Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital

Name :

Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital

Address  :

3330 Masonic Drive

Town  :

Alexandria

State  :

Louisiana

Country  :

USA

Post Code:

71301

Phone  :

318 487 1122

Web URL  :

Available

Email  :

suzanne.dekeyzer@christushealth.org

Description

CHRISTUS St Frances Cabrini Hospital located in Alexandria Louisiana is a 241bed facility employing approximately 1600 Associates and a medical staff of over 325 physicians CHRISTUS Cabrini offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services

History

far back as 1916 Bishop Cornelius Van de Ven of Natchitoches had asked Mother M Teresa to build a hospital in Alexandria and several times afterward both he and his successor the Most Rev Daniel F Desmond reiterated the request But for one reason or another the hospital never materialized

Then in 1946 not long after his consecration as Bishop of Alexandria the Most Rev Charles P Greco asked Mother M Elizabeth ONeill to reconsider the matter pledging 200000 from his people

Mother ONeill and her council agreed to accept the work and on December 22 the feast of St Frances Xavier Cabrini ground was broken for the St Frances Cabrini Hospital

When he was a child Bishop Greco met Mother Cabrini so it gave him great pleasure to have in his diocese this first major Catholic institution dedicated to the first canonized citizen of the United States The cornerstone was blessed and laid on October 21 1949 The 3 million 126bed hospital was opened on the feast of St Joseph March 19 1950

Sister M Stephanie Ryan Cabrini hospitals first superior reported quotThe open house lasted until late in the evening Even after dark people were still arriving The police who directed traffic for the Sisters stated that the number far exceeded seven thousand This response on the part of the public is very encouragingquot

Although St Frances Cabrini Hospital officially opened on April 1 1950 patients began arriving on March 31 Mr W J Bordelon was the first patient to be admitted That evening around 1130 pm the first baby was delivered at the hospital and named Sally by her parents Mr and Mrs W M Phillips A portrait of Sally Phillips is permanently displayed in the lobby of Cabrinis Womans Pavilion

By April 2 1950 more than 56 patients had been admitted and a variety of surgeries was being performed St Frances Cabrini Hospital was the first of many buildings designed for the Sisters of Charity Health System by Houston architects Goleman and Rolfe In 1951 the architects received an award of merit from the American Institute of Architects for the Cabrini project

Responding to the needs of a growing community an expansion program was initiated in 1965 In 1969 a sixstory addition was built increasing the hospitals capacity to 254 beds

Throughout its history St Frances Cabrini Hospital has consistently been recognized as a highquality health care provider for the more than 400000 residents of Central Louisiana

On March 21 1975 a milestone was reached as Central Louisianas first openheart surgery was performed at Cabrini Hospital The equipment that made openheart surgery possible was purchased with a donation from the CoughlinSaunders Foundation

Cabrini Hospital was also the first in the area to house an intensive care unit as well as a neonatal intensive care unit for premature and critically ill infants

Today St Frances Cabrini Hospital is a fully accredited 255bed health care center employing 1500 people to serve the community In addition to the services available on the main hospital campus Cabrini provides medical care and health education in 14 schoolbased health centers in five parishes and in the Cabrini Family Care Unit a mobile clinic servicing rural areas in Central Louisiana

In 1999 St Frances Cabrini Hospital became part of CHRISTUS Health System as the Sisters of Charity Health System and the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word Health System were consolidated With its corporate headquarters in Dallas Texas CHRISTUS Health is one of the 10 largest Catholic health care systems in the country

A rich 130plusyear tradition of love respect and hope goes hand in hand with the latest technology to provide the highest quality medical care in the new millenium under the CHRISTUS Health banner