Massac Memorial Hospital

The hospital accepted its first patient on April 14, 1956. Since then, the hospital has undergone several renovations and expansions. In 1964, it was expanded to include 13 additional patient rooms, a second x-ray room, a new recovery room, a second nurse's station and communication system, an enlarged medical records room and a cafeteria bar in the dining room, solarium, examination room, doctor's library, lounge/conference room, new pantry, enlarged business office, relocated chapel, new pediatrics ward, expanded basement, improved laundry and maintenance facilities, autopsy and morgue room and an additional elevator.

In 1973, a medical annex was constructed in the south side of the facility with space for six doctor's offices.

In 1982, the original south patient wing was demolished to allow for construction of a six-bed intensive-cardiac care unit. Also added in 1982 were a relocated and enlarged emergency department, an updated x-ray department with two rooms, improved medical records facilities, a larger laboratory and a relocated and improved respiratory therapy department.

A 1994 addition included state-of-the-art surgical rooms, a recovery room and an outpatient procedure room. A new patient registration area was built along with renovation and expansion of the emergency department to 7 beds.

The federal Balanced Budget Act of 1997 created the Critical Access Hospital Program as a safety net to assure Medicare beneficiaries access to health services in rural area. Following this, Massac Memorial was designated as a Critical Access Hospital.

The most recent renovation and construction project included three separate building additions, which included 12 new private patient rooms, a special care unit, emergency department, Imaging department, outpatient registration, outpatient lobby, gift shop, laboratory, recovery room, and business office.^[3]

As of 2011, Massac Memorial Hospital employees 22 full-time registered nurses, 12 full-time licenses practical nurses, 1 part-time physician, 25 part-time registered nurses, and 4 part-time licensed practical nurses.^[1]