       
1100 Highland Drive
Concordia, KS 66901
785-243-1234
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History
| |  | | Celebrating 100 Years of Service of Healthcare
to North Central Kansas | | | | | | | A brief history of the Cloud County Health Center, formerly St. Joseph Hospital
The hospital, sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph was established in Concordia in 1903. It was one of several acute care hospitals open by the Sisters. They also sponsored Mount Joseph Nursing Home in Concordia.
The Sisters of St. Joseph were originally founded in Le Puy France in 1650 by Father Jean Pierre Medaille. They worked the people, serving orphans, prisoners, the sick and the destitute. They organized confraternities of mercy, through which they inspired ordinary women to holiness and directed them in missions of mercy and healing. Some of the Sisters of St. Joseph then immigrated to the United States and started a foundation in Buffalo, New York.
In 1883, Mother Stanislaus Leary and several other women set out for Arizona to establish another foundation. Along the way, plans changed, and they offered their services to Loius Mary Fink, O.S.B., Bishop of Leavenworth, Kansas. He appointed them to Newton, where they opened a school. The following year, they were asked by the Rev. Joseph Perrier to come to Concordia. The Reverend offered assistance in the construction of the motherhouse. Mother Stanislaus took residence in Concordia in 1884.
The original hospital was located in the three-story brick building on east fifth street, now the Manna House of Prayer. The hospital stayed there for nearly forty five years, but an inadequacy of space forced them to start construction of a new building. Some land west of town was purchased, and construction of the new facility began in late 1949.
The completely modern 150-bed hospital was dedicated on March 6, 1951. The Sisters of St. Joseph maintained their basic philosophy and mission at the new building, continually responding to the health care needs of the changing times.
During 1975-1985, a hospital-based chemical dependency service was implemented to address the increasing problems of alcoholism and drug abuse. A psychiatric unit, family oriented birth center, home health services, outpatient services, and cooperation with other hospitals and physicians also were started. St. Joseph also became the center for providing Lifeline Linkage for citizens in their homes. This service provided around-the-clock contact with the hospital, which facilitated immediate help to Lifeline subscribers. | | 1951 - Entire building air conditioned
1962 - Pediatrics department added
1963 - Central therapy began, hospital store and purchasing department added
1965 - X-Ray and Lab departments received new equipment for further testing
1976 - Bio-Medical program began
1978 - Psychiatric Unit opened
1982 - Began offering I-125 isotope testing
1983 - Mobile CT Scan service began, which later became the Mobile MRI Scan service
1986 - A new transmitter and a 50 ft. tower installed for radio and paging system
1990 - Skilled Nursing Unit opened
1993 - Wrote new mission statement, and the hospital experienced a $1,000,000 financial turnaround
1995 - the Sisters of St. Joseph of Wichita transferred ownership of St. Joseph hospital to Salina Regional Health Center. The name was then changed to the Cloud County Health Center.
The hospital has undergone many other improvements over the course of it's history, too numerous to mention. |
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