History Lafayette Home Hospital

the hospital s southeast corner, 2007.

home hospital began in house @ corner of 16th , howell streets, adjacent current franciscan health lafayette central campus. known home friendless, place care provided homeless residents. @ board meeting in november 1894, board voted use home , of belongings hospital, many other community organizations began serving homeless , destitute residents. voted rename facility, city hospital, never caught on residents, kept going name home. on june 16, 1895, lafayette home hospital officially incorporated non-profit entity 21 local residents serving on board of directors. part of group’s fundraising activities, offered name hospital after local benefactors. if generous , public spirited lady or gentleman wishes hand or name down posterity benefactor or erect monument lasting , grand contributing sufficient money build proposed institution, possible change name, honor donor, 1 report in lafayette journal & courier june 1895. (a date of july 22, 1895 appears on paperwork approved secretary of state.) while no benefactors stepped forward change name, several community members , groups stepped forward provide supplies, funds , land home hospital.

according journal & courier in special 1945 edition home hospital, first patient miss mary smith – later married robert orr, lived @ 923 n. 8th st. on morning of mrs. orr’s operation, recalls patients ate together, after dining room table cleared action , surgery performed. hospital said have had 1 nurse, assistant kept house, , cook. there room 8 patients , place home, staff , patients forming 1 happy family.

as services grew, board looking new location. after debate, thoughts of building @ seventh , union streets abandoned. in 1898, hospital ladies’ aid society established way continue raise funds various needs @ hospital. in october 1898, board purchased half block of land @ 24th , south streets – 3 acres of land – across columbian park, many people called out in country. land included farm house, serve new hospital.

in 1901, 1 of first benefactors home hospital stepped forward gift. john p. kile, retired merchant lafayette, donated funds , built new two-story brick building in memory of wife elizabeth. building known kile building, organization still continue known home hospital. new building have rooms 24 patients , administration. in december 1905, third floor added onto kile building. mrs. charles b. stuart gave home hospital christmas gift donating rest of block hospital , property extended 25th street. throughout next 40 years, community continued provide donations enabled home hospital expand, both in facilities , property. kile building continually used until demolished in 1981.

in mid 1950s, group of community leaders gathered , met both administration , boards of home hospital , st. elizabeth plan future. after 3 years of study, group made intentions known on april 15, 1959: provide funding build 100 beds @ home hospital , 100 beds @ st. elizabeth, provide equipment , space ancillary services. group launched campaign called health: enlarge adequately lafayette’s 2 hospitals.

according april 16, 1959 edition of journal , courier, tippecanoe county medical society recognized critical shortage of hospital facilities in greater lafayette, tippecanoe county , surrounding area, sought assistance of greater lafayette chamber of commerce in obtaining expansion of home , st. elizabeth hospitals. report issued health committee dr. herman smith , associates – hospital consultant – emphasizing need improvement , expansion @ both facilities. reason why hospitals needed modernized: expansion , growth in community, new industries , growing student population @ purdue. more $3 million campaign launched 4 goals in mind: address existing shortage of hospital beds; greater demand beds , other hospital facilities accompany population growth; need replacement of outmoded facilities; , improvements necessary hospitals keep pace continuing advancements in medical science. health campaign went build new four-story wing 100 beds, new lobby , administrative area, new emergency department, physical medicine department, central medicine supply department, x-ray suite, operating rooms , laboratories @ home hospital. in marketing material, recalled history of each entity , how working community: together, st. elizabeth , lafayette home hospital have provided finest possible health service our community total of on 140 years. history of each institution story of struggle , of heartening achievement. now, however, our hospitals future, ability continue serving expanding community, once again, threatened. facilities in our hospitals, in many other institutions across land, have in recent years been severely strained record demands health care. urgent need bring our facilities up-to-date must met now, when emergency strikes, there must room in our hospitals.

the 1970s brought additional advancements in technology , services home hospital. hospital, had 365 beds, 35 bassinets , 9 isolettes, celebrated launch of neonatal intensive care unit in july 1975. other happenings 1975 included auxiliary providing $59,242.96 home hospital, bulk of home hospital fair, gift shop , other events. main goal complete pledge of $500,000 building fund. report included home hospital’s red coats, first all-male organization of hospital volunteers in world, celebrated 10th anniversary.

construction , changes in services continued through 1980s , 1990s. home hospital continued experience patient growth. result: addition of new front lobby, patient rooms , ancillary service areas, parking garage , other areas. in 1984, corporate restructuring created family of corporations united single goal: doing whatever necessary maintain home hospital vibrant, community-owned hospital. north central health services (nchs) became new name , parent company of home hospital , several other ventures. in 1990, in preparing 100th anniversary home hospital, launched massive remodeling , modernization project. on september 26, 1997, home hospital , st. elizabeth officials announced 2 entities intended combine governance , management in new corporation. unified hospital system – called greater lafayette health services (glhs) – work more efficient , more responsive purchase , consume health care. of benefits of creating new system eliminate waste , reduce duplication of expensive technology. officially merged on january 1, 1999.

greater lafayette health services announced in late 2005 plan close home hospital, , construct new facility called franciscan health lafayette east on city s southeast side. work on new facility commenced in late 2006, completion , occupation occurring on february 25, 2010; home hospital closed same day. private developer agreed purchase property in late 2012, , buildings demolished in 2013. site occupied springs @ lafayette, rehabilitation , assisted living facility.