electronic medical record Allinas first shared
system

Buffalo Hospital implements EMI Enterprise Medical Imaging digital medical
imaging system providing electronic transfer and storage of medical images

Buffalo health campus goes tobacco free

Buffalo Hospital Surgery amp Outpatient Center opens in new wing
Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute and Sister Kenny Sports ampPhysical
Therapy Center off siteopen

2005
Population of Wright County is 102000

Allina Medical Clinic Annandale has a medical staff of three family practice physicians a psychologist 9 exam rooms plus a procedure room and Sister Kenney Sports amp Physical Therapy Center is available onsiteAllina Medical Clinic Buffalo has medical staff of 18 providers 58 exam rooms and is in a new twostory facility attached to Buffalo HospitalAllina Medical Clinic Cokato has six providers and 12 exam rooms and is open one evening a weekBuffalo Clinic has 20 providers 59 exam rooms 9 special procedure rooms radiology laboratory and a Medical Skin Care Center Buffalo Hospital has 65 licensed beds 180 physicians on staff and 415 employees

2009
Buffalo Hospital adds Phillips Eye Institute

Buffalo Hospital breaks ground on new Birth Center