History
In 1882, Dr. D. W. Robinson, a recent graduate, was enroute by train to the
Pacific Coast in quest of practicing medicine there. However, his life was about
to take a twist. He was misled by the railroad folder and found himself stranded
in Pierre at the end of the railroad, without any means to travel west. After
explaining his situation to an elderly man at the train station he was told,
"You come down to my hotel, and I'll find you some patients."
With
that, he laid the foundation of his career and that of the state's central
foremost medical center. It was a primitive site for a hospital and it lacked
basic furniture and equipment. Robinson performed operations on kitchen tables,
ironing boards, and floors.
At that time, Pierre was desperately in need of a school. The community fathers
approached several orders of Sisters in an attempt to get a school opened. The
fathers' requests were rejected time and time again. These Sisters had no desire
to open a school in such a bleak and desolate area. Eventually the Benedictine
Sisters of Yankton were approached. They believed they were to meet the
challenges God gave them, and they agreed to go to Pierre. With $20 to their
name, the five Benedictine Sisters arrived in Pierre by train on August 31,
1899.
God did indeed present the Sisters with challenges. The Park Hotel, built 15
years earlier, was chosen as the new school site. Since the Hotel's existence,
it was unoccupied for several years. The occupants had taken almost everything
with them when they left. During these vacant years, the only "guests" of the
hotel were various animals and birds. "What a sight, enough to discourage the
Sisters," Sister Alphonsa stated. "Nothing was in the house -- no beds, no
dishes, no furniture. Dust, dirt, and spider webs were the decorations. We
started to scrub and clean to have a few rooms ready when Sister Catherine, our
Superior, would come."
"The people brought cots from town. From a pile of rubbish in the backyard, we
salvaged spoons, forks, knives, pitchers, and plates. These we scoured and
used." It was so filthy from the critters and river sand that they could not
tell the color the woodwork. However, the Sisters refused to be discouraged. The
Mother Superior was coming in a few weeks, and they did not want her to see the
"school" in its current state. These five brave Sisters began working to clean
the Park Hotel up as soon as they arrived. The physicians of the community met
and determined that the need of a hospital was greater than that of a school.
The morning after the Sisters arrived, the physicians met with them and insisted
that they change their plans. The Sisters complied and the physicians brought
with them a patient.
Mary Woods was the first baby born at St. Mary's on December 9, 1899. The first
operation, on January 16, 1900 was performed on the first operating table
donated by Dr. Robinson. For the next decade, pneumonia, typhoid fever, and
small pox were prevalent. The south wing of the hospital was used as an
isolation unit. Although the staff worked diligently at preventing diseases and
treating patients, they weren't able to keep diseases at bay. Three of the
Sisters died of typhoid fever in 1905 and pneumonia consumed Dr. Robinson five
years later. Dr. T. F. Riggs had been practicing at St. Mary's a year before
Robinson's passing. He and five other physicians continued to lead the
pioneering spirit for central South Dakota. After years of studying at Johns
Hopkins University and the Mayo Clinic, Riggs had returned to his homeland to
devote himself to his people. "I belonged to this state and its people by
birth," said Riggs. "I just came home."
Riggs is commended for upholding the Moral Code of Medical Ethics and for
attributing to the accreditation of St. Mary's Hospital, as St. Mary's was among
the first hospitals in South Dakota to become accredited in the 1920s.
Over the years there has been many building projects. In 1930 the new hospital
was built with 100 beds. In 1951 an addition for an LPN school was added. This
was the first school specifically for LPNs in the nation. Some graduates of this
school went on to get RNs, Masters and even Doctorate degrees. Maryhouse Long
Term Care Facility was built in 1953. The new building was built across the
street from the old hospital in 1981, including the sky way to connect the two
buildings. In 1988 ParkWood Independent Living Apartments was built. St. Mary's
Healthcare Center's $12 million expansion was completed in January, 1999. This
expansion (the northeast building) allows for better patient care, parking, and
privacy. The new expansion includes: Emergency Room & Entrances, Ambulatory Care
Unit, Admissions, Switchboard, a new Lobby, three large waiting rooms, Surgery &
Recovery Room, Business Office, Gift Shop, and the R&SVP (Retired & Senior
Volunteer Program) Office. On the first floor of the northwest building is the
Laboratory and Radiology. The new OB unit is now located on the third floor of
the northwest building. This unit features Labor, Delivery, and Recovery rooms
designed to feel like home.
Modern technology and medicine have come a long way in the last century. Cures
for diseases have been found, medicine is readily available to treat illnesses,
and cell phones, pagers, and computerized equipment make it possible to
communicate immediately. St. Mary's continues to provide quality health care and
to stay on the cutting edge in advanced medical technology in serving the people
in central South Dakota.
In 1996 St. Mary's made the decision to join Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI)
based in Denver. CHI is the largest Catholic, not-for-profit healthcare system
in the country. CHI and St. Mary's share the same core values: Reverence,
Integrity, Compassion, and Excellence. As Pierre's largest privately-owned
employer, our facility believes in supporting the surrounding community.
In 1999 St. Mary's Healthcare Center assumed sponsorship of Gettysburg Medical
Center, which now includes a licensed 10 bed critical access hospital, Oahe
Manor, a 60-bed long term care facility that includes a Dementia unit and Oahe
Congregate Living Complex, an independent living facility featuring 12 one
bedroom apartments.
In 2004, the latest addition was completed. St. Mary's added on to the North
building, allowing all in-patient care to be located in the main building.
Respiratory Care, Pharmacy and Kidney Dialysis were moved to the third floor of
the North building. Transitional Care and Rehabilitation Services were placed on
the new fourth floor of the North building. Both floors were designed and
decorated to help our patients feel more at home. By using carpeted floors,
beautiful artwork, and unbelievable views of the city and Missouri River, we
hope to provide a calming affect for our patients.
Throughout the years St. Mary's has been committed to providing charity care to
support various community benefits and services. A CHI Initiative, Healthy
Communities, helps us determine community needs and led to the establishing and
strengthening partnerships. Capital University Center (CUC) is located on St.
Mary's campus and offers university classes, including a two year nursing
program. A new building will house CUC on St. Mary's campus in 2008.
St. Mary's continues to forge community partnerships to create services that
serve a need in the community, including a community crisis room for persons
experiencing a mental crisis, the Central SD Child Assessment Center, which
serves alleged victims of child abuse, neglect and drug endangerment and by
providing funding for prevention and treatment coalitions such as PierreObics a
community wide health campaign that encourages people to find small ways to add
extra activity to their daily lives.
Today, St. Mary's Healthcare Center consists of: 60-bed acute care hospital
accredited by Joint Commission, Maryhouse Nursing Home -- long-term care
facility with 82 beds, 23-bed Transitional Care Unit, ParkWood Independent
Senior Living Apartments -- 59-unit complex for seniors, and Gettysburg Medical
Center. St. Mary's is affiliated with Clinics and Home Health Services in
Highmore, Murdo, Onida, and Presho.
St. Mary's...providing quality care for over 100 years.
