Lynndi Lockenour
People crowded around the timeline and booths giving away free pens to read about the history of St. Joseph Medical Center. The snack and cake tables were also of interest as guests waited for tours of the new facilities.
The Center celebrated its 120th birthday at a ceremony held on Thursday, May 19. Though the actually birthday isn’t until November, they were eager to show the community what they’ve been working on and start using the new facilities.
Carrie Trent, public relations and marketing for the Center, said showing the facilities to the community was an important aspect to updates being made. “The community has always strongly supported us,” she said. “They have been as excited about this as we are.”
The first of several new facilities is the cardiovascular suite. It houses several expanded services, including new cardiac cauterization and electrophysiology capabilities. The electrophysiology lab is the only one of its type in St. Charles County. With this addition of electrophysiology, specialists can assess a heart’s electrical condition and use implantable defibrillators and pacemakers to treat specific problems.
The cardiovascular suite costs in excess of $2 million. In addition to the three catheterization labs and interventional radiology lab, the multimillion suite houses a new nine-bed pre and post-operative area. The suite is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing flexibility and improved ability to handle emergency cases.
Pamela Hancock, executive vice-president of administration, has worked with The Center for 30 years and said in that time she has seen many changes. “People die every year because of heart palpitations which could be prevented with machines like the new one we have now,” she said.”
The other major facility revealed was the H.W. Koenig Cancer Center. It features new linear accelerators and uses Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) technology.
IMRT is the most significant treatment available in the last 25 years for people with malignant tumors.
Hancock said that though the technological advances are extremely important, they are just one way The Center continues to help the community. “The technology and services change with the times,” she said, “but it’s all with the same relative idea of helping as many people as we can,” she said.
Paul Convery, MD said this type of service to the community is what the hospital was originally founded on 120 years ago. “We were originally asked to start this hospital because the community needed it,” he said, “which is something we continue to strive for now, is that community involvement.”
The hospital began in the late 1870’s with a small house at 305 Chauncey Street. Fr. Edward Koch, pastor at the time for the St. Peter Parish, gave the land across the street from the church to the Sisters of St. Mary so they could build a hospital.
St. Joseph first opened its doors in 1891 as a 28 bed red brick structure. During its first year, the hospital admitted 121 patients. Things have changed because in 2002 the 364-bed Center and 88-bed St. Joseph Hospital West combined had 18, 264 acute admissions, 65,670 emergency department visits, 1,596 births and 12,936 surgery cases.
The first addition to the hospital was in 1904, with another wing being added in 1924 to include the first elevator at St. Joseph. A third addition was opened in 1945. In 1959 there was a groundbreaking ceremony for a new six-story, air conditioned east wing for maternity patients. Because of the population boom between the 1950’s and 1960’s, in 1965 the hospital announced plans for another major renovation and building program. This evolved into the three stages that lasted through 1978.
In addition to the cancer center and cardiac lab, St. Joseph also celebrated renovations on the sixth floor which including 31 patient rooms. Also renovated were the Healing Presents Gift Shop and the Historic Stumberg House at the corner of Jefferson and Third streets, which houses hospital offices.
In addition, the hospital received a federal appropriation of $500,000 to assist in building a prominent Health Education Resource Center on its campus. When this center is completed it will be the only facility of its kind in St. Charles County. It will provide access to information and educational opportunities in health services and health care not otherwise available to residents.
