Recent History

In the 1960's additional space was needed and an addition to the original building was constructed to the north. This space was then used for offices and medical records. In 1979 the Wisconsin Health Planning Council recommended that Memorial Hospital close its doors. This was not acceptable to the community who overwhelmingly rallied in support of their hospital. Lafayette County purchased the facility and began the reorganization process.

In 1983 a new crisis occurred. The State of Wisconsin mandated that Memorial Hospital upgrade its surgical facilities and expand its emergency room area. The Memorial Messenger was newly formed and undertook the raising of over $500,000 to fund the project. Their extremely successful fund raising efforts provided for a new OR suite. The suite consisted of an operating room, recovery room, sterile supply room, clean up room, nurse change room, and physician change room. The existing operating and recovery rooms were converted to emergency rooms. The new emergency rooms were much larger than the old ones and allowed adequate space for all of the equipment and personnel needed in life saving emergency situations.

In 1993 the hospital felt the need to have in-house CT scanning capabilities. CT scanning was provided by a mobile scanner which came 2-3 days per week. The Messenger raised $60,000 to provide the addition of a room for the CT scanner.

In 1998 space once again became a problem. The Rehab Services department, outpatient clinic, and Medical Records had all outgrown their present space. The lobby/registration area was also not accessible to wheelchair patients. A multithousand dollar building project was undertaken which remodeled the outpatient clinic giving it more space with more functional rooms. A new Rehabilitation Services Department was built which provided a large open area for group treatments as well as private treatment areas for individual therapies. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, cardiac rehab, and pulmonary rehab provide therapy in this space. A new Medical Records department was added providing adequate space for filing medical records, coding functions, dictation, and transcription. A registration and lobby area which was accessible to wheelchair patients was added and a conference room to accommodate hospital and community meetings. The Memorial Messenger raised $50,000 to buy equipment for the new area.

In 2000 the need to expand and upgrade the Radiology Department was identified. With the help of Rep. Tammy Baldwin and a $980,000 HRSA grant, new fluoroscopy, general radiography, mammography, C-arm, and CT scanner were obtained. The department was also expanded and remodeled to provide more efficient space.

In 2002 we have once again identified the need to upgrade our facilities. The patient rooms did not all have their own bathrooms. The recent remodeling plan provided each patient room with its own bathroom.

The OB department currently has 2 beautifully decorated and home-like Labor, Delivery, Recovery, and Post partum(LDRP) rooms. The mom is admitted to an LDRP room in labor and spends her entire hospital stay in this beautiful room/suite. A waiting room for just OB patients and family was also added.

New trauma rooms have been built with a separate nurses station that provide room for their computers, printers, forms, and an area where physicians, nurses, and family could confer outside the trauma rooms. A waiting room has also been added in this area.

The OR suite has been reconfigured to correct some life safety code deficiencies and add more storage space. Over the past 20 years since the new OR was built, new procedures requiring more equipment are being done. The OR remodel provides for a more efficient patient flow.

A renal dialysis unit has been identified for many years as a much needed service by the Lafayette County community. With the recent remodeling project space was added to accommodate a six unit dialysis suite. Thus preventing long drives to the existing dialysis units. Treatment can now be received in their own community.