Pershing Memorial Hospital

History

Pershing Memorial Hospital was originally named General John J Pershing Memorial Hospital after Linn Countys most famous General John Joseph Pershing
On September 15 1955 the Linn County Hospital Association was organized by 17 prominent citizens of Brookfield for the purpose of formulating plans for the building of a new hospital On January 12 1960 the doors of the hospital opened to receive its first patient

The Pershing Hospital Auxiliary has played an important role in the community since the doors opened 31 Ladies from all walks of life in the community were the original Pink Ladies The Auxiliarys membership has grown throughout the years to a current complement of about 100 members

Over the years new additions and departments have been added

The Mason Fore Johnson Wing was dedicated on May
30 1970 in honor of the FIRST President of the
Board of Directors

In 1974 a Respiratory Therapy Department was added
with the original and current Respiratory Therapy
Director Terry Brosemer CRT

On February 8 1977 the Percy W Markham Wing was
opened to house a larger dining area new kitchen
private dining room laboratory space new OB wing
special care unit and new surgery area

A Physical Therapy Department was added in July
1978 with the original and current Physical Therapy
Director Gary Fite RPT

The Radiology Department was expanded in July 1980
to accommodate the growth and healthcare needs of
the community A new Mammography Unit was installed
October 15 1987 to help in the detection of
breast cancer and updated the equipment again in
2001

The Emergency Department was renovated and expanded
in the spring of 1983 to handle almost any
emergency that might arise

In 1985 Home Health was added to the services
offered by the hospital to better serve our
customerspatients once they went home from the
hospital In 1994 the current Director of Home
Health amp Hospice Rose Ayers Wright implemented
Hospice services to give palliative care to
patients and relief to family members of the
terminally ill

Pershing Memorial Hospital in December 1988
purchased St Francis Hospital in Marceline MO
and named it Pershing Regional Health Center
Pershing Regional Health Center was sold in July
2002 to Americare

A modular trailer unit was leased in August 1997
and placed west of the hospital and named Pershing
Urgent Care which was home to a Cancer treatment
Center and clinic In March 1998 Pershing expanded
its services to include a walkin clinic Pershing
Urgent Care opened 7 days a week At this time
Pershing renamed its total operations Pershing
Health System to better reflect the combined
efforts of the 3 facilities to serve the public

January 2000 Pershing Urgent Care was
renamed Community Medical Associates and they
obtained their Rural Health Clinic Designation on
March 12 2003

Pershing Memorial Hospital received its Critical
Access designation on July 1 2001

Pershing Health System purchased the University
Physicians Building formally known as Medical Arts
Building across the street from the hospital in
January 2006 from funds gifted to them from the
Applegate family Therefore it was
renamed Applegate Medical Building in their
memory

January 28 2006 Community Medical Associated was
moved to the basement of the Applegate Medical
Building to accommodate its growth and commitment
to the community

September 5 2008 Pershing Health System opened
there new 38000 sq ft addition for business
making it home to new Emergency Room Radiology X
ray Laboratory Admissions Community Medical
Associates and AmbulatoryOutpatient Surgery area