Walter Knox Memorial Hospital

Description

About Us
Walter Knox Hospital is the healthcare leader in Gem County providing access to primary care and emergency health care services and health care services that meet community needs Walter Knox provides a 24 bed acute inpatient obstetric emergency urgent care services as well as a level A laboratory digital diagnostic imaging surgical and infusion services Many specialty medical clinics are available Walter Knox is home to the areas Regional WMD Medical Response Team We have the ability to house 100 additional acute level patients by using this resource

History

The Walter Knox tradition of caring began long before the opening of the hospital doors on September 29 1963 After the closing of Mary Seccor Hospital a strong public effort was launched to obtain HillBurton grant money and support for a bond issue to build a new hospital Twenty acres of ground was obtained from the Knox family by donation and purchase HillBurton funds provided 350000 and a general obligation bond for Gem Country provided and additional 350000 to construct the hospital

The hospital originally constructed as a forty bed was reduced in the mid 1980s to an operational twentyfour beds A reduction in licensed capacity was instituted in the mid to late 1990s In 2001 the hospital was certified as a Critical Access Hospital and the licensed bed capacity was changed to fifteen to comply with the Critical Access Hospital regulations

In 1997 the hospital board of directors commissioned an architectural firm to develop a master physical plant renovation plan The plan accepted was a fourphase renovation plan the first two phases included a new emergency department birthing suites same day surgery department separate specialty clinic and complete renovation and remodel of patient rooms and nursing station Phases one and two were completed in 1999 at a cost of two point six million financed entirely through revenue operations and paid for at the time of completion

In 1999 the hospital board of directors revisited the hospitals mission statement and adopted one that met the current goals and philosophy of the hospital