The start of Columbus Regional Hospital can be traced to 1915, when Bartholomew County government officials borrowed $100,000 to construct a new hospital north of 17th Street and east of Haw Creek in Columbus. Follow the hospital’s path over the next 100 years.
1917: The three-story Bartholomew County Hospital opens with 32 beds and 25 employees. Its first patients are admitted on Feb. 6.
1930: The Hattie S. Kirkpatrick Memorial Nurses Home, which is housing for nurses, is established on the northwest side of the hospital.
1945: An addition on the south wing is added, increasing hospital capacity to 75 beds.
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1949: Bartholomew County Commissioners approve plans for a $780,000 expansion, increasing capacity to 129 beds.
1953: The hospital completes a $1.7 million expansion with additions including two three-story wings; the number of beds is expanded to 142.
1959: The hospital expands to add 39 more beds, remodeling the second floor and emergency areas at a cost of $911,000.
1968: $3.7 million in bonds are issued to build Murphy Pavilion, a five-story in-patient unit of 108 beds in honor of former administrator Olive Murphy, who retired in 1967 as hospital administrator after 28 years of service.
1972: The hospital opens a 10-bed intensive coronary-care unit.
1973: The hospital renovates its children’s ward.
1976-1978: Plans are announced for a $7.2 million expansion adding two floors to the Murphy Pavilion and ambulatory services, including radiology and laboratory.
1979: The hospital partners with Lifeline Helicopter in Indianapolis to provide local service.
1981: Labor and delivery rooms are established on a pilot basis.
1983: Patients are admitted to a new psychiatric ward.
1984: The hospital reclassifies as a regional referral center and a paramedic program begins.
1988: Bartholomew County Hospital and Quinco Consulting Center affiliate to expand and improve mental health services.
1990: Ground is broken on a $40 million expansion and renovation project which includes a cancer treatment center and birthing center.
1991: The hospital adopts a smoke-free policy.
1992-1994: Bartholomew County Hospital changes its name to Columbus Regional Hospital and celebrates completion of a renovation project that added new pavilions, front lobby, gift shop, dining room, physicians office building and renovations and additions to the main patient tower. The Cancer Center opens.
1995: The Breast Health Center opens in the Haw Creek Medical Office Building, and PromptMed Immediate Care Center opens on 25th Street.
1996: Volunteers in Medicine clinic opens offering health care to the uninsured and underinsured in Bartholomew County.
2001: The hospital’s website is launched.
2004: A Picture Archiving and Communications System is implemented and a new linear accelerator begins delivering radiation therapy in cancer treatment. The North Medical Office Building is built. Our Hospice of South Central Indiana opens an inpatient facility on the east end of the main hospital campus.
2008: Plans are announced for a new emergency department and patient tower. A record flood closes the hospital for five months. All employees remained on paid staff during the closure and the hospital coordinated patient care for residents in the area through surrounding regional health systems.
2011: A flood wall is build around the entire main hospital campus. The health system changes its name to Columbus Regional Health.
2012: Surgical Services begins using the da Vinci Si Robotic Surgical System.
2013: WellConnect opens in downtown Columbus. Columbus Regional Health becomes an official cosponsor of the Mill Race Marathon.
2014: Inspire Health Partners is created by a partnership through Columbus Regional Health, Schneck Medical Center and SIHO. Plans for an expanded Cancer Center and new Emergency Department are announced.
2016: The Cancer Center expansion is completed with state-of-the-art radiation equipment and physicians. The new Emergency Department is double the size of the previous facility. Volunteers in Medicine changes its name to VIMCare Clinic and opens in the former hospital emergency department space.
— Source: Columbus Regional Health
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A magazine detailing Columbus Regional Hospital’s 100-year history will be included in The Republic on Sunday.
The section, “One Hundred Years of Caring,” includes a look back over the century of care and provides a chapter on where the health system is headed in the future.
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