The hospital was founded in 1919. After fundraising, construction began on Longview Street in May 1922. On July 1, 1924, the 24-bed hospital opened as Orleans County Memorial Hospital, with five full-time employees and a nursing school.[8] It ultimately grew to 72 beds in a 26,000 square feet (2,400 m2) building.[9]
In the early 1970s, Orleans and Essex County worked to raise funds for a new hospital. It opened January 5, 1974, as North Country Hospital, on 30 acres (12 ha) on Prouty Drive. It had 80 beds, an OB/GYN department, pediatrics ward, intensive care/coronary unit, quarters for radiology, laboratory, physical therapy, a fully staffed 24-hour emergency service department, and a then-modern surgical suite.[8] It cost $5 million, raised mostly from government funding.[9]
Since 1974, additional facilities have included an imaging services, physical therapy, library, information systems, ambulatory surgery suites, birthing rooms, a mobile MRI site, and three new buildings for physician practices in a medical village adjacent to the hospital.[8]
Medical practice changed over the years. There was no longer a need for a high inpatient, long-length of stay facility.[8]
In September, 2001 the hospital broke ground for the largest building project since the hospital was built. It was completed in 2003. The 28,614 square feet (2,658.3 m2) addition included a surgical suite, new emergency department with indoor ambulance bays, outpatient services, and central sterilization and distribution department.[8]
In 2006, a dialysis center opened in the 4,000 square feet (370 m2) ground floor space under the ED.[8]
The hospital had a $55 million budget in 2007. Salaries were $24 million. Supplies cost $14 million.[3]
- Alice Grant[5]
- Anna Terhune
- Tom Dowd 1971+
- James Cassidy
- Sid Toll
- Karen Weller ? - 2008
- Claudio Fort 2009-
