Daviess Community Hospital

Description

About Us
Daviess Community Hospital operates an 80bed hospital in Washington Indiana that includes acute care OB intensive care inpatient rehabilitation facility and behavioral health The facility also owns and operates medical clinics in Loogootee Odon and Washington including a walkin Quick Care Clinic that opened in 2008

We are committed to improving the health of our community Our staff of highly trained professionals works closely as a team to provide your healthcare services We know that hospitalization is never an entirely pleasant experience but we do our best to make you as comfortable as possible

Daviess Community Hospital incorporates stateof theart procedures and equipment to care for our patients An extensive offering of services and programs is available We work cooperatively with physicians other health care providers local businesses and industries and other community organizations to address community needs and to provide a continuum of care

Our Mission
The Daviess Community Hospital Foundations mission is to enhance and complement the mission of Daviess Community Hospital by providing a means for philanthropic support of the hospital and by strengthening relationships between the hospital and the people who live in our communities

Our Vision
The vision of the Daviess Community Hospital Foundation is to ensure a healthcare legacy

History

Daviess Community Hospitals History
Hospital Beginnings
In 1911 a womens group started a community movement to create a hospital in the city of Washington after witnessing the fate of a traveler who was struck by a train on which they were riding The traveler experienced serious injuries resulting in the amputation of a leg in a local physicians office There was no hospital in Washington so he recuperated in the county jail inspiring the women to begin a movement to build a hospital in Washington

After two years of hard work the Daviess County Hospital of Washington Indiana was incorporated on June 13 1913 The purpose of the hospital was to provide for the care and treatment of sick injured and disabled persons but not for pecuniary profit The first Board Members were Henry F Vollmer Robert J Barr Carl R Semans Elisha L Hatfield Louis I Read L A Van Osdol Miles G ONeill Paris A Hastings WF Axtel and Josiah G Allen President Mr Allen a local attorney continued to serve as Board President for the next 25 years

First Donors
After the organization of the hospital and the appointment of the first Board of Directors an effort was made to secure a building At that time the heirs of Margaret Graham were the owners of the orphans home building formerly used by the county but later abandoned and returned to Mrs Grahams estate Upon the assurance that the hospital would be maintained in the building the Graham heirs conveyed the property to the Daviess County Hospital Donors furnished the hospitals first 21 rooms and purchased hospital equipment The first donor to the hospital was Mrs Helen Winton and the money provided for a room for the B amp O railroaders

Private donations were used to establish a building fund for the hospital In 1915 Matilda M Wilson widow of local dentist Dr Nelson Wilson provided inspiration to others after her will devised to the City of Washington the sale of two pieces of property with proceeds to be used for hospital development purposes By order of Judge James W Ogdon the property was sold and a sizable gift of 7000 was received from her estate With gifts and bequests from Elizabeth Hogshead John Daugherty and TA Ackley a hospital building fund quickly grew to 25000

In 1926 the property was changed to Daviess County property and the commissioners erected the first annex increasing the hospitals size to 40 beds Miss Vere Harlan Routt superintendent of the hospital received visitors at the open house on November 19 1926 Ten years later a second annex was built at a cost of 52545 none of which was borne by the taxpayers

The 20th Century

The demand for more services and improved medical procedures accelerated in the mid 20th century In 1959 the hospital served the 100000th patient and recorded 4801 admissions 827 births and 36889 patient days In 1963 visitors jammed the hospital to inspect a new addition equipped with elevators a chapel a business office new surgery and recovery rooms Xray equipment new labor beds an ultramodern nursery parking areas televisions dial telephones and built in airconditioning The hospital employed 235 persons and Miss Beulah Russell was the Director of Nurses Officers of the Medical Staff included Dr Robert H Rang Dr Horace Norton Dr C Philip Fox Dr Vance J Chattin Dr Jack McKittrick and Dr Marshall Seat

In 1976 development of an expansion project to replace patient rooms began Members of the Medical Staff were actively involved in planning for the new units and included Dr James Barrett Dr Robert L Heymann Dr James Beck Dr Hamlin Lindsay Dr Charles Cullion Dr Thomas Davis Dr Robert Fraser and Dr Glenn Ross The 45 million expansion project opened in 1979 and essentially replaced all patient room facilities It added new third and fourth floor nursing units with 60 patient beds in modern twobed rooms that featured private lavatories and plugins for oxygen gas suction and nurses call The project also added new operating rooms and expanded the emergency room

The 21st Century

At the beginning of the 21st century a major construction project created a path for the hospital into the new century The 30 million project included a 42000 square foot addition and 41000 square feet of renovated and refurbished space Planning for the landmark project included a look at the present and future of healthcare said Becky Kremp Board President The result was a dramatic new lobby comfortable admitting offices private patient rooms new department facilities for Rehabilitation Therapies Lab Surgery Food Services Pharmacy Surgery Cardiopulmonary and Emergency Services a helipad and a Womens Health Center