History of FGH
1910 - Drs. J.C. Powers and C. Osborne of Hampton purchased one of the first private hospitals in Franklin County.
1913 - The two doctors realized the need for a modern hospital facility to accommodate the growing number of patients. They approached Reverend Otto von Gemmingen and the pastor of the Beeds Lake Zion Lutheran Church to propose that the Lutherans organize a hospital association.
1914 - Ten doctors were practicing medicine in Hampton, one of whom was a female. The German Lutheran Society voted to build a $50,000 hospital. The organization of the Lutheran Hospital Association was completed at a meeting of stockholders. There were about 600 stockholders in the association. Rev. Otto von Gemmingen was elected president. Construction of the new hospital began in December with the laying of the cornerstone on December 6. The site was near the business portion of the city.
World War l began.
1915 - The new $50,000 Lutheran Hospital was dedicated on September 12 at the Windsor Theatre. The medical staff was Dr. J.C. Powers, Dr. C.F. Osborne, Dr. W.K. Long , Dr. H.E. Meyer, Dr. E. S. Manatt and Dr. Myrta Knowles. Miss L. Lindamann was the head nurse.
The first nurses’ training class began at the Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing in October.
1917 - After three years, several doctors bought the old Powers and Osborne hospital and remodeled it into a new clinic for their practice. It opened in October. Another story was added to the Lutheran Hospital in the fall.
1918 - The first class of five nurses graduated.
An ambulance and auto bus were added for service to and from the train depot.
The head nurse, Miss Heisser, left to serve in an Army hospital. The nursing training school continued with a total of 23 students: 5 seniors, 5 sophomores, 7 freshman, and 6 probationers.
WW1 ended, but a worldwide influenza epidemic broke out. By 1920 more people died of this than were killed in the war.
1919 - Dr. C.F. Osborne performed a rare operation, reportedly the first of its kind in Iowa.
The Hampton Clinic paid $12,000 for less than 1/20 of a teaspoonful of radium.
1920 - Women were granted the right to vote with the 49th amendment to the Constitution.
1926 - A successful blood transfusion was performed at the Lutheran Hospital by Dr. Bruce McDowell.
1929 - The Stock Market crashed. The Great Depression followed.
1930 - Patients numbered more than 1,000 per year with more than 500 operations. Births in the hospital were on the rise with 100 babies born in 1931.
1933 - The School of Nursing closed, having graduated 180 nurses.
Prohibition ended with the 21st amendment to the Constitution.
1934- Severe drought and heat wave hit the Great Plains creating the Dust Bowl.
1935 - The Social Security Administration was established, as well as Social Security Law.
1936 - Seth G. Walton, a native of Franklin County, started his medical practice in Hampton.
A free clinic was offered by physicians.
The nurses’ home reopened due to patient load, offering nurses a place for rest and recreation.
1937 - Dr. W. L. Randall accepted a post in the Hampton Clinic. He was a 1934 graduate of the State University of Iowa.
1938 - The first minimum wage was set at 25 cents per hour through the Fair Labor Standards Act.
1939 - World War ll began.
It was a record year for the hospital with 1,142 patients and 135 births.
1940 - On September 20 the hospital celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary. Services were held at Trinity Lutheran Church. An open house took place at the hospital, and a banquet was served for the members of the hospital association at the Hotel Coonley.
As specialty medicine became more prominent (before the War 75-80% of doctors were engaged in general practice), residency programs were created and formal certifying boards in the major clinical specialties were established.
1941 - An iron lung was purchased by the community for the Lutheran Hospital. The drive was sponsored by the Child Development Mother’s Club of Hampton.
1942 - A fire at the Lutheran Hospital proved the value of fireproof construction.
1944 - Dr. H.H. Johnston bought the Hampton Clinic, thus assuring the county a medical doctor. Many doctors had left the community to serve in the war.
1945 - WW ll ended.
1950 - The Korean War began.
Admissions numbered more than 2,000 patients per year, with 1,000 operations and 500 births.
1953 - The Korean War ended. Dr. Richard E. Munns began his association with the Hampton Clinic, having previously been with the Army Medical Corps at Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma, Washington.
1955 - Dr. D.K. Benge of Des Moines started his association with the Hampton Clinic in May. He had been working in Dows for the past six years.
The Polio vaccine was developed by Dr. Jonas Salk.
1956 - The hospital was ranked one of the best in the state.
The Hospital Auxiliary was organized, starting with 100 members.
1957 - A list of appeals for funds was published.
TVs were installed in hospital rooms by the Hospital Auxiliary.
1959 - The hospital planned an improvement project at a cost of $97,000. This included updating equipment and remodeling some of the patient rooms.
1960- The Hampton Clinic installed new X-ray equipment of the latest type at a cost of $16,000. Usually used in hospitals, it was the first such equipment with an automatic timing device to be installed in a clinic in Iowa.
1961 - The first scholarship was given by the Hospital Auxiliary.
1962 - Stockholders of the Lutheran Hospital voted to give the property, valued at $540,000, to Franklin County.
In November the County voted to accept the hospital.
On December 11, 1962, the Lutheran Hospital became Franklin General Hospital.
1963 - The official transfer of the Lutheran Hospital was completed.
The ambulance service was now operated by FGH, moving these services away from the funeral homes.
The Hampton Clinic erected a new building for their offices. The residential property west of the hospital was purchased from Ernest Kuhlman for the location. When it was completed, Dr. Seth G. Walton, Dr. W.L. Randall, Dr. D.K. Benge and Dr. R.E. Munns moved their practice into the new building.
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963.
1964 - In June an open house was held for the $40,000 remodel of first floor. This remodel converted physician offices to patient rooms, which increased capacity to 43.
The Vietnam War began.
1965 - Social Security Amendments established Medicare and Medicaid.
Franklin County supported a Red Cross drive, donating more than 400 pints of blood.
1966 - Discussions were held about the nursing home becoming part of the hospital (moving from the old house where it was located at the time).
In June, FGH was approved for Medicare.
Nursing personnel and ambulances provided assistance with supplies and services to Belmond following a tornado that struck that community.
1967 - Franklin County's health needs were increasing and there were concerns that the hospital would not pass a federal inspection. The need for a new hospital was evident. County voters approved building a new hospital east of Hampton on Highway 3.
In September a special election was held for a bond issue to build a new hospital at the cost of $1.25 million. The proposal would use $788,000 of federal funds under the Hill-Burton program. The measure passed by 76.8 percent.
1968 - In May a tornado hit Charles City. Several nurses, Dr. Dorothy Heuermann, two ambulances, supplies and equipment were sent from FGH to assist with the tornado recovery.
1970 - The new hospital was under construction in East Hampton.
OSHA was established.
1971 - The dedication of the new hospital took place on July 31 and August 1. The new Franklin General Hospital opened its doors. This was a one story 92-bed hospital. A combination of acute and intermediate care beds were available. The combination of rooms varied for a period of time, eventually becoming 40 acute and 52 intermediate care beds. A new infant resuscitation unit was given by a Mother’s Club at a cost of $1400. On August 26 the first baby was born.
1972 - Additional land was purchased around the hospital to accommodate future expansions.
Construction began on Franklin Medical Center.
1973 - In January the Franklin Medical Center opened. This was a physician clinic located just west of the hospital. Dr. David Wilson started practicing there in January and Dr. Keith Hansen started in July.
1975 - The Vietnam War ended.
1979 - MediSearch was formed for physician recruitment.
Technology was expanding and ultrasound was added to the Radiology Department.
1980 - An addition was built on Franklin Medical Center.
Dr. Heuermann joined Franklin Medical Center, so just one clinic was operating in Hampton.
The old Lutheran Hospital building that was being used as a nursing home was closed.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was established.
1981 - In September a real estate auction of the old hospital took place. There was only one bid for $100, which was rejected. In October H.U.D. purchased the old hospital/nursing home for $35,000 for senior housing.
1982 - Cardiac stress testing was started.
In December, Bob Davies, Sr., was honored for 22 years of service on the Franklin General Hospital Board of Trustees.
1983 - The Hospital Auxiliary started the first Lifeline for Hampton and the surrounding area.
On October 1 DRGs were implemented for cost containment for Medicare.
1984 - In February the swing bed program was approved, allowing any inpatient bed to be used for either acute or skilled patients.
The AIDS virus was discovered.
1985 - A contract was signed with St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Mason City, a division of Sisters of Mercy Health Corporation, to provide management of Franklin General Hospital.
Mammography services were started.
Holiday Care was started.
1987 - The farm crisis hit, affecting people’s ability to pay for healthcare.
In-house CT took the place of a mobile service.
1989 - Construction was done to add a new board room and administrative offices to the hospital.
1990 - The last baby was delivered before obstetric services were discontinued at FGH.
Services added at the hospital included chemotherapy, cardiac rehab, and chaplaincy program.
On July 1, FGH became a smoke-free facility.
FGH provided medical services when Hampton hosted RAGBRAI on July 24.
The Persian Gulf War started.
1991 - Sick Child Care Program was introduced.
Technology continued to expand with laparoscopic surgery.
The Advanced Directives Health Care Program was implemented.
The Gulf War ended.
1992 - February brought the layoff of 25 employees.
Franklin General Hospital Foundation was formed and a capital campaign kicked off.
1993 - FGH cut employees’ salaries and benefits.
In July FGH purchased Franklin Medical Center.
A satellite clinic opened in Dows, Iowa.
Cataract surgery was started at FGH.
The Great Flood of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers killed 48 people and was the costliest flood in U.S. history.
1994 - The new Emergency Center was opened in the old OB area.
Telemedicine was established.
1996 - A satellite clinic opened in Latimer.
A new clinic addition was added to the hospital so Franklin Medical Center could be relocated.
Congress endorsed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), also called Standards of Privacy.
1998 - The Pals Estate bequeathed 160 acres to FGH Foundation in a 20-year trust.
The hospital started preparing for the “Y2K.”
A joint operating service agreement was established between FGH and Board of Health.
FGH became a partner in purchasing a mobile ultrasound unit.
1999 - Franklin General Hospital partnered with Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City, Iowa. This relationship enhanced the capability to integrate a healthcare system to provide quality primary care to residents of Franklin County and beyond.
FGH also signed a collaborative agreement with ABCM to build an attached assisted living complex.
2000 - In February a hearing was held for the assisted living project. The hospital borrowed money from the Bankers’ Association and Corn Belt Power to help pay for the project.
FGH obtained Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation.
In September ground was broken for the assisted living facility. Jim Bobst was also honored for 24 years of service to the Board of Trustees.
FGH undertook an $800,000 improvement project to meet hospital fire code.
FGH received its first Trauma Certification at Community Level.
2001 - The Dudley acreage (25 acres) was purchased and 8.5 acres sold to R.A.C.E. for $1 to build the Franklin Wellness Center.
Franklin Prairie Apartments (assisted living) was completed and opened.
The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon took place on 9/11.
The war in Afghanistan broke out.
2002 - The hospital completed a $1.3 million renovation.
The Dumont Clinic, purchased from Mercy, became part of FGH.
Technology continued to advance with all management staff having email access.
FGH Foundation celebrated its 10th anniversary with a program featuring “Nuns on the Run.”
2003 - A hospital roofing project was completed.
A new spiral CT was added.
War was declared in Iraq.
2004 - The Cardiac Rehab program added the Step Ahead Program.
Wellness lab testing was added to increase services to the public.
FGH began a sharing agreement for mobile ultrasound services with Britt and Belmond.
Teleradiology equipment was added to the Radiology Department.
FGH received the Iowa Community Health Prize for the Namaste Clinic.
Ground was broken for the Franklin Wellness Center.
An order entry system was established for the Radiology Department as well as a Clinical Information System. This was the first step in adopting an electronic medical record.
2005 - Franklin Wellness Center opened.
2006 - A bid was awarded for 3.4 million dollars for remodeling of the Nursing Facility. Groundbreaking took place in November and would consist of adding a dining room, a new entrance, 12 private rooms, a library, and a conference room, in addition to the remodel of all resident rooms.
Sleep Lab services were made available at FGH.
In September FGH became a tobacco-free campus.
Language Line was added for interpretive services.
The process began to develop a master facility plan for the remodel of the hospital.
2007 - Language Line was utilized to accommodate a growing Spanish-speaking population in Franklin County.
FGH again provided medical services for RAGBRAI's overnight stay in Hampton
Cardiolyte stress testing and Dexa testing for osteoporosis were implemented.
PACS (picture archiving and communication system for viewing X-rays electronically) was installed in Radiology.
2008 - A contract with 21st Century Rehab was signed to provide therapy services at FGH.
The nursing facility remodel project was completed. An open house celebrated the event.
FGH again responded to the needs of a neighboring community by giving assistance following the Parkersburg tornado.
In July FGH converted to an electronic health record called Powerchart for hospital services.
In October FGH CEO Mark Klosterman was awarded the Young Executive Award by Iowa Hospital Association.
2009 - A feasibility study for fundraising was conducted for a Master Facility Plan.
Groundbreaking for construction of the $14.5 multiphase construction project took place in June. This would be a three-year project, completed in 2012. Additions included administration/business offices, physical therapy, cardiac rehab, all private patient rooms on medical/surgical unit, updated surgical suite, and emergency center. These facility improvements would provide more space and privacy for patients and staff.
A new phone and voice mail system went live in November.
In-house ambulance staffing was implemented to assure rapid response to ambulance calls.
2010 - A fundraising campaign called "Healing, Renewing, Expanding" was conducted to help finance the $15.5 million complete renovation of FGH.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed.
In June the hospital had its first major Cerner Powerchart upgrade.
In July Kim Price became CEO.
The hospital converted to digital mammography.
In October a thank you for donors was held and included a check presentation from major donors.
2012 - Hospital renovation was completed. In addition to the updates included in the Master Facility Plan, renovations included remodeling and updating the cafeteria. An open house was held to celebrate completion of the the three-year renovation project.
In October FGH Chief Nursing Officer Chris Eckhoff received the Outstanding Nurse Executive Award from the Iowa Hospital Association.
A Process Excellence Department was formed with an increased focus on the LEAN process, a systemic method for the elimination of waste.
2013 - The nursing facility was renamed Franklin Country View to promote its own branding.
A digital sign was mounted in the hospital’s entrance to provide information to patients and visitors.
In October a Patient Portal was also developed to give patients access to their own health information.
2014 - The Affordable Care Act took effect.
Franklin Country View received the 2014 Leading Edge Care and Services Award for their work in rehabilitation.
A nurse residency program was established with Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa.
FGH was recognized as a high performance hospital in fall prevention.
A health coach position was established as part of the new Population Health program.
Dr. David Dennis retired in September after 38 years of practice at FGH.
A disease registry was established.
2015 - The hospital's electronic medical record was converted to Cerner Community Works, incorporating clinic and hospital records, along with the business office system.
FGH celebrates 100 years of caring with a public celebration in appreciation for the community's support.
2016 - Apple Valley takes over management of the assisted living facility connected to Franklin General Hospital.
2017 - FGH completes renovations to the facility, adding centralized registration for all services and repurposing under utilized space to allow the addition of new services.
In February FGH announced a partnership with Senior Life Solutions, an intensive outpatient group therapy program designed to meet the unique needs of older adults struggling with depression and anxiety often related to aging.
2018 - FGH Foundation holds Pink Tie Gala to raise money for a 3D Mammography machine. The 3D Mammography machine was put into use in August of 2018.
Allie Kjormoe, ARNP and Dr. Jasjit Singh join the Franklin Medical Center staff.
FGH begins using the Interpreter on Wheels to provide certified translation services utilizing both audio and video for our non-English speaking consumers. The first Interpreter on Wheels was purchased through a generous donation from the FGH Auxiliary.
2019 -Mercy Health Network changes their name to MercyOne and FGH begins using the "Franklin General Hospital - an affiliate of MercyOne" nomenclature.
Franklin Medical Center - Dows closed in August, allowing Franklin Medical Center - Latimer to be open 4 days per week. The building housing the Latimer clinic was purchased by Franklin General Hospital, making it possible to make changes to the facility to improve efficiency and convenience.