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Memorial's History
Memorial Health Center has served the health care needs of Taylor, Clark, and parts of Price and Marathon counties since 1962. Memorial Health Center’s history demonstrates consistent growth with numerous awards and accreditations validating the quality care provided throughout its history.
In 1920, the privately owned Medford Clinic/Hospital, located on Wisconsin Avenue, was established Dr. Conrad E. Nystrum (1869-1923). Dr. Nystrum started his Medford practice in 1892.
Despite an expansion in 1932 to 34 beds, the clinic-hospital often struggled under the necessity to house as many as 50 patients at once. In 1959, it was estimated there were 4,000 patients each for the five practicing doctors in the area.
With funds from a Hill-Burton federal agency and community donations, Memorial Hospital of Taylor County (a 50-bed, 10-bassinet hospital) was opened on March 14, 1962, with a final price tag of $953,873.72.
In its first year, the hospital admitted 1,718 patients. It also saw 290 babies born; 343 surgeries – both major and minor; 143 blood transfusions; 2,624 x-ray exams; 1,159 Emergency Department visits; and 13,147 laboratory procedures.
The Medford Clinic, a separate entity from the Memorial Hospital of Taylor County, had four physicians in 1962: Dr. Walther Meyer, Dr. James Keuer, Dr. Lester Nystrum, and Dr. Ray Nystrum, both were sons of founding father Dr. Conrad Nystrum. Ten years later (January 1972), the Medford Clinic was purchased by Memorial Hospital of Taylor County.
The public’s support and acceptance of the new facility was exceptional. It wasn’t long before it was acknowledged that 50 beds weren’t enough. Completed in September 1968, was the addition of a second floor to the north, south, and west wings of the hospital, increasing its bed count by 60. The $848,198.04 addition also included the expansion of the Laboratory and X-ray departments, and the construction of a coronary care unit, a physical therapy area, a boiler room, and garage.
In October 1975, Memorial Hospital’s critical care unit was completed.
In 1978 a 68-bed nursing home was attached to the hospital. Within 30 days of opening, the new nursing home was filled to capacity. Only private pay residents were admitted to the facility prior to becoming Medicare certified in 1998.
In June of 1983, an ultrasound machine was added to Memorial’s services. In-house mammography and CT scans made their debut in 1984 and 1993 respectively. Digital Mammography, mobile PET/CT and Breast MRIs were introduced in 2008.
In August 1984, Cedar Court Apartments, a 24-unit senior low-income housing complex was established.
In April 1990, Memorial Hospital and Community Health Care, Inc., the parent organization of Wausau Hospital, were affiliated. The affiliation strengthened and expanded Memorial Hospital’s healthcare capabilities by providing access to more specialists, technology, cost-effective purchasing, and more active physician recruitment. Ownership and control of the hospital remained local. Memorial Hospital of Taylor County continued to be a community, not-for-profit hospital.
The nineties proved to be a busy time for expansion for Memorial Hospital. Those departments effected: Emergency/outpatient department, lab, surgical services, admissions, ambulance bay/entrance, physical therapy, X-Ray, and the business office.
In February 1991, a new three-phase cardiac rehabilitation program began.
Memorial Hospital of Taylor County (Medford), Good Samaritan Health Center (Merrill), Langlade Memorial Hospital (Antigo) and Wausau Hospital created the Wisconsin Valley Health Network, a not-for-profit health care corporation in June 1996.
In 1999, Memorial Hospital of Taylor County changed its name to Memorial Health Center.
In June 2000, Country Gardens - a Residential Care 28-unit Apartment Complex (RCAC), was opened.
August 2000, Memorial Health Center opened a walk-in clinic under the direction of the hospital’s Emergency Department.
By March of 2001, the clinics, hospital, and nursing home officially became one organization. Memorial had also established a strategic and financial partnership with Aspirus, Inc. (Wausau).
Memorial Health Center was designated a Critical Access Hospital in 2002. As a licensed Critical Access Hospital, Memorial Health Center receives cost-based reimbursement for treating Medicare and Medicaid patients. As a provision of this designation, the health center had to reduce its inpatient bed count down to a maximum of 25.
In June 2004, Memorial Health Center began a $19.5 million expansion and renovation project. When construction was completed in 2006, the facility had grown by 80 percent - three state-of-the-art surgical suites to accommodate procedural efficiency for Aspirus Network Specialists, private patient rooms, rooms specifically designed for chemotherapy services, a new emergency department, and a new two-story clinic were the highlights.
The construction addition of an attached clinic allowed Memorial’s Medford Therapy & Fitness to move into the vacated adjacent clinic building. It provided the therapy department with an additional 5,000 square feet, which was renovated into private therapeutic patient treatment rooms, a state-of-the-art physical therapy gym, and public fitness center.
In 2005, Memorial Health Center was categorized as a Level III Trauma Care Facility, which is a standard above most other critical access hospitals.
In August 2008, Memorial offered expectant parents an intriguing new option in childbirth -- water births. It also opened a new Anticoagulation Clinic in late October 2008.
Memorial Health Center was designated as an Aspirus Heart & Vascular Institute satellite campus on August 20, 2009, after it incorporated/expanded its cardiology services to include a cardiac device clinic, diagnostic studies including echocardiograms, stress testing, and nuclear cardiology, vascular specialists and services, Level 1 treatment of cardiac patients (streamlined diagnosis, transfer, treatments, in addition to an Aspirus MedEvac transport vehicle and paramedic), and an anticoagulation clinic.
On August 24, 2009, Memorial Health Center accepted its first Kidney Care dialysis patient.