Santa Rosa Hospital-New Braunfels

Description

The story of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital New Braunfels is really one of community a community of people who more than 50 years ago dreamed of bringing the best medical care available to Comal County

It is also a story of vision leadership and kindness Without any one of these qualities the healthcare institution we know today might never have become a reality

Finally it is a story of commitment the commitment of hundreds of physicians healthcare workers and volunteers delivering the utmost in quality healthcare to the citizens of Comal County and Central Texas

In the late 1800s New Braunfels was predominately a farming and ranching community and most medical procedures were performed at The Krankenhaus built in 1892 on property that today is the site of the Saints Peter and Paul Thrift Store on Seguin Avenue

As more industry emerged and the city population increased in the first half of the 20th century it became apparent to community leaders that a larger more comprehensive facility was needed to meet the healthcare needs of the current citizenry as well as provide an impetus for future economic growth

After two attempts to establish a countyfunded hospital narrowly failed in the late 1940s a group of business and civic leaders led by HC McKenna of the Mission Valley Textiles Mill set out to privately secure the necessary funds to build a new hospital Along with such city fathers as Alfred Liebscher RB Vickers Arlon Krueger Ben Krueger Harry Richards John Langston and Mrs R Wright McKenna persuaded the City of New Braunfels in 1951 to support health care for its citizens by providing the hospital site These and other progressive individuals organized a fundraising effort in 1952 often going doortodoor asking local citizens for their support The generosity of the people of New Braunfels produced more than 500000 for the initiative which was augmented by a 280000 HillBurton grant

In October 1952 a ground breaking ceremony commemorating the beginning of hospital construction was held at the hospital site October 1953 marked the grand opening celebration for the new 40 bed New Braunfels Hospital The original structure which still stands today as the central core of McKenna Memorial Hospital opened its doors to patients in November of 1953 In 1973 New Braunfels Hospital changed its name to McKenna Memorial Hospital in honor of HC McKenna who served as president of the Hospitals board of trustees for more than 20 years

After operating as a highlysuccessful and independent hospital for more than 50 years the board once again demonstrated their vision to ensure the hospitals longterm success by selling the hospital to CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care The board decided the best way to ensure the strongest healthcare future for the New Braunfels area was to sell McKenna Memorial Hospital at the height of service quality and financial success to a system with the extensive resources needed to meet longterm growth in a rapidly growing community

CHRISTUS Health continues to be a vital part of New Braunfels and Comal County providing significant programs services and resources that benefit the health and well being of the community

Founded in 1869 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care is a Catholic faithbased nonprofit health and wellness ministry dedicated to providing the highest quality medical care and services available One of the top health care organizations in South Texas CHRISTUS Santa Rosa has two hospitals CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital located in downtown San Antonio and in the South Texas Medical Center and CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Childrens Hospital an academic teaching facility affiliated with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio We are extending our ministry to the evergrowing Westover Hills community with a fullservice hospital opening the first quarter of 2009 and with the recently acquired CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital in New Braunfels CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care is one of only three hospitals in Texas to receive the Distinguished Hospital Award five years in a row by HealthGrades The network of hospitals offer cardiac care a comprehensive cancer program complete obstetrical and newborn services surgical units a diabetes care program stateoftheart medical care for children and an array of specialty services including transplant and orthopedic and rehabilitation services It is also the preferred health care system of the San Antonio SPURS