Richland Memorial Hospital

Description

RMH Yesterday and Today

Richland County has deeply seeded roots as a center for healthcare services in Richland County The tradition began when Dr George T Weber opened the Olney Sanitarium in 1898 He along with three brothers who were also physicians and two sisters who operated the institutions School of Nursing established the Sanitarium as one of the most highly esteemed hospitals between St Louis and Cincinnati Successor to the Olney Sanitarium Richland Memorial Hospital opened its doors on July 16 1953 The total cost to build and equip the facility was well over 2 million It was constructed with the aid of HillBurton funds and a bond issue by Richland County Richland Memorial Hospital originally had 112 beds as well as 14 newborn bassinets The first administrator was Stuart A Short Sr who had been the hospital consultant during the construction

Until 1997 Richland Memorial Hospital was a countyowned hospital After much discussion and recognizing the restrictions under which public hospitals are operated the County Board and hospital officials decided it would be mutually beneficial for the hospital to break away as a separate notforprofit 501 c 3 organization which would become known as Richland Memorial Hospital Inc A separate volunteer Board of Directors was established for the new corporation made up of respected community leaders with diverse backgrounds and areas of knowledge The County then entered into an Operating Lease Agreement with the newly formed Richland Memorial Hospital Inc thereby retaining ownership of the building but assigning operating control to the notforprofit corporation

In 2003 the Board of Directors of Richland Memorial Hospital Inc began discussions with the County Board about purchasing the building so they could proceed with construction of a new Womens Health Center After several months of negotiations complete ownership of the hospital was transferred to Richland Memorial Hospital Inc in January of 2005 allowing the Hospital Board to move forward with the 7 million expansion Construction of the Womens Health Center at Richland Memorial Hospital was completed in February of 2008 The Womens Health Center includes stateoftheart facilities for Obstetrics and Gynecology It also includes a dedicated Womens Imaging area for digital mammography ultrasound and bone densitometry Since construction of the Womens Health Center RMH has also opened a new Outpatient Rehabilitation Center on its campus

Today RMH is licensed at 135 beds and is accredited by the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program HFAP Our service area includes eight Southeastern Illinois counties with a total patient population of about 60000 RMH offers a full range of services and is pleased to have a comprehensive array of physicians and specialists The Medical Staff is supported by more than 450 employees working toward a common goal the delivery of quality healthcare in an atmosphere of service excellence Our doctors and employees are more than caregivers They are friends and neighbors to our patients Whether they are bringing a new life into the world helping to save a life or assisting patients along the road to recovery the doctors and employees of Richland Memorial Hospital have for nearly six decades delivered care with the same core values of caring trust respect competence and communication which began more than a century ago with the Weber family

In addition to providing quality healthcare Richland Memorial Hospital prides itself on being a good neighbor Throughout the year we sponsor community wellness programs free health screenings and continuing education seminars for the medical community We are also pleased to be a clinical training hub site for Southern Illinois University Physician Assistant students and an educational center for students of nursing radiography and numerous other health professions

Its comforting to know that when healthcare is needed Richland Memorial Hospital a stateoftheart facility with an uncompromising dedication to excellence is close at hand with the highest quality professional care

Mission
To provide excellent health care promote wellness and educate patients staff and the community

Vision
To continue to be the major provider of educational preventive diagnostic and therapeutic services in the area

History

Richland Memorial Hospital History
Successor to the wellknown Olney Sanitarium Richland Memorial Hospital was completed in May 1953 The first patients were transferred to Richland Memorial Hospital from the Olney Sanitarium on July 16 of that year The total cost to build and equip the facility was well over two million dollars It was constructed with the aid of HillBurton funds and a bond issue by Richland County Richland Memorial Hospital originally had 112 beds as well as 14 newborn bassinets The first administrator was Stuart A Short Sr who had been the hospital consultant during the construction Richland Memorial Hospital was owned and governed by the County until 1997

In February of 1997 the County of Richland entered into a 25year Hospital Operating Lease Agreement with Richland Memorial Hospital Inc a notforprofit corporation Richland Memorial Hospital Inc has an independent volunteer Board of Directors composed of local residents with various backgrounds and areas of knowledge In January 2005 the ownership of the facility was transferred from the County of Richland to the Richland Memorial Hospital Inc Board of Directors Board members of the notforprofit corporation serve without pay and oversee the operations of the facility ensuring it will remain available to area residents into the future The institution is supported by patient service revenues grants and financial gifts As approved by public referendum the Richland Memorial Ambulance Service is supported inpart by tax monies in recognition of the ongoing commitment of the Richland County Board to provision of ambulance services for County residents

Since first opening its doors as a small acute care facility Richland Memorial Hospital has grown significantly Three major additions have been made to the facility over the years expanding the hospitals array of services Plans are currently underway for development of a fourth addition a stateoftheart Womens Health Center

Today Richland Memorial Hospital staffs 90 inpatient beds and is accredited by the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program Our service area includes portions of eight Southeastern Illinois counties with a total patient population of about 100000 Richland Memorial Hospital is proud to offer a full range of medical services as well as one of the most comprehensive medical staffs in all of Southeastern Illinois

In addition to providing quality healthcare Richland Memorial Hospital prides itself on being a good neighbor Throughout the year we sponsor community wellness programs free health screenings and continuing education seminars for the medical community We are also pleased to be a clinical training hub site for Southern Illinois University Physician Assistant students and an educational center for students of nursing radiography and numerous other health professions In addition RMH is service provider for Fox River Apartments a local Assisted Living community for frail elderly persons with low to moderate incomes

Its comforting to know that when healthcare is needed Richland Memorial Hospital a stateoftheart facility with an uncompromising dedication to excellence is close at hand with the highest quality professional care because nothing is more important than your health