The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center by Mercy Health Youngstown

This book includes the history book written at the time of

the history

Celebrating the Past • Growing for the Future

of St. Elizabeth Health Center • Youngstown, Ohio

Centennial Celebration 1911 – 2011

the history

of St. Elizabeth Health Center • Youngstown, Ohio

St. Elizabeth’s 75th anniversary celebration in 1986 and an update of the 25 years that have followed. It also includes The

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the evolution

of Humility of Mary Health Partners’ Healing Ministry

Evolution of Humility of Mary Health Partners’ Healing Ministry.

the evolution

of Humility of Mary Health Partners’ Healing Ministry

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St. Elizabeth Health Center Centennial Celebration 1911 – 2011 Celebrating the Past • Growing for the Future This book includes the history book written at the time of St. Elizabeth’s 75th anniversary celebration in 1986 and an update of the 25 years that have followed. It also includes The Evolution of Humility of Mary Health Partners’ Healing Ministry.

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A Circle of Caring:

The Story of St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center

Researched and Written by Maribeth Burke Hernan Edited by Patty Rush

THE CIRCLE OF CARING

years

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Special acknowledgement and thanks are given to the following people who provided information through personal interviews: Sister Thecla McManamon, H.M. Sarah Varley McCarthy Sister Bertille Kress, H.M. Sister Mary Linus MacDonald, H.M. Sister M. Consolata Kline, H.M. Sister Susan Schorsten, H.M. Leonard P. Caccamo, M.D. S.V. Squicquero, M.D. Members of the 75th Anniversary Committee Published: December 1986 The author has published portions of this material in 1986 issues of St. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quarterly publication, Connections.

St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center 1044 Belmont Avenue/Youngstown, Ohio

Sponsored by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary B OA RD O F T RU ST EES Sister M. Consolata Kline, H.M. President John M. Newman Chairman Sister Susan Schorsten, H.M. Vice President George A. Seeds Vice Chairman Sister Frances Flanigan, H.M. Secretary William Cushwa Treasurer Rashid Abdu, M.D. John S. Andrews, emeritus Paul L. Bruhn, emeritus James F. Cain John A. Coakley Jr. Herbert B. Cohen, emeritus William F. Courtney Mrs. Charles B. Cushwa Jr. Sister Judith Ann Dohner, H.M.

J. Patrick Downey Allen Foxman, emeritus Fred L. Gronvall John P. Hughes Neil D. Humphrey, Ed.D. Mrs. Leonard Isroff Robert Itts William G. Lyden Jr. Robert B. McConnell, M.D. Charles J. McCrudden Jr. Kenneth F. McMahon Sister Celine Metzger, H.M. Robert L. Pegues Jr. J. Phillip Richley Sister Madeline Shemo, H.M. Sister Anne Victory, H.M. Gerald M. Walsh Arthur G. Young William F. Zarbaugh, emeritus

ST. ELIZABETH HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER is a member of the Humility of Mary Health Care Corporation. Sister M. Consolata Kline, H.M., major superior of the Humility of Mary religious community, serves as president of the corporation and Sister Frances Flanigan, H.M., is chief executive officer. Corporate headquarters are maintained in Lorain, Ohio.

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Introduction

ompiling the history of an institution is a monumental task that requires months of research. Hundreds of newspaper articles must be read thoroughly, with details jotted down and later organized in some chronological fashion. Official documents must be perused with a keen eye. None can be “skimmed over,” lest a fact escape unnoticed that might have illuminated an incident that has not yet fallen into place. Countless hours of personal interviews must be conducted and later transcribed. The right questions must be asked and the researcher must be open to accepting commentary that may be contradictory to what was earlier learned. Historical research is not for the faint-hearted—discrepancies must be resolved, myths must be expelled with reality, and at no point can the researcher justify not including a discovered fact simply because it may be “sensitive.” In the course of the research, the facts, the figures, the dates and the names emerge to produce the chronology. But something else also emerges: the human story—the motivations…the dreams…the frustrated efforts… and the “paths not taken.” Institutions do not simply spring from the ground. They start as dreams—that turn into ideas—that evolve into meetings—and then plans—and, eventually, reality. This is especially true of hospitals, which years ago were not considered businesses but rather places where people went to die. This history of St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center has all the facts, dates and names that could be documented with accuracy. It also contains a lot of the human story that is as much a part of the institution as the bricks, mortar, steel and glass that go into the building. Today, St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center is an impressive structure that stands atop a hill, making it visible for miles around. Millions of people have passed through its doors over the past 75 years—some were born there, some were healed, and many died there.

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The human element that has been connected with the day-to-day activities of the hospital since its very beginning is so ingrained that most people take it for granted. But a look back at how it all began and at those who dreamed it, started it and saw it through the early years and all the years that followed—whether they be good or bad times—gives insight into its humanity. The significance of this history will be different for each who reads it. At the very least, it will provide documentation that might serve some purpose yet unknown. But at its best, it can give hope and encouragement to those associated with St. Elizabeth’s today and in years to come. By taking a step back and putting things into their proper perspective, the “hard times” of today can be viewed as the possible heroics of tomorrow, and the tough decisions made now have the chance of being judged as “visionary” by future generations. But “a place in history” is rarely the motivation for those people who make up the community known as St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center. The work done there today is its own reward—and, regardless of the diversified religious beliefs of its members, all can sense that there has been and continues to be the presence of a force that goes beyond human dreams and motivation. The development of St. Elizabeth’s did not occur in a vacuum—it took place in the midst of events that had a profound influence on its direction. So, from time to time, a historical frame of reference has been included to help the reader relate the specifics associated with St. Elizabeth’s to the larger specifics of the city, the country and the world. —Editor

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Chapter

The Beginning

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Chapter

he years 1901 to 1915 are earmarked in American history as the Progressive Movement. The era was distinguished by the appearance of such scholars as Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., Louis Brandeis, Theodore Dreiser and Upton Sinclair. Political reforms included the secret ballot, adopted in all states by 1910, and women’s suffrage, enacted in 11 states by 1914—Ohio and Illinois being the only ones east of the Mississippi River. Social and economic reforms of the time included commissions to regulate railroads and monopolies, child labor legislation, and advances by labor groups to reduce working hours and increase wages. In 1909, the Ohio Senator William Howard Taft was sworn in as 27th President of the United States; and, in July of that year, Congress submitted the 16th Amendment to the Constitution—the legislation that would permit a tax on personal income. It would be ratified four years later. Also in July of that year, a group of prominent laymen and representative clergy from all the parishes in Youngstown met with Reverend Edward Mears, pastor of St. Columba Church1, to discuss the possibility of beginning a Catholic hospital. That meeting, held on July 19, 1909, was catalyst to the movement that would eventually bring about the establishment of St. Elizabeth Hospital to serve the people of the Youngstown community. A Youngstown Vindicator article dated July 21, 1909, reports that preliminary steps had been taken and a new Catholic hospital was almost assured. A petition was to be circulated in the community and later presented to Bishop John P. Farrelly of the Cleveland Diocese2 to secure his support and approval. Members of the petition committee included: Father Edward Mears, Austin Gillen, John Cantwell Sr. and Charles B. Cushwa Sr. Sarah Varley McCarthy, the first Catholic news reporter in Youngstown, began her career with the Youngstown Telegram. In a 1985 interview, she recalled that Bishop Farrelly welcomed the committee and endorsed the

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

proposal—with the recommendation that the men raise the needed funds themselves. Apparently, the diocese would be offering moral and spiritual support, but financial support would have to come from the people of Youngstown. The business of fund-raising was the next step in the process. In addition to Misters Gillen, Cantwell and Cushwa, the committee formed to solicit funds from the general public included: Hugh Grant, P.M. Kennedy, James Colleran, J.J. McNally, John Gerrity, Michael Sause, Edward Latteau, M. Obendorfer, Joseph Vogelberger, John Kirby, Will C. Reilly, A.J. Loftus, John Ward, Frank Horton, Martin Dunn, Peter Deibel, Edward Deibel, F. Linnberg and W. Phelan. Their goal: collecting the $10,000 that had already been pledged for the new hospital. As fund-raisers are inclined to do even to this very day, an “event” was sponsored—not only to help raise some of the needed money but also to call attention to the campaign through publicity. The event, known as Aviation Day and scheduled for October 12, 1910, would allow Youngstown residents their first glimpse of a relatively new invention: the airplane. Also included in those early organizational efforts were such tasks as the acquisition of the local medical society’s endorsement, finding the right property, and the search for a group of sisters to run it. In a letter to Father Mears, Dr. Sidney McCurdy, secretary of the Mahoning County Medical Society, wrote: At the request of this society, and after fully discussing the hospital situation in the city, I am instructed to convey to you by letter, our unanimous endorsement of any hospital institution that you may be interested in fostering. Our discussion brought out clearly that Youngstown needs for the sick and suffering, another institution—our present facilities are inadequate to care for a city of this size and of course as the city grows this will become more impossible…. Reverend Maurice Griffen, assistant pastor of St. Columba Church, also helped in the organizational efforts of the new hospital. He was a man who would emerge as a most influential leader both for St. Elizabeth’s and the health care industry in general. An article written by him for The Vindicator reports that some 20 potential sites were evaluated before the Fitch property on the corner of Belmont Avenue and Burke Street3 was selected for the hospital. He said the property, which contained three frame houses, met all the criteria the committee had sought: a central location, buildings that were large enough, and room enough for expansion when “arrangements could be completed for the new building, the real hospital.”

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The Beginning

With the property secured, the support of the local physicians now in hand, and the fund-raising efforts off to a good start, the search for a religious order of sisters to run the new hospital began. Although there were many who thought perhaps Bishop Farrelly would assign the Sisters of Charity from Cleveland, he instead asked Mother Patrick Ward, H.H.M, superior of the Sisters of the Holy Humility of Mary4 at Villa Maria, Pennsylvania, to accept the appointment. Her letter of acceptance to Bishop Farrelly shows that the “blue nuns” of Villa Maria were eager to take on the responsibilities of running the new hospital. Her letter also included a report of who would staff it and how the order would handle the replacement of those sisters who would be working at the hospital. Mother Patrick wasn’t leaving anything to chance; she wanted the bishop to know that they were willing and able to take over the new Catholic hospital in Youngstown. Her letter dated April 30, 1911, reads: In compliance with your request…I am herewith submitting you my intentions concerning the Sisters to be employed should you deem proper to entrust us with the contemplated Hospital at Youngstown, Ohio. Sister Genevieve [Downey], the present superioress at the Academy of Our Lady of Lourdes,… would take charge of the Institution. Sister has quite an extensive knowledge of medicine and has, too, I think, a decided aptitude for the work. Sister Patricia, a bright, young Sister, would prepare for the pharmacy department. Sisters Gilberta, Evelyn, Eileen and others would enter the training school which we would establish at once. My plan is, employ four ladies, trained nurses, one of whom is from the “Jefferson Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa;” and make nurses, and orderlies as the work may require. The above mentioned Sisters would be taken out of our schools. Their places I would fill from the class of thirteen Novices to be professed in July. Our Community, Right Reverend Bishop, will be delighted should you, in your paternal wisdom, favor us with this work. It will be affording us the opportunity we have long desired, as it is a Point of Rule with us to care for the sick in hospitals whenever practicable. However, your decision is our law, and we are well aware that as our Bishop and Father, you will do what is best. I thank you for your kind consideration of us in this matter, and may God bless you as He alone can do. Humbly asking your blessing and prayers for myself and Community, I am your obedient child, Mother M. Patrick Bishop Farrelly confirmed the appointment of the “blue nuns”; and, on May 30, 1911, Mother Patrick announced it to the order. She told them

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that each sister appointed to the hospital would receive $25 per month and that the bishop was anxious for the hospital to open as soon as possible. As for the name of the new hospital, Mother Patrick said that “the group from Youngstown had planned that the name be ‘Good Samaritan,’ but our bishop had mentioned ‘St. Elizabeth’ as a name he would like, yet leaving the sisters free (to decide).” The final decision: the new hospital in Youngstown would be called St. Elizabeth Hospital.5 In June, Mother Patrick and Sister Genevieve came to Youngstown to see Father Mears. He was not home at the time, so they met with Father Griffin and gave him the letter from Bishop Farrelly which officially commissioned the Sisters of the Holy Humility of Mary to take charge of the new hospital. The letter dated June 5, 1911, reads (in part): … I have every reason to believe that with your continued co-operation, and that of the clergy and people of Youngstown, the institution will prove a most gratifying success. The Sisters are determined to leave nothing undone in making the service of the hospital most efficient. You are well aware of the services which this Community has rendered the Diocese. It has never declined any work which the Bishops of Cleveland have asked it to perform, and its spirit is second to that of none in the Diocese or elsewhere in the United States, as far as my experience goes. I am satisfied that one conversation with the Superioress of the new Hospital, Sister Genevieve, will convince you of her eagerness to render service to the afflicted, and more especially to the poor. I avail myself of this opportunity to tender my most cordial thanks to all the clergy and people of Youngstown for all they have done in furtherance of this work of charity. Earnestly requesting you to aid the good Sisters in their charitable undertaking, and begging God’s blessing for whatsoever you may do in their behalf, I am, Sincerely yours in Christ, John P. Farrelly Bishop of Cleveland Additional staff appointed to St. Elizabeth Hospital were Sister Geraldine, who would serve as Sister Genevieve’s assistant, and Sister M. Petronilla, who was assigned to “domestic labor.” Miss Theresa Cotter, a graduate of Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago, was engaged as the training school supervisor. She was asked to help find a registered nurse for the operating room, a position later accepted by Miss Margaret Gallagher. Miss E. Doubet was the other registered nurse on staff at the first hospital. The Fitch property6 consisted of three frame houses, all of which had to be remodeled for hospital use. In August of 1911, The Vogelberger

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The Beginning

Construction Company refurbished the largest of these to serve as the first hospital with accommodations for 30 patients. The project included an addition to the back of the house for the operating and sterilization rooms; remodeling to make a chapel and diet kitchen; and installation of a new heater and radiator. The larger of the two remaining houses was used as a sisters’ residence and the smallest served as a laundry and home for employees.7 On November 26, 1911, Bishop Farrelly formally dedicated St. Elizabeth Hospital. A dinner followed at the home of Mrs. Erwin, a nearby neighbor. The hospital was ready to receive its first patient on December 8, 1911; and, within two days, five patients were being cared for. Sister Thecla McManamon, a Humility of Mary sister who presently resides at the Villa, worked at St. Elizabeth’s from 1912 until the late 1940s. During a 1984 interview, she recalled that in February of 1912, she was teaching school in Shelby, Ohio, when she developed an ear infection. She came to Youngstown to see her physician, Dr. Howard Hills; and, after examining her, he told her to “go up on the hill to St. Elizabeth. It just opened; they’ll take care of you.” Sister Thecla said she walked from downtown up to the Belmont Avenue hospital, knocked on the door—which was answered by Sister Genevieve—and said that Dr. Hills had sent her. Before the young sister could finish her sentence, Sister Genevieve reportedly threw up her arms and said, “and answered my prayer!” She brought the bewildered Sister Thecla inside, put an apron on her, told her to begin passing food trays to the patients, and, as the 93-year-old sister fondly recalled, “I left 30 years later.” Her ear infection was treated, she recovered, and then went on to take the place of Sister Eileen in the first class to graduate from St. Elizabeth’s School of Nursing in 1914. Sister Eileen had gone away to a summer course at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, where she contracted tuberculosis. She later died in the TB Sanitarium in Saranac, New York. Sister Genevieve was a woman whose faith in St. Elizabeth Hospital and the Lord gave her the stamina to carry on with the tremendous task with which she had been charged. A woman of vision, she optimistically wrote her experiences—“for history”—in a daily journal. It is from this journal that the essence and the enormity of the undertaking can be gleaned. Sister Thecla’s story indicates that the hospital was overcrowded within its first two months of operation. It wasn’t too much longer before everyone realized that a larger building would be needed if the job was to be done the right way.

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

Why a Catholic Hospital? Although much is written about the beginning of St. Elizabeth Hospital, very little documentation exists regarding the reason or reasons that the community felt it needed a Catholic Hospital. The Youngstown City Hospital, now known as Southside Medical Center of the Western Reserve Care System (formerly The Youngstown Hospital Association), was opened in 1883 as the first hospital in Youngstown. In 1897, a group of physicians on staff at City Hospital resigned and formed the Mahoning Valley Hospital Association. Their hospital opened in the David Tod Mansion on the corner of Holmes and Commerce Streets with a capacity of 40 beds. Of this hospital, Father Griffin wrote: In the early days of the Youngstown Hospital some of their doctors, soon joined by others, started the Mahoning Valley Hospital in the Governor Tod Mansion…. Their failure led to sale of the property to a group of nuns of uncertain ecclesiastical standing from Pittsburgh. The name of the hospital was changed to St. Ignatius Hospital supposedly to honor the then bishop of Cleveland, who shortly ordered the discontinuance of his name. Dr. John Melnik, author of The History of Medicine in Youngstown recounts in his book that the Sisters of St. Vincent of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, purchased the property for $3,000 and a Sister Mary Agnes Marie became the first superintendent. Dr. Melnik States: The sisters were under the jurisdiction of Bishop Horstman of the Cleveland Diocese. He charged that the nuns were to have visited Bishop Phelan and Archbishop Ryan of Philadelphia and instead had gone to Youngstown. He demanded they return for Bishop Phelan’s permission or give up their religious habit. The sisters responded by putting on a white cap and veil instead of the black ones and remained at the hospital. Father Griffin recalled that the superintendent and leader of this group—who had bought the property with her own money—soon died. Most of the remaining sisters returned to Pittsburgh, but one of them stayed in Youngstown to carry on with the hospital. Apparently, the Youngstown City Council intervened to close the hospital by discontinuing its municipal appropriation and calling in the health department, which cited the hospital as a “menace to health” and closed it. The remaining sister then bought a home on Bryson Street, which operated under various titles such as convalescent hospital, orphan asylum, rest cure, etc.

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The Beginning

Father Griffin concluded: “thus ends the saddest chapter in the story of Youngstown hospitals.” It was also Father Griffin’s contention that Father Mears was the person directly responsible for a Catholic hospital in Youngstown. In his Vindicator article, Father Griffin wrote that the example of the sisters who operated the charity hospitals in Cleveland and Chicago prompted the move toward a Catholic institution in Youngstown. He said: It was with such knowledge of the positive benefits of a Sisters’ hospital that a number of prominent men of Youngstown got together in the summer of 1909 to take steps for the foundation of such an institution. Feeling sure of a hearty response from the people of the city, they considered the first thing necessary was the financial and moral support of the head of the diocese, who alone would be able to send a sisterhood that could furnish in numbers and ability all that would ever be required. Father Mears stated his reasons for wanting to establish a Catholic hospital in Youngstown in an article which appeared in The Vindicator on July 22, 1909. It must be understood in the first place that we have no thought of antagonizing the institution now in our midst; we are simply trying to fill what we feel is a long felt need in our community…. Catholics are naturally inclined to a hospital where they can be nursed by nuns who have consecrated their lives to the caring for suffering humanity for a purely religious motive and this is especially the case in fatal illness, for we all want to spend our last hours under religious influences. And another thing I want to say is that it is not our idea to build a hospital solely for Catholics but one in which all will receive equal care and attention, irrespective of creed or condition in life. No Catholic institution, to my knowledge, ever made such a distinction. Sarah Varley McCarthy made the observation that Dr. Raymond E. Whelan, first president of St. Elizabeth’s medical staff, contributed greatly to the establishment of a Catholic hospital in Youngstown. Mrs. McCarthy recalled that Charles B. Cushwa Sr., a prominent Youngstown businessman, told her that Dr. Whelan had enlisted his support for a Catholic hospital. She recounted the reasons (in her words): He [Dr. Whelan] held the good position and was very well recognized on the Youngstown Hospital staff. He was considered one of the best diagnosticians in Ohio. But he said he saw there was no opportunity for

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

Catholic young men to become doctors and for Catholic young women to become nurses because it was all the Anglo-Saxon attitude there and he thought there should be some opportunity given to students who might want to be in the medical field and in the health field. And that was his only reason for wanting a Catholic hospital in Youngstown. Mrs. McCarthy recalled that Mr. Cushwa had told her on several occasions that Dr. Whelan “practically pleaded” with him and finally they organized a group of prominent Catholic laymen to present a plan to Father Mears of St. Columba Church. Father Mears agreed with them and notices for a meeting between the two groups could be sent. The meeting was scheduled for July 19, 1909, at St. Columba’s. The movement had begun.

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The Beginning

Aviation Day Accounts of St. Elizabeth’s first fund-raising event serve as a reminder that “things never really change.” Anyone who has ever been involved in the organization of a fund raiser can relate to the frustration the hospital founders must have felt when their carefully orchestrated plans fell short of expectation. Although the Wright brothers’ Kitty Hawk flight had taken place in 1903, the airplane was still a relatively new invention to the people of Youngstown in 1910. It was Father Griffin who came up with the idea for Aviation Day and made arrangements to have the Glenn Curtis Airship Company put on a flying exhibition, which was held at Willis Field, located at the corner of Glenwood and Sherwood Avenues in Youngstown. Most of the crowd stood outside the field, but the people in the choice bleacher seats had paid money for the privilege. Due to the inclement weather, the pilot was unable to take the plane up on Monday, so the event was rescheduled for the next day. Although the weather on Tuesday was still not good, pilot Eugene Ely finally—but reluctantly—agreed to take the plane up for a short time. During the landing procedure there was a near-disaster when a woman and her two children dashed out from the crowd and into the plane’s path. The pilot was so unnerved that he refused to try another aerial pass. Apparently, and understandably, the crowd was less than satisfied—however, no refunds were given. Three years later when ground was broken for what is now the North building, Sister Genevieve recalled the event with a poem that attempted to justify the “no refund” policy, as well as taking a good-natured poke of fun at the whole event.

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

The Ship Refused to Stay Up by Sister Genevieve Downey, H.H.M. How few who cheer today’s success Can know our memories of distress, How crushed we were, they’d never guess, On Aviation Day. We kept their money, for we knew ‘Twas honest for the Cause was true, We vowed we’d fight and see it through, We did so, now, Hurray! The megaphone with brazen blare, After each failure would declare, “The Ship’s now rising in the air,” They looked, but it was down. The angry shouts much louder grew, They wanted back their money too. We sought a private pathway through, And beat it to the Town. With many a muttered word and groan, We wished we’d let the thing alone— Just let the poor sick stay at home, Or pay their own old way. We felt like measly half-drowned cats, Whose ears had been “chawed” off by rats, And eyes pecked out by vicious bats, At dawn of the next day. So, here we are again, brave Boys, Our Ship is up, with certain poise. Failure is one of Bravery’s joys Retarded on the way. When stout hearts with ideals high, All obstacles seek to defy, Dare to be true—e’en when they fly, OUR SHIP IS UP, HURRAY!

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The Beginning

The Blue and The Gray “The Lord works in mysterious ways,” is a phrase that is often quoted whenever initially-perceived “disasters” or disappointments turn out better than expected. When the Lord was overseeing the establishment of St. Elizabeth Hospital, there were more than a few questions raised by some of its early founders regarding the selection of sisters to run the new hospital. The names of St. Elizabeth Hospital and the Humility of Mary sisters have been so closely connected through the years; it’s hard to believe that—had it not been for a disagreement between a bishop and the head of another order—the two organizations might never have had an association at all. Very few people know that the Humility of Mary religious community was not the first order to be approached about operating St. Elizabeth Hospital. The hospital’s founders had taken for granted that the “gray nuns” from Charity Hospital in Cleveland (St. Vincent Charity Hospital and Health Center) would be operating the new hospital in Youngstown. They were the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine and many of them were from Youngstown, some of whom came from very prominent families. Many of the priests and people from Youngstown had been patients at Charity Hospital and, every year, the sisters came to Youngstown to take up a collection—to which the people of Youngstown contributed generously. It has been said that Youngstowners were very familiar with the “gray nuns” because they used to stand at the mill gates on payday and ask the workers to contribute what they could afford. Sarah Varley McCarthy recalled that people just naturally assumed the Sisters of Charity would be in charge of the new hospital. A Vindicator article by Father Griffin states that, after the 20 potential sites for the hospital had been chosen for evaluation, Father Mears invited Mother Helena, general superior of the Sisters of Charity, to help make the final selection. Father Griffin recalled that he drove Father Mears and Mother Helena around to all the different sites and that it was she who finally selected the Fitch property. The hospital was to be called “Good Samaritan” and the first fund-raising certificates for contributors bore this name. Father Griffin’s story continues: “During the six months between the enthusiastic approval of the bishop and the presentation of the deed to him by Father Mears and the committee, a great deal happened to change the situation.” Bishop Farrelly had inherited a “problem” from the former head of the Cleveland Diocese, Bishop Ignatius Horstman. The problem was the administration of St. Anthony’s Boys Home in Cleveland. When Bishop Farrelly decided to appoint the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine to operate St. Anthony’s, he was apparently “rebuffed by Mother Helena who

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

told him bluntly that she was saving her nuns for the new hospital in Youngstown.” According to the account, the bishop replied that he would “relieve her of that necessity” and proceeded to ask the “blue nuns” at Villa Maria, Pennsylvania, to take charge of both boys’ home and the new hospital in Youngstown. Father Mears was not happy with the bishop’s decision, so he had Father Griffin circulate among the parish priests a petition addressed to Bishop Farrelly requesting that the “gray nuns” be appointed to the hospital. Father Mears did not receive an answer until June of 1911, when the bishop’s letter announcing the appointment of the H.M. sisters arrived at his home in the hands of Mother Patrick and Sister Genevieve. The H.M. sisters were grateful for the opportunity to fulfill a mission to which they were committed. The enthusiastic response of Mother Patrick and the subsequent growth of St. Elizabeth’s under their sponsorship has confirmed to many that the time-worn phrase about “mysterious ways of the Lord” is more than just a cliché—it’s a valid statement about the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Today, the Humility of Mary sisters and the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine are closely associated through their involvement in the Catholic Cooperative of Northeast Ohio, sponsors of the CareLink™ program for the elderly.

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The Beginning

Sister Genevieve’s Journal Sister Genevieve’s journal serves as a valid document to verify the determination, selflessness, charity, and humor of the sisters who undertook the tremendous responsibility of operating Youngstown’s first Catholic hospital. The entries are made for only a short while, with the first one dated less than three weeks after the hospital opened: December 28, 1911: Feast of Holy Innocents. Dr. Ranz was performing operation on Mrs. James (Cyst and Appen). I was called to phone by Rev. Fr. Griffin, who asked that a patient whom he met in an ambulance, be taken. I asked Dr. Connors, who was giving anesthesia, to take case. Nellie McQuillan, aged 15 yr, 8 mon, was pouring water into toy dishes for the little ones. Her dress caught fire at her back [Her] mother threw water [on her]. There was no mark on the face but from the neck to the knees, was literally cooked—no skin. We rolled her in oil and cotton. She had won [a] prize for Christian Doctrine from Fr. Moran’s parish, he came and gave her [a] gold chain rosary. Rev. Griffin got here ahead of ambulance, and gave all sacraments before we touched the shriveled body. Her last food was the Divine Sacrament. She died about 7:30 p.m. She had been conscious and spoke to her mother up to 7:00 o’clock. I held her for half an hour, the smell of burnt flesh was not repugnant. She was to be our first of many saved souls from St. Elizabeth’s. She had no pain, no struggle, gradually went to sleep. Her sweet face had no frown. I asked her waiting Angel Guardian to take her straight to our Dear Good God’s throne. Our little advance agent, you won heaven quickly. She would have been sixteen years old in April. How our Blessed Lady must love souls. Nellie was with us but a few hours, yet her soul had become so dear, that I felt the joy of having given to God something very dear and precious to myself. God Be Blessed! The hospital register shows that Nellie McQuillan was admitted on December 28, 1911, at noon and expired at 7:30 p.m. She had been pouring water in a toy dish set for her little sisters, who had received the gift for Christmas, and her dress caught fire at the stove. Her body was signed out to the funeral home of Gillen and McVean. An entry on January 8,1912, shows that her father came to pay the hospital bill, which was $10. Sister’s next entry is on New Year’s Day. It begins: 1912. I will not ask the question “What will the New Year bring to me,” I will no longer wonder, wish and plan. I will try to give-give-give, then I will be sure that this question would be meaningless.

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On Tuesday, January 2, part of the entry reads: “hired Mrs. Quinn for laundry work. She came after dinner. I gave her $1.00.”, also: “Gave poor man $1.00” and, on Monday, January 8, 1912: “Miss Gallagher came from Pittsburgh to take charge of the operating room.” In addition to Miss Gallagher, the patient care staff consisted of Miss Cotter, Miss Doubet, and Misters G. Keeling and W.J. Reilly. The sisters were in the first school of nursing class being taught by Miss Cotter and the doctors on staff. Sister Thecla, who took Sister Eileen’s place in the first class after Sister Eileen died, recalled that Sister Genevieve was anxious that Dr. Raymond Whelan feel comfortable in the surgery room and asked Miss Gallagher to take special care of him and attend to his needs. Not long after this, Dr. Whelan and Miss Gallagher were married. Sister Genevieve relished in retelling the story that she had asked Miss Gallagher to be nice to Dr. Whelan but didn’t mean she had to marry him. A few years later, Sister Genevieve wanted another physician to feel “at home” and asked Sister Bertille Kress to “help him along.” Sister Bertille worked in St. Elizabeth’s surgery for over 30 years and was also one of the administrators at St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain.8 She remembered that all the sisters “got a good laugh” when Sister Genevieve added, “but that doesn’t mean you have to marry him!”

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Chapter

The New Hospitalâ&#x20AC;Ś A R eal Hospital

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Chapter

s St. Elizabeth Hospital embarked on its own uncertain future like a baby taking its first steps, the world around it was experiencing an uneasy calm before the storm. The alliances of Europe would soon be tested as the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of the Hapsburg Dynasty in Austria would trigger a chain reaction through Europe that would send Austria, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Russia, France and England on a collision course toward what is now known as World War I. The United States would soon be drawn into the conflict—but, in 1912, things couldn’t have been better in the U.S. and in Youngstown, Ohio. Joseph G. Butler Jr., a prominent Youngstown businessman, was asked to head a fund-raising campaign for a new, permanent structure to house the activities St. Elizabeth Hospital had been providing in three frame houses on Belmont Avenue. Mr. Butler was a major influential leader in the Mahoning Valley with interests in so many activities around town he was affectionately known as “Mr. Youngstown.” With his fortune made in the iron and steel industry, his many connections in the business and political worlds, and his love for philanthropy, he seemed the perfect choice to head up the new campaign. He made a vigorous entry into the campaign, immediately appointing an executive committee with himself as chairman and his friend Grant Whitslar as executive secretary. Both men were non-Catholic. Later it would be said by Bishop Farrelly of Cleveland that this campaign was a hallmark of ecumenism . . . the bringing together of Catholics and non-Catholics to support and finance an institution to care for the sick and poor. It was truly an unselfish endeavor where no walls of prejudice were able to stand. Not only were the Catholics and non-Catholics united, men and women were also given equal roles on fund-raising teams. Grant Whitslar and his assistant, Miss Nell Gillespie, orchestrated 35 teams of men and women as well as extension committees to “reach out” to East Youngstown/ Struthers, Girard, Hubbard and Haselton. All major businesses in town

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were approached and some, including Republic Rubber and the major railroads, set up committees to fulfill the goal of fund raising. There was even a “foreign population” team headed by Reverend O. Zlamal, pastor of Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church. All the pastors of every Catholic church in town were enlisted in the cause; and Bishop Farrelly announced that, for the length of the campaign, the money collected every Sunday for each parish’s debt would be turned over to Mr. Butler for the hospital campaign. Mr. Butler and his committee decided to wage a Six-Day Campaign, which was launched on April 17, 1912, at a meeting of all the committees and supporters held at the Elks Club of Youngstown. The Elks Club had donated its services for all campaign meetings. Excerpts from Mr. Butler’s speech at that meeting demonstrated that the tone was set and it was considered to be each person’s duty to contribute to the cause: I feel that our presence here tonight is in the nature of a call to duty, because I feel it is the duty of every man and woman of the city of Youngstown to lend every effort and use every endeavor in the building of an institution that is to be for the care and keeping of the sick and injured. I feel that it is one of the greatest duties that is imposed upon the people, and I am happy that the call has been so generously responded to, because it gives me courage in the belief that nowhere better than in Youngstown is there a response when duty calls. . . . We are a rich, prosperous and growing community. This part of the country has been particularly blessed in the past few years. I am in a position to state that our mills and furnaces and factories have enjoyed a greater measure of operation than in any other section of the United States. Mr. Butler and the committee felt that each citizen of Youngstown who was a “beneficiary” of this prosperity would be motivated to contribute to the new hospital. A pamphlet published to kick-off the campaign entitled A Few Facts to the People of Youngstown by the Executive Committee of the St. Elizabeth Hospital Campaign optimistically announced in bold print, “YOUNGSTOWN NEVER FAILS.” The meeting ended with a short eulogy to Colonel George Wick, a leading citizen of Youngstown who, Mr. Butler noted, was in “entire sympathy” with the hospital campaign. Colonel Wick had sailed a few days earlier from Southhampton, England—aboard the ill-fated Titanic. The campaign was a “glorious” success. Starting April 18 and ending April 24 with subscriptions totaling $117,570.01. A few days later, on April 29, a banquet was held and donations had been calculated at $125,300.75. When all tabulations were in, the total exceeded $130,000. The citizens of Youngstown were not only involved in the financing of

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The New Hospital…A REAL Hospital

the new hospital but also in the decision-making about its construction. To aid the building phase, Bishop Farrelly assigned an advisory committee consisting of Mr. Butler, Hugh Grant, Robert Bently, James A. Campbell and P. M. Kennedy. At their first meeting, Mr. Butler suggested that the new hospital be constructed on a different site than the Fitch property. He felt the area was too constrictive and any plans for further development would mean the acquisition of surrounding land where homes were now standing. His idea was to secure a site further away from the city on four to five acres of land where there would be ample room for expansion. His suggestions were apparently rejected since additional space for the new St. Elizabeth’s was acquired by purchasing adjoining property to the north. Charles Owsley, a Youngstown architect, was engaged to set up the drawings. Although other leading architects in the country presented plans for the new hospital, Mr. Owsley was selected on the basis of his “comprehensive study of hospital work,” his local ties, and his willingness to develop the plans as suggested by Sister Genevieve and Father Griffin. Sister Genevieve had visited several hospitals around the country. She shared what she had learned with Father Griffin and they, together with Mr. Owsley, came up with a plan that would not only satisfy the present needs of the hospital but also its future development. Heller Brothers Construction Company was the general contractor for the building, which was completed in January of 1915. It was considered to be one of the most modern in the United States. The ground level featured the emergency section, with a separate area for scrubbing, a continuous bath for burn patients, and special sections for the alcoholics and those “suffering from mental troubles.” This floor also featured the X-ray section and the kitchen. One of the most unusual features was an artesian well that flowed continuously and was free of any type of bacteria, which was discovered during construction.9 The first floor housed the lobby, office, pharmacy, chapel and a few private patient rooms. The second, third and fourth floors were patient care areas: one floor had private rooms, wards and private suites, another was designed specifically for women, and the other was for men and isolation cases. The “operating pavilion” was at the north end of the fifth floor and the children’s ward at the south end. The sixth floor was reserved for women who were “ill and in financial distress.” This floor was considered the most attractive section in the hospital. Sister Genevieve explained this to surprised visitors by saying, “We do not think it fair to take a sick person from ones who at least love them and will be kind, unless it is possible to offer something better.” Sarah Varley McCarthy remembered that Sister Genevieve gave credit for the modern new hospital to the orderlies and nurses who worked in Fitch House. When Mrs. McCarthy asked her how she was able to equip

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the new hospital with every modern convenience in health care since she had very little experience in hospital work, Sister Genevieve replied that she simply “listened” to the workers in the hospital. She explained that in Fitch House every square foot of space was used for the patients and so the nurses and orderlies used to congregate in the utility room. Sister had a desk outside the utility room and “when the orderlies and nurses would be talking, they’d be saying, ‘when we get our new hospital we’ll have this or that in it’ and, while I was tending to the business of the hospital, I’d be jotting down everything they said. So, when I sat down with the architects, we sifted through these suggestions and picked out what we thought could be worked in.” On January 31, 1915, there was an open house and tour of the new facility. It was planned for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but because the crowds were still lining Belmont Avenue at 5 p.m., the tour was extended to 7 p.m. The newspaper accounts of the event report: St Elizabeth’s hospital is a reality. Youngstown has builded (sic) her house, not of unstable sand, but of solid everstanding stone which will tell future generations, as far forward as men dare to look of the spirit of civic pride and cooperation which marked the people of today. Everyone apparently felt that he was taking part in the event which would mean more for the future than it does for the present, and time and again was heard that oft debated question as to whether realization is better than anticipation. To enumerate even the most distinguished persons who visited the hospital during the afternoon would require an almost endless list. Joseph G. Butler Jr. was there of course, as was the indomitable builder, Father Griffin, while at one time or another was observed in line almost every one of standing in Youngstown. Every nationality in the cosmopolitan life of the city was represented and every difference of opinion was forgotten. It was the view of many, in fact, that the opening of St. Elizabeth’s had done more than any other event in local history to bring the people together in the true spirit of tolerance and altruism. One race or creed is as welcome as another, Father Griffin points out, and the only qualification for entrance is a need of Christian help. All will be received on the same plane of equality, he explained, so that the rich and poor alike will be made to feel that Youngstown has really learned the lesson of Christ when he said, “Love ye, one another.” St. Elizabeth Hospital was able to provide care for thousands of people in its new building, which served it well as the Roaring ‘20s approached. However, by the end of the 1920s, the need for further expansion launched a second major building program and prompted the acquisition of the Stambaugh property for the school of nursing.

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Fund Raising by the “Masters” Included in the archives of St. Elizabeth Hospital is an envelope with a single penny in it. Mr. Butler had been downtown a few days before the campaign started when a newsboy handed him the penny for the new hospital. He had intended that the penny be mounted and framed as the first contribution to the hospital from the Youngstown community but it apparently was misplaced and did not resurface until years later. Mr. Butler had a flair for the dramatic and felt that a giant wooden thermometer on Federal Square would be the best way to keep the campaign before the public eye while recording its progress. The thermometer was erected and during the Six-Day Campaign Mr. Butler or Mr. Whitslar would paint the mercury white as the contributions grew. The campaign to build St. Elizabeth’s first permanent structure also launched a career for Mr. Whitslar and his assistant, Miss Gillespie. Sarah Varley McCarthy recounted that it was the first campaign for both of them and, because of its success, they went on to conduct similar campaigns in other sections of the country. The “indomitable builder” Father Griffin continued fundraising efforts for the hospital with yet another idea for an event that was to have popular appeal. (He was also the one responsible for creating Aviation Day to help raise funds for the first hospital.) The famous Irish tenor John McCormack was to be brought in for a concert at the new Hippodrome Theater in downtown Youngstown. Father Griffin signed the “Artist’s Contract” on December 2, 1914, and the concert was set for Sunday, March 7, 1915. The price of the contract was $1,750. Sarah Varley McCarthy remembered that the concert was a “huge success.” She said, “Youngstown really wasn’t accustomed to anything like that. No one [but Father Griffin] would ever have thought [of doing something] like that.”

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Nurse Millman—War Casualty The United States joined World War I in 1917, the same year Russia pulled out as a result of the Bolshevik Revolution. Within a year the war would be over. St. Elizabeth’s had one war casualty—Nurse Dorothy Millman. Nurse Millman was a graduate of the St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing and had enlisted in 1917. According to the accounts, she had been operated on for a “serious malady” and did not recover, although she had “rallied” after a soldier donated blood for a transfusion. The irony was that the soldier was from Youngstown and had worked at the Youngstown Telegram before he enlisted. Miss Millman was buried in a little cemetery in France and newspaper accounts say the entire village of Contrexville attended the funeral and that “they wore black and . . . tears were liberally shed as the cortege moved toward the burying ground.”

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Flu Epidemic Tests Strength of Community With the first of the building phases out of the way, the hospital and its resources were again tested when the Spanish Influenza epidemic hit Youngstown in 1918. The entire United States had been affected by the epidemic and, by early October, it was firmly entrenched in Youngstown. Dr. A. M. Clark, chairman of the local Red Cross, appointed a committee to arrange for emergency hospital accommodations. So many people were falling victim to the flu that it was impossible for the two Youngstown hospitals to care for them all. Also, the virus was so contagious that having them in the hospital put the other patients at risk. The committee consisted of Dr. H. E. Welch, Fred S. Bunn, superintendent of Youngstown Hospital Association (formerly City Hospital) and Father Maurice Griffin. Since all of the schools were closed due to the illness, they were able to set up temporary hospitals in Baldwin Memorial Kindergarten (25 beds), South High School (250 beds) and Jefferson School (150 beds). Baldwin Memorial was later converted to a maternity-influenza hospital. The newspapers of 1918 were filled with stories about the epidemic. In October, there were more than 100,000 cases being treated in Ohio, and the death count in Cleveland alone was 683. At one point in Youngstown there were over 2,000 reported cases. Teachers, nurses and nurses aides were working in the flu hospitals and a list of casualties was published daily in the newspapers. The sisters volunteered their services in the flu hospitals after their shifts were over at St. Elizabeth’s. Sister Genevieve had become mother superior of the Humility of Mary order in 1916. Sister Geraldine was now superintendent of the hospital, but she had fallen victim to the flu (she eventually recovered), so Mother Genevieve returned to the helm during the crisis. One casualty of the epidemic was Fred S. Bunn of Youngstown Hospital Association. Sister Thecla McManamon remembered that Mother Genevieve was approached by some of the people from Youngstown Hospital to help them operate for a short time following Mr. Bunn’s death. Sister Thecla said that each morning a car would pull up in front of St. Elizabeth’s and Mother Genevieve “would go out and get in and they would drive her over to Youngstown Hospital” where she helped them run the institution. John Tod, a trustee for the Youngstown Hospital Association at the time of the epidemic, said she was a person of “amazing stamina and resourcefulness during that trying period” and a “constant inspiration to us all.” Father Griffin also enlisted her aid by asking her to run the South High School flu hospital, the largest of the emergency facilities, as well as oversee the staffing of the others.

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The crisis lasted for nearly a month. By the first week of November the newly reported cases were beginning to diminish and, by November 15, the emergency committee appointed by the Red Cross was able to disband.

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Chapter

Please, Sir â&#x20AC;Ś More Room

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Chapter

he 1920s were ushered into an America that was changing in some of its attitudes. People were becoming less tolerant and there was a pervasive feeling of paranoia sweeping the country as a result of the Russian Revolution. Many Americans thought Bolsheviks were lurking around every corner and the “Red Scare” had become a real threat to many in the democratic society. The Communist Party in America had been formed in September of 1919 and many states had begun to pass laws prohibiting membership in revolutionary organizations. At the end of 1919, the Department of Labor had deported nearly 250 Russian-Americans, including the famous socialist Emma Goldman. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer authorized raids on suspected Communists and deportations ensued. Two major pieces of legislation were passed in 1920 which would have a profound impact on the American way of life: ratification of the 19th Amendment on Women’s Suffrage, which gave American women the right to vote, and passage of the Volstead Act, which introduced the era known simply as “Prohibition.” Two future presidents would face-off against each other as the vicepresidential candidates in 1920. Governor Calvin Coolidge of Massachusetts was the running mate of Senator Warren G. Harding of Ohio. The Democrats nominated Governor James Cox of Ohio for president and a relatively new face on the political scene for vice-president—Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin Delano Roosevelt of New York. Harding and Coolidge won handily; and, three years later—after a presidency marred by corruption—President Harding died in office and Calvin Coolidge became the 30th President of the United States. In 1924, he became the people’s choice for that office. In Europe, Germany was in the throes of a severe economic depression, and the stage was being set for the emergence of a German “hero.” In less than a decade, the savior of Germany—Adolph Hitler—would begin his

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rise to tyranny that would wreak havoc and terrorism on millions of unsuspecting, innocent people. In Youngstown, the leaders of St. Elizabeth Hospital were finding that by 1925 their “new hospital” was no longer adequate to care for the city’s sick and poor. The original plans developed by Father Griffin and Mother Genevieve and sketched by architect Charles Owsley called for an expansion program that encompassed seven buildings in all. Little did they realize that they would “outgrow” their second hospital of 200 beds in just 10 years. When it was built in 1915, St. Elizabeth’s first permanent structure was considered one of the most modern hospitals in the country. Dr. Thomas Darlington, secretary of the welfare committee of the American Iron and Steel Institute in New York City gave the dedication speech in 1915. After a three-hour inspection, he said, “It is not only a modern hospital, complete in its equipment, but it is more, in its system of service it is ahead of its time.” But it was not enough. Newspaper accounts testify that the bed capacities at both hospitals in Youngstown were woefully inadequate. Surgical patients had to “wait their turn” and surgeons were unsure of when they could get operating rooms. Ward patients were crowded together “in violation of accepted rules” and patients were being compelled to leave early to give space to new patients coming in. On July 13, 1926, St. Elizabeth’s announced its intention to build a second wing at an estimated cost of some $400,000. The new building would house more beds as well as a new nurse's training school and rooms. With operating costs considerably reduced because the sisters would provide their services at no charge, receipts from the paying patients would help provide some of the needed funds. However, donations from friends and benefactors would once again be needed, so a campaign to help finance the building project was scheduled for September. Father Griffin, now pastor of St. Edward Church, represented the hospital at a meeting of the Youngstown Chamber of Commerce to seek endorsement of the project. Father Griffin told a “remarkable story of sacrifice, deprivation, and achievement.” He began by describing the conditions under which the nurses were living and training: “They are housed in old buildings which were there before the hospital was built and are constantly depreciating. They can’t be properly heated, are a fire menace, are greatly overcrowded even though they don’t house more than a third of the nurses, and are not fit places for the girls to live in.” Father Griffin maintained that every nurse in training came from a better home than the hospital could provide for her and, as a result, a great number of Youngstown girls had left to take their training in the larger cities. He felt that Youngstown ultimately suffered because they rarely returned.

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Although the conditions for the nursing students were bad, they were better than those of the sisters. Sister Marie Hortense, who had become administrator in 1922, was living in a storeroom over a garage. Others lived in rooms over the laundry and in attics. Some of their beds did “double service,” meaning the sisters who worked days slept in them at night and the sisters working nights used them during the day. But the sisters and Father Griffin were more concerned for the patients. The hospital was so crowded that a patient who was brought in from Niles had to be cared for in the administrator’s office “and for two weeks the institution was run from the corridor.” The Chamber membership gave unanimous approval to the building program. The state of affairs for this campaign was significantly different than earlier hospital campaigns. The sisters now owned the hospital as a result of a move made by Bishop Joseph Schrembs of the Cleveland Diocese earlier in the year when all the Catholic hospitals were transferred from dioscesan control to corporations formed by the various religious communities who were operating them. The bishop came to Youngstown on March 20, 1926, to formally give the deed of the hospital to the Sisters of the Humility of Mary. The sisters became the owner and the hospital was to be governed by the newly formed corporation consisting of the sisters who presently worked at the hospital. Bishop Schrembs said that as a representative of the church he was “literally giving away millions” but that it also was a meaningless gesture, for the administration of the property has always been in the sisters’ hands, subject only to my formal endorsement.” The sisters were very pleased with the new arrangement. According to Sarah Varley McCarthy, the reporter who broke the story, Sister Marie Hortense called her to thank her for the newspaper account. She also told Mrs. McCarthy that the sisters had known about it for some time but were not sure when the bishop would decide to announce it. They were very happy to be able to make arrangements for the transfer and openly discuss it. Of course, incorporation also meant that the business of fundraising would rest solely with the sisters and their benefactors in the community. In the North building campaign, the diocese had given $200,000; in this campaign, it would be giving only spiritual support. However, the sisters and Father Griffin let their faith in the Lord—and the good people of Youngstown—rule their decision to proceed with the building program. Ever the optimist, Father Griffin responded to questions about fundraising by saying, “I have never been out of debt since I was ordained, and never expect to be.” A Fundraising Day was proposed instead of the Six-Day Campaign

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that had been so successful in 1912. Father Griffin said, “In a single afternoon, a canvass will be put on in which everyone in the community will be asked to give. We have no fear of the outcome.” Since the last campaign, when approximately $140,000 was raised to erect the first building (which was built at a cost of nearly $520,000), only $120,000 was still owing. The hospital felt it was ready to assume new indebtedness to meet the demands and give the city the service it required. The pastors of the 45 Catholic parishes in town were asked to organize 4,000 workers who would collect donations. Joseph G. Butler Jr., who was chairman of the first hospital campaign, was named honorary chairman. Hugh Grant was named active chairman and Monsignor J. W. Klute was named chairman of the executive committee of the clergy composed of Reverends J. N. Trainor, J. J. Reidy, J. N. Liscinsky and P. J. Ferran. The executive committee of laymen included Benjamin Agler, Robert Bently, James A. Campbell, J. P. Colleran, Charles B. Cushwa Sr., Charles Deibel, W. F. Maag Jr., E. A. Renner, W. C. Reilly and W. L. Sturdevant. The campaign was set for Tuesday, September 14, 1926. It was again an ecumenical group consisting of Catholics and non-Catholics. A “See For Yourself ” tour day was scheduled and the nurses of the 1926 graduating class served as guides for anyone who wished to “see for themselves” the need for a new building. A full-page ad in the Youngstown Vindicator heralded the campaign. The 4,000 workers would go door-to-door, asking only for a fair contribution. There would be no soliciting in the mills, stores or offices in town. The campaign netted over $145,000 and was regarded as highly successful. The sisters were hoping to raise enough money to pay the interest on a five-year loan for $500,000; the principal would be paid out of hospital operating funds. With the money secured, the only obstacle preventing progress on the new wing was the unavailability of the property. A southward addition was logical since St. Elizabeth’s already owned the Fitch property. However, these houses were being used by the student nurses and their instructors. Although the building program included plans for a new school and residence, the question remained as to where the students would go if the homes were razed to make way for the new wing. The building program could not begin until the school problem was resolved. The answer came in November of 1926 when the sisters bought the Henry Stambaugh Mansion on Belmont Avenue, directly across from the hospital. Accounts of the day state that the $105,000 price made it “very nearly a gift.” Now, rather than the school and student quarters being inside the new building, the girls could have a “real home”—and what a home it would be! The 525' x 600' property included an elegant house with “spacious rooms and tapestried walls,” which would provide dormi-

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tory rooms and areas for recreation, meetings and assemblies. A proposed addition would hold the classrooms and the garage in the back of the house would be remodeled for social functions.10 A Vindicator article appearing in November of 1926, notes that “the cost of the building was $105,000 and the difference between this and market value, as well as the reasonable terms that were offered the sisters for the payment, represents a munificent gift from the Stambaugh estate.” Also, a visionary statement was included: “plenty of space will still be available for the erection of an additional hospital building should the occasion arise.” In August of 1927, the houses on the Fitch property were razed to make room for the new building; and, in October of that year, Bishop Schrembs dedicated the Stambaugh Mansion as the St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing. (One of the young altar boys serving at the ceremony was John M. Newman, the present chairman of St. Elizabeth’s board of trustees.) On April 2, 1928, St. Elizabeth Hospital signed a contract with the Heller-Murray Construction Company of Youngstown for the erection of a second wing. It was to be the same size and appearance of the first building and a main entrance would be constructed between the two buildings. Charles Owsley was once again the architect and subcontractors were all local firms: James McCarron’s Sons (excavation), Little Brothers (sewer work), and Truscon Steel Company for all the structural steel in the building. The new wing would bring the bed total to 309 plus 50 cribs ( bassinets). There would be “enlarged quarters” for the dispensary (free clinic), laboratory, pharmacy, dining rooms, food service and general administration. On July 8, 1928, Bishop Schrembs officiated at a cornerstone ceremony for the South building; and, by February of 1929, the new wing was opened to patients. The official dedication ceremony took place on April 22, 1929—just six months before the catastrophic “crash” on Wall Street that precipitated The Great Depression of the ‘30s.

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A Hospital Must Serve Everyone In the early ‘20s, Sister Geraldine Cantillon, H.M., St. Elizabeth Hospital’s second administrator, conducted a series of public tours to celebrate National Hospital Day. Her remarks in a local newspaper story gave her views on the hospital and the service it provided to the community: Those people who think that a hospital consists of little more than beds, doctors and nurses will be somewhat surprised when they visit St. Elizabeth’s hospital on National Hospital Day, May 12. As a matter of fact, it requires an average of one and a third persons to take care of each patient and nearly all of these professional workers and employees must be fed and clothed by the hospital. The movement of better service for the sick which has made such headway among hospitals in the past few years [has meant that] an enormous investment in special equipment and apparatus and in the service of training scientists. . . [must be made) by every progressive hospital in order that every patient may have the advantages of the latest appliances and methods in his fight against disease. . . and while this kind of service costs a great deal of money, the average hospital offers it without cost to the poor patient and below cost to patients unable to pay the full expense of such service. On December 8, 1911, St. Elizabeth’s received its first patient, . . . a non-Catholic, and a charity case. Since then, 28,411 patients have been treated of which 25 percent have been non-Catholics and 21 percent have been Jews. The staff of hospital physicians comprises 30 non-Catholics, 15 Catholics and four Jews. In the number of nurses graduated from the school of nursing, there are 54 Catholics and 16 non-Catholics. The institution is Catholic in the truest sense of the word—universal. St. Elizabeth’s is a 200-bed hospital- it has cared for 203 patients at one time. It has all the departments and equipment of a general hospital It is given the highest rating by the American College of Surgeons and its school of nursing was among the first to be accepted by the Ohio State Medical Board. Its representatives are on the executive boards of the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Hospital Association. It is considered one of the most progressive hospitals in the land. Admittedly, Sister Geraldine had an obvious “bias,” but the facts remain that, when it was built in 1915, St. Elizabeth’s first permanent structure was considered one of the most modern hospitals in the country.

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Incorporation and Commitment When Bishop Schrembs transferred all the Catholic hospitals from diocesan control to corporations formed by the various religious communities operating them, it meant that the Humility of Mary sisters now owned St. Elizabeth Hospital. It also meant that there would no longer be any financial support coming from the diocese and “survival” would rest solely with the sisters and their benefactors in the community. However, the significance of incorporation went beyond practical matters— the sisters were making a commitment to the community. An article that appears in Volume I, Number I of the hospital’s first newsletter—aptly named Hospital News—explains this commitment. It’s dated May 12, 1928, and the headline reads “Protected in Perpetuity”: St. Elizabeth’s Hospital of Youngstown, Ohio became a corporation organized under the laws of Ohio. The Sisters who have consecrated their lives to this work comprise the entire membership in this corporation. The Sisters own and operate the hospital, which has been deeded to them in trust for the sick of this community. Neither the hospital itself nor any of its assets can ever be alienated; it cannot be disposed of, nor moved out of the county, nor encumbered for any other purpose. St. Elizabeth Hospital, all that it is and all that it ever may be, is dedicated to the sick of this community. A donation or bequest to this charitable corporation is thus protected in perpetuity.

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“Adieu” to a Great Friend There was reason to celebrate on July 8, 1928. The cornerstone ceremony for St. Elizabeth’s South building symbolized success in yet another endeavor to provide the community with the kind of health care it needed and deserved. And yet, most of the participants were having mixed feelings of joy and sorrow—joy for the progress achieved, and sorrow at the prospect of losing the one who was most instrumental in bringing about that progress. Father Maurice Griffin, who had celebrated his 20th anniversary as a priest in June of that year, was to be transferred from St. Edward Church in Youngstown to St. Philomena’s in Cleveland. Father Griffin was chairman of the cornerstone event, so the sisters, physicians, nurses and other staff at St. Elizabeth used the occasion to bid their “great friend ‘adieu.’” One of the senior student nurses read “an expression of appreciation” from all those at the hospital: In the humble beginning of St. Elizabeth’s you saw its far reaching possibilities in the devoted, skillful care of the sick, the prevention of diseases, the amelioration of suffering, the adjustment of social wrongs, the formation of health-sustaining habits, and the development of medical science. You have verily been to this institution a lamp in the darkness, a light on the mountain top, a guide in the desert, a fountain of inspiration and a rock of security. No wonder then that sorrow overshadows our joy, that the vote of regret sounds louder than that of triumph, and that a tense feeling of irreparable loss is experienced by all connected with St. Elizabeth’s since the tiding came that you must leave our vicinity where it was so easy to get in touch with your masterful mind. This sense of loss will be shared by all those also that understand your goodness and your worth to the community at large as a great churchman and a great citizen. On the other hand, St. Elizabeth’s and all that it stands for would be more than ungrateful were it not to seize this opportune occasion to express its deepest thankfulness, its ardent admiration, and its heartfelt appreciation of all you have done to increase its prosperity since its inception. Even at a distance we are confident that its projects will be of more than common interest to you and that you will ever remain the hospital’s trusted advisor and most devoted friend Although he would always have the satisfaction of knowing that his work helped give the community its much needed Catholic hospital… and even though all his well-wishers swore never to forget him or his leadership—deep down in their hearts, everyone knew that things would never really be the same again.

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Father Griffin never again directed St. Elizabeth Hospital in any endeavor. However, the interest in health care he developed during his years as a leader at St. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never diminished and he went on to national prominence in the field of hospital administration.

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The “Indomitable Builder” Continues His Work Even though Father Maurice Griffin’s association with St. Elizabeth Hospital would seem to have come to an end in 1928 when he was transferred to St. Philomena Church in Cleveland, the influence of his “masterful mind” was still to be felt for many years to come. After his leadership years at St. Elizabeth’s, his concern for social justice and excellence in health care brought him national recognition. In 1935, Father Griffin was named a monsignor and, in 1948, he was elevated to prothonotary apostolic—the highest rank of a monsignor. A trustee of the American Hospital Association for some 27 years, he helped establish its permanent headquarters in Chicago and later assisted in the organization of the Catholic Hospital Association (now the Catholic Health Association), serving as its president from 1940 to 1953. He was also a founder and the fifth president of the Ohio Hospital Association and, to this day, he is honored for his work there by the OHA’s award for outstanding journalism that bears his name. Monsignor Griffin was appointed to the first Industrial Commission of Ohio, developers of Worker’s Compensation, and he was twice honored by Pope Pius XII for his work with hospitals. In 1950, he was granted a “private audience” with the Holy Father in Rome. In 1961, St. Elizabeth’s celebrated its Golden Jubilee. The hospital had added another major building and could now care for over 500 patients. It was also emerging as a leader in health care, offering the people of Youngstown many new and progressive services such as family-centered maternity, diagnostic cardiology and open-heart surgery. Monsignor Griffin died on January 25 of that year. He was 80 years old and had lived to see all his dreams of excellence for St. Elizabeth Hospital come true.

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Chapter

Depression and War

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Chapter

t is difficult to understand the devastation that the Great Depression wreaked during the 1930s unless one has lived through it. The beginning of this black period in history is generally agreed to have been the “crash” of the stock market in October of 1929. The idealistic, middle class American of the prosperous ‘20s who had hoped to “cash in big” on the stock market virtually lost everything he owned when “the bottom fell out.” He was joined by the corporations and benefactors—the genteel elite who were accustomed to having money. The Depression hit “rock bottom” between 1930-31. There was little or no production in industry; unemployment rose to over 30 percent; companies and people were bankrupt; and banks “went under,” taking with them the life-savings of millions. Herbert Hoover was president and he hung on to the dream that prosperity was ‘’just around the comer.” Taking the traditional, conservative economic view, he believed that the Depression was not unique; the country was simply in a slump and it would turn itself around. By 1932, it was clear that the Depression was unlike any other in previous history. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “New Deal” expanded the federal government’s role to help ease the effects of the severe economic setback the country was experiencing. His programs were initiated to help the ordinary citizen financially while at the same time giving him a sense of pride in his job, in himself and in his country. The New Deal saw the advance of a minimum wage for workers, workmen’s compensation for those injured on the job, unemployment insurance for those temporarily out of work, and Social Security for those not able to work. Some evaluations of the New Deal note that, in reality, it was merely a “safety net” which did nothing to cure the low productivity of industrial America. Some historians, however, believe that it did protect the basic economic system of the United States and preserved the ideology of human rights and freedoms. This would be very important as the world turned

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the corner on the 1940s to face a confrontation between democracy and totalitarianism during the Second World War. About midway through the Depression, St. Elizabeth Hospital celebrated its Silver Anniversary. It had been 25 years since the first patient was admitted to the old Fitch House, long since torn down to make way for the hospital’s second wing. In 1936, St. Elizabeth’s consisted of two large buildings in which over 300 patients could be cared for. The first plans drawn up by Sister Genevieve, Father Griffin and architect Charles Owsley called for a complex of seven buildings in all. Although the never-ending need for expansion was still a pressing issue, St. Elizabeth’s physical plant would remain a two-building structure for another 20 years. From 1922 to 1931, Sister Marie Hortense Kenney was the administrator of St. Elizabeth’s. She is remembered as an able and hardworking person and one who was beset with a few problems during her tenure of office. She was the first administrator to feel the burden of the sisters’ ownership of the hospital—not only did she have the responsibility of making sure the patients were well cared for but she also had to deal with the conflict of balancing a mission of charity with the pressure of economic survival. Also, the staff working at the hospital had grown and a lot of people now depended on St. Elizabeth’s for a living. Sister Marie Hortense also had to deal with a very delicate situation involving the medical staff. Some physicians at that time wanted Dr. Whelan to continue in the office of chief of staff while others were concerned because he had become severely afflicted with arthritis. He was no longer able to perform surgery and there was a feeling that perhaps he should not function as chief of staff. Sister Marie Hortense asked for guidance from Bishop Schrembs who helped to develop a solution to the dilemma by suggesting a compromise that Dr. Whelan continue as emeritus chief of staff and Dr. C. Hauser be appointed acting chief of staff. This apparently pleased all concerned in the matter and, at the 20th graduation ceremony of the school of nursing, Bishop Schrembs paid special tribute to Dr. Whelan, saying: “In the early days of the hospital and for many years Dr. Raymond Whelan was the guiding genius and I take great pleasure in paying him this tribute.” Dr. Whelan continued to work for as long as he possibly could. Sister Mary Linus MacDonald, who worked in the nursing services department of St. Elizabeth’s for some 37 years, said in a 1985 interview that Dr. Whelan would make his general rounds in a wheelchair, accompanied by his young daughter Margaret, who took notes for him. (Margaret Whelan was the last baby born in Fitch House and the first baby transferred to the nursery in the new hospital in January of 1915. She later worked in the

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record room at St. Elizabeth’s.) Due to his disabling arthritis, Dr. Whelan was given a permanent room at St. Elizabeth’s, where he lived until his death in 1950. Even during this time, he continued to do consultations on some patients and attended teaching conferences whenever he could. In 1931, Dr. Charles Hauser became the second chief of staff and Sister M. DeLellis Kennelley, the fourth administrator. The country was in the depths of the Depression and people in Youngstown faced day-to-day struggle for survival. Conditions at the hospital were no better. It was at this time that the hospitals in Youngstown separately requested that the city pay its debt for indigent patients. The North and South units of The Youngstown Hospital Association had a debt of $37,000, and St. Elizabeth’s had yet to be reimbursed for an $18,000 bill. In 1932, the hospitals asked the city council to make good on these debts; but, because the Depression had hit everyone in the community, the city could not meet this debt. Instead, council approved and offered a plan to pay the hospitals with municipal bonds, which the hospitals accepted. In February of 1932, Sister DeLellis announced the formation of an advisory board to be made up of laymen in the community who would “counsel and advise the hospital’s administration.” Members of this first advisory board included: James P. Hyland, Charles B. Cushwa Sr., Hugh W. Wickham, William Cosel, Nathan B. Folsom, Gary S. Hammond, Benjamin L. Agler, John A. Reisinger, Henry A. Roemer, John T. Gerrity, Sidney J. Collins and Philip W. Frieder. Mr. Hyland was elected president, Mr. Cushwa, vice president, Mr. Agler, treasurer, and Mr. Wickham, secretary. The effects of the Depression were far-reaching. The hospital was experiencing difficulty in its day-to-day operations, as evidenced by the need to request that the city settle its debt. In May of 1932, the wives of the medical staff joined together to organize a fundraising effort to help defray the costs of hospital linen, dressings and bandages. This group evolved into the St. Elizabeth Auxiliary, with Margaret Gallagher Whelan serving as its first president. Also, in March of 1933, Sister DeLellis entered into an agreement with all the employees of the hospital. This agreement states that “owing to the economic conditions [the hospital would be unable] to continue to pay the employees any stipulated wage or salary beginning with the first day of April, 1933.” The agreement further spells out a payment schedule whereby the employees would be paid, as a group, a sum of money (not less than 10 percent of the hospital’s net income) which would then be divided among all of them. On March 30, 1933, all of St. Elizabeth’s employees signed the contract. Even though the Depression brought many businesses and industries

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to a standstill, the hospital continued to operate. The facilities were being used—a lot—and improvements were needed, especially in the North building. It was hoped an elevator could be built which would make the surgery area in the North building more accessible to the rest of the hospital. The hospital was actually two separate buildings, connected only on the ground level and first floor (lobby entrance on Belmont Avenue). In order to get patients on the South wing to surgery, the staff would use the South elevator to take the patients to the ground floor, where they would wheel them past the kitchen and into the North wing to get yet another elevator that took them to the fifth floor where surgery was located. On the return trip from recovery, patients would take the same route in reverse. Attempting to get out from under the building debt and the effects of the Depression—and, in the hopes of making some of the needed improvements—St. Elizabeth’s once again turned to the community for help. Youngstown had always been willing and eager to help the hospital and now the need was just as great. The next great milestone for the hospital would be its Silver Anniversary in 1936; so it was decided that this occasion for celebration would be used to help kick-off a fundraising campaign to assist the hospital in its efforts to continue serving the community. This campaign was a little different than previous ones, however, in that it was sponsored jointly with the South unit of YHA. St. Elizabeth’s needed funds for improvements and both hospitals had incurred debts for all the patients who were unable to pay. The campaign, aimed at collecting $100,000, was slated to take place January 20-27, 1936. Chairman of the joint hospital effort was Harry L. Rownd and the two vice chairmen were Charles B. Cushwa Sr., president of Commercial Shearing and Stamping Company and vice president of St. Elizabeth’s advisory board, and Clarence J. Strouss, president and general manager of the Strouss-Hirshberg Company and vice president of the YHA board of trustees. The need for funds was seen as an emergency because both hospitals were facing a loss of credit due to unpaid bills. The leaders of the campaign and the citizens of Youngstown knew that the hospitals had taken care of patients whether they could pay or not. Mr. Rownd announced the reason for the joint campaign: The two hospitals have suffered more from hard times than any other public institution. Throughout the Depression, the hospitals have given full service despite [the) inability of an alarmingly large number of patients to pay their bills. As a result, both hospitals have exhausted their credit and face a shut-off of essential supplies, such as drugs and food. The boards of the two hospitals have exhausted all other means to relieve their plight. The emergency is one that affects the entire community.

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Campaign headquarters were set up in the Dollar Bank Building and the campaign slogan was “Save Our Hospitals.” Out-of-town creditors agreed to extend credit to both hospitals until the campaign was over. The two hospitals’ outstanding bills for operating expenses included food, fuel, drugs, dressings, supplies for surgery, laboratory and X-ray as well as for the kitchen, housekeeping and laundry, ice, linen and equipment. Some of the bills owed by both hospitals together were: Canned food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $40,000 Cotton, bandages, adhesives. . . . . . . . . . . 26,000 Surgical instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,800 Groceries and vegetables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,600 Drugs, serums and vaccines . . . . . . . . . . . 11,400 Linens, bedding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,300 Meat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,100 Butter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,900 Coal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,200 Bread. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,500 Kitchen utensils. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,400 Ice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,400 Laboratory/X-ray supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,800 Eggs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,800 Leaders of the campaign decided to use the radio for a media blitz. Each day of the campaign, someone with a particular interest in the medical or health field was chosen to speak for 15 minutes about the campaign and the work of the hospitals. The radio campaign was carried over WKBN-Radio. The campaign opened by having all the priests, ministers and rabbis announce it to their congregations on Saturday and Sunday, January 18 and 19. Bishop Schrembs of Cleveland sent the first contribution. January 19 was called “Hospital Sunday” and three area clergymen took to the WKBN-Radio airwaves to launch appeals for the campaign: Monsignor William Kane, pastor of St. Patrick Church in Youngstown; Reverend Joseph Trainor, pastor of St. Columba Church; and Reverend J. I. Moore, pastor of Tabernacle United Presbyterian Church and president of the Youngstown Ministerial Association. Also slated for radio appeals were: Dr. C. H. Clark, president of the Corydon-Palmer Dental Society; Dr. Sidney McCurdy, representing the Mahoning County Medical Society; Mrs. Gladys Wehr, president of District 3, Ohio Nurses Association; Dr. W. W. Ryall, city health commissioner, Joseph F. Collins, president of the Mahoning Valley Foreman’s Association; Charles B. Cushwa Sr. of Commercial Shearing and Stamp-

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ing and St. Elizabeth’s advisory board; Miss Dorothy Windley, supervisor of nurses at YHA; and Sister M. DeLellis, superintendent of St. Elizabeth’s. The mayor of Youngstown, Lionel Evans, declared the week of January 20, 1936, as “Hospital Campaign Week” and urged the citizens of Youngstown to contribute generously. Even though it was the middle of the Depression, the campaign successfully raised $101,740. The hospitals were able to pay their debts and, in March of that year, St. Elizabeth’s received yet “another mark of distinction”—the American Medical Association approved the hospital for two residency programs, one in medicine and the other in surgery. St. Elizabeth’s was now an AMA-approved “teaching hospital.” The mayor made another proclamation later that year. The week of August 23-29 was declared “St. Elizabeth Silver Jubilee Week.” Events for the week included a solemn high mass, graduation exercises for the 25th class to enter the school of nursing, an open house and tours of the hospital, a nurses’ homecoming day and banquet-dance, a babies’ day to honor all persons born at St. Elizabeth’s and an ex-interns’ day, which nearly 100 physicians attended. In 1937, the administration of Sister Germaine Hawkins began and Dr. Francis W. McNamara became the third president of the medical staff. Dr. McNamara had been St. Elizabeth’s first intern and is permanently etched into the history of St. Elizabeth’s through his appearance in one of the two surviving photos of Fitch House. (He’s the man standing on the front porch.) Although the late 1930s and early 1940s were not years of physical growth for St. Elizabeth’s, the hospital was running at 100 percent capacity and plans for an addition were being discussed. The most pressing problem, however, seemed to be that of a nursing shortage. St. Elizabeth’s was encouraging new students, but the age-old problem of space was becoming a critical factor for the school of nursing. It was no longer adequate to handle the number of students it was enrolling. On November 14, 1942, St. Elizabeth’s announced the purchase of the Heller Apartment Building on Caroline Street. Sister Germaine reported that it would be used as a dormitory for the student nurses. This relieved the space shortage for a short time; but, the U.S. involvement in the war brought about the need for an even greater number of trained nurses. On December 8, 1941 (the day of St. Elizabeth’s 30th anniversary), the United States entered World War II. It was the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and, in retaliation for that attack, the U.S. declared war on Japan. As it usually is when countries form defensive alliances, a few days later Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. America was placed in the position of fighting a “two-front” war:

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Germany and Italy in the “European Theater” and Japan in the “Pacific Theater.” This was a monumental task that required twice the servicemen and twice the supplies, equipment, food, physicians and nurses. Nurses were already in short supply, so the government, under the Federal Works Agency, began giving grants to nursing students so more nurses could be trained as quickly as possible. The Cadet Nurses Corps program offered the women an opportunity to have their educations paid for in exchange for time served in the armed forces. On September 2, 1941, 39 new students were enrolled in St. Elizabeth’s School of Nursing under its chapter of the Cadet Nurses Corps. They were to follow an accelerated curriculum approved by the Ohio State Nurses Board and the nursing division of the United States Public Health Service. Under this plan, students completed the theoretical and essential clinical services in 30 months, with the last six months of their training left for a “richer experience in bedside nursing in federal government or civilian hospitals.” At the end of 36 months, the cadet nurse was eligible for graduation and could become a registered nurse after passing the Ohio State Nurses Board examination. The cadet nurse was then free to choose either civilian or military service for her professional nursing career. During the war years, St. Elizabeth’s also set up a nursery school to aid war workers in the community. The nursery was started in 1943 as an experiment, with the purpose of training student nurses in the care of a “well child” as opposed to the care they would render ill children on the pediatric unit. But soon the hospital saw that it could have a two-fold purpose. Women with preschool-aged children were having difficulty volunteering for the Red Cross and the hospital, so mothers were invited to enroll their children in the program while they volunteered their time in service to the hospital. The nursery was also funded by the Federal Works program.11 In May of 1944, the Federal Works Agency approved a $169,648 grant for St. Elizabeth’s to construct a new dormitory for its student nurses. The hospital announced that it would be built on the Stambaugh estate and connect to the school of nursing. This was the first major construction the hospital had been involved in since the South building in 1928. The government grant was not enough to cover the entire building program, so the hospital launched another campaign to raise an additional $200,000. The government required that the hospital contribute $100,000 toward the construction and $30,000 toward equipment for the building. Sister Germaine and the advisory board, under the leadership of James P. Hyland, decided to campaign for $200,000 and use the remaining funds for two future projects: a tunnel that would connect the school to the hospital (estimated at $20,000) and an addition to the laundry ($50,000). The school of nursing project would include two sections: a two-story dormitory facing Belmont Avenue with accommodations for “not less

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than 82” nursing students and a one-story section facing Caroline Street for classrooms and offices. In 1944, the hospital had 170 student nurses and the state board of health had requested that enrollment be increased to 235. Hospital officials felt that the school would be able to accommodate more than that number after the new building was completed. Ground was broken for the school of nursing addition on July 28, 1944, and it was formally dedicated and blessed by Bishop James McFadden12 on November 29, 1945. The dormitory was named Lourdes Residence Hall and the educational section, Jeanne Mance Hall. In October of 1944, St. Elizabeth’s opened a communicable disease unit on the ground floor. The unit provided treatment for meningitis, scarlet fever and polio. St. Elizabeth’s was now in a position to train more nurses, but the hospital shortage of beds and professional staff was in crisis proportions. An article in the Youngstown Vindicator, dated January 20, 1945, reports: St. Elizabeth’s Hospital facilities are being used to the utmost. Reports read to the advisory board at the annual meeting Friday night by Sister Germaine, superintendent, disclosed there were 11,985 patients last year against 11,475 in 1943. The staff handled an average of 300 patients per day, an increase of 21 over 1943, despite the loss of many physicians and nurses to the armed service. The medical staff had been slashed 35 percent with the departure of 23 doctors for service. Some 22 interns and 64 nurses had also enlisted. The 50th Anniversary issue of Life magazine, published in the fall of 1986, calls 1945 “the watershed year of the 20th century.” The article continues: One kind of world ended, another began. Roosevelt died, Hitler committed suicide, Churchill was voted out of office. The United Nations was founded. An independent republic of Vietnam was formed with Ho Chi Minh as president. The end of the war was a time of huge celebration and thanksgiving, but it was also the point at which mankind saw as never before its own capacity for evil. It was the year the death camps were revealed, and it was the year of the bomb. The postwar years brought with them prosperity, the “Baby Boom,” and tremendous advances in medical science. It was a time of progress unlike any seen before it—and St. Elizabeth’s was to keep pace with that progress in the growth years of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s.

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They Lined Up at the Kitchen Door Although the Depression had hit everyone in the country, the hospital—as one of the few institutions to remain open during those years— did what it could to help the people in the community. Sister Thecla McManamon recalled that the people of Youngstown would line up outside the kitchen door and sometimes the line would extend halfway down Belmont Avenue. She said Sister Aloyse, who was in charge of the kitchen at that time, would pass out food to those in need. The largest single item that people requested was lard. Since the hospital prepared so many meals, a good amount of lard was always available, so sister would parcel it out to the people standing in line with the small pails they used to collect the lard. Sister Thecla said that Sister Aloyse had a “marvelous memory” and she would remember what and who she had given food to and sometimes cautioned them on misuse if they reappeared too soon after she supplied them. She also educated people on how to cook the types of things that would offer sustenance—although they may have lacked in aesthetic appeal for the appetite. One of these items was cooked melon rinds. Instead of discarding them, she would save the melon rinds and instruct the people to fry the rinds in the lard. She would also save potato skins and anything else that might have been discarded as “garbage” before but might have some nutritional value to those people who had no idea where their next meal was coming from. It was a hard time—but people pulled together and saw it through to more prosperous times in the years ahead.

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The Man on the Porch Dr. Francis McNamara was St. Elizabeth’s first intern and third president of its medical staff. Sister Thecla remembered that he had completed a two-year internship at St. Alexis Hospital in Cleveland when he joined St. Elizabeth’s staff in August of 1912. She said he had come to Youngstown with the stipulation that he would complete his internship at the hospital and also open an office downtown for a private practice. He was to spend half his time at St. Elizabeth’s and half at the office. His name first appears in the hospital register when he was assigned to a case on August 30, 1912. Sister Thecla also recalled that Dr. McNamara had a room in the Owens’ House. When the house was being moved so it could be annexed to Fitch House, Dr. McNamara had to use a ladder to get into his quarters. Later in his life, when he would reminisce about this episode, Dr. McNamara said he had to be sure the ladder was always readily available to him during the annexation project because, until the house reached its destination, he “never knew” from day to day “where the house was going to be.” Dr. McNamara had a long association with St. Elizabeth Hospital, serving as president of the medical staff from 1937-47 and as the first voluntary director of medical education, a position he held on a part-time basis until the first full-time medical education director was named in 1957. Dr. McNamara remained active at St. Elizabeth Hospital throughout his entire lifetime. He continued in his teaching role, including giving lectures to interns and residents, until the time of his death in 1970.

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What the Hospital Looked Like in the ‘30s and ‘40s Just what did St. Elizabeth Hospital look like in 1936? A booklet prepared for its 25th Anniversary celebration details the physical layout at that time: St. Elizabeth’s Hospital extends about four hundred feet along Belmont Avenue. It is a two winged, six-floored [plus ground level] building.13 The main units are connected by a central one-story entrance. In the spacious interior of the central section are located the Admission Department, the Information Desk and the Telephone Exchange. Adjacent to the Lobby are the Administration Offices, the Record Room, the Doctors’ Lounge and Library. There were patient rooms on all six floors. The rooms were all designed as private or ward. In later years, the ward gave way to the semi-private room, which is still the most common patient accommodation today. The pediatric department was now on the sixth floor of the North building. One of the improvements to the department in the early ‘30s was the addition of glass cubicles to not only guard against infection but also to make the children more comfortable by letting them see others. The glass cubicles were a donation of the Thomas E. Farrell family of Youngstown, given in memory of their son, Edward, who was killed in a fall at Camp Fitch in Erie, Pennsylvania. Below the pediatric department was the surgery department, which boasted of four large operating rooms. Located near surgery were the “central dressing room” (now known as central services or central sterile supply) and a “solution room, where all the solutions are prepared and sterilized. ” The “physiotherapy department” was located on the ground level of the North wing. Sister Mary Rose Scheetz worked in the department from August 1932 to August 1934. She remembered that Sister Delellis was anxious to develop a physical therapy department as so many general hospitals were beginning to do at that time. Sister Mary Rose had worked at Rosemary Home for Crippled Children in Cleveland14 for five years and was licensed by the state of Ohio to practice massage. Her reminiscences of the early department are chronicled in a 1986 letter she wrote: A professional masseuse, Hanna Bjorison, had already been hired at St. Elizabeth’s and was trying to get a P. T. Department set up by the time I arrived. We spent every morning on the floors, wherever the patients were whose Doctor had ordered some of the following treatments that we gave. ..: Ultra-violet ray, mostly for a skin condition, sometimes to

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help heal an open wound which was stubborn, in healing; Diathermy, a thru-heat electric treatment that was frequently ordered for pneumonia patients; an infra-red, also a heat treatment sometimes followed up by massage with good old cocoa butter; Galvanic electric current, which was used mainly for stimulation of muscles or for some neuro-muscular skeletal disorders. In the afternoon we would give some of these treatments to out-patients down on the basement level (ground floor) where we had a small room opposite the old Emergency Room and next to X-ray. That is where we were able to give more of the recommended exercises. I also taught Practical Massage to the student nurses over at the school. The pharmacy was located at the rear entrance of the South building and had two registered pharmacists on staff. The dietary department was on the ground floor between the South and North buildings. The X-ray department occupied a â&#x20AC;&#x153;spacious six-room suiteâ&#x20AC;? on the ground floor of the North wing where there were four X-ray machines; a deep therapy machine had just been added. The maternity department was located on two floors of the South building and, located near the maternity department, was a large nursery which accommodated 50 bassinets. The hospital could care for over 300 patients.15

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Sister DeLellis Makes Radio Appeal During the 1936 “Save Our Hospitals” campaign, several people associated with both St. Elizabeth’s and YHA’s South unit took to the WKBN-Radio airwaves to make an appeal for contributions from the public. Sister Delellis, administrator at this time, was one of those who took part in this media blitz. Her speech is reprinted (in part) here: Youngstown citizens who are listening to the radio at this time may have read some or all of the articles recently written in the daily papers about the UNITED HOSPITAL CAMPAIGN. Perhaps many are wondering why the hospitals are asking for money; why a campaign is being launched now. It is my intention to give you a few reasons and to answer these questions. Hospitals, unlike other business enterprises, supply a need, not only to those who can afford to pay for necessities, but to all—without discrimination. They [hospitals] have grown, side by side with such industries as the automobile and the radio, but with this difference. The hospital gives the newest and best which science can offer—to all—whereas the other above-mentioned businesses give their commodities or services to those only who can afford them. Many may ask: “Why does a hospital have to be so completely equipped, so versed in the newest methods and so efficient in its services?” The answer is, because the purpose of the hospital is to restore the sick body to health; to make whole again that which sickness has impaired. This purpose would not be achieved if the personnel of the hospital did not keep up with advances in modern science. Many diseases formerly considered incurable, now yield to medical treatment as a result of the discoveries of science. The control of disease however, requires expensive medicines in some cases, painstaking operations in others, or costly treatments which require special apparatus or appliances as well as trained nurses and doctors to use them. . . . No one is satisfied with mediocrity in any field. Much more does everyone want the best when it is a question of health. The saying “Life is sweet” is as old as the human race. The hospital not only considers it as such but adopts the slogan “Life is sacred.” It is the purpose of the hospital to save and prolong life. The public takes this for granted but does not always realize that a hospital must be supported while dispensing its errand of mercy. Since life is sacred, no distinction is made as to the broken bodies which enshrine even a spark of life. Rich and poor alike seek and find help within its portals. The cost of caring for both is the same but the hospital is not equally reimbursed.

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During the depression, every hospital has been forced to economize to the extreme. In no case has the patient had to suffer from this economy. Salaries have been reduced, necessary repairs have been deferred, and generous workers have volunteered free services and accepted extra duties. . . . The fact that Youngstown hospitals have not closed their doors during the depression has been due in large part to the generosity and patience of our many creditors. Some of these have been forced out of business in order to keep the hospitals who owed them open. Surely, it is not right to ask anyone to go this far. . . . We need your help to continue to care for the sick of the city. Your gift will be a lasting memorial to each and every citizen. It will be a monument to Youngstownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spirit of helpfulness and a monument which will live foreverâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not in a heart of stone but in the hearts of flesh whom you have helped to enjoy life. . . .

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The Bright Spot of the Campaign When the community was asked to “Save Our Hospitals” during the 1936 fund-raising efforts, the story of the smallest contribution emerged as the bright spot of the campaign. A 12-year-old girl, who asked that her name not be mentioned, donated 25 cents that she had saved up for winter gloves. It was the smallest contribution made, yet so eloquent a gesture that the campaign leaders felt the need to publish it. The story is reminiscent of the penny Joseph G. Butler Jr. received from a newsboy when he headed-up St. Elizabeth’s 1912 campaign. The child’s wish for anonymity was respected, however, her letter was reprinted in The Vindicator. It reads (in part): Inclosed (sic) please find 25 cents for the campaign. It is all mama and I can give. My daddy was out of work for a long time. Now he works two days a week. My mama was going to buy me a pair of gloves with this money, as I have not had any gloves this winter. But we talked it over and decided to give this money for the hospitals. The little girl and her mother had both been in area hospitals during the past year—she had been “run over by a hit-skip driver” and the mother had broken her hip after falling down the cellar stairs. Both were now fully recovered. She continues: My daddy read about the hospital campaign and he said someday he would like to pay his bill for me and mama but it might be a long time. So mama and I talked it over and we are sending 25¢. . . . Please don’t mention my name to anybody as we are proud and would not like to have people know we can’t give more than 25¢. I sure hope you can get the money you need for the hospitals.

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Chapter

Years of Growth

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Chapter

he decade of the ‘50s saw the rise of McCarthyism, the Cold War, space technology and the cure for the dreaded disease—polio. In the 1960s, the torch had “been passed to a new generation of Americans” and the end of the relatively short administration of President John F. Kennedy marked the beginning of a period filled with questions, restlessness and dissent among youth, among minorities and among the poor. A new voice was also demanding to be heard—that of women, the “minority” in the majority. Civil rights, Vietnam, the “war on poverty” and Kent State are now historical landmarks of the era in which the Baby Boom generation came of age, cautioning everyone: “never trust anyone over 30.” (As the Baby Boomers grew older, the new pronouncement would be “life begins at 40.”) The ‘60s are often labeled as years of turbulence; however, President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “Great Society” brought about advances in job training, civil rights, education, and other programs that attempted to bring all Americans on an equitable plane of basic human dignity. Among these programs was Medicare, which provided health insurance to all Americans over 65 years of age. The enactment of this legislation would have a profound effect on hospitals, both in patient care and financial operations. The 1970s brought with them: Watergate, gas shortages, the “me” generation and the introduction of the Japanese automobile into the American way of life. The need for more fuel-efficient transportation opened the U.S. market to a country that just 30 years earlier had forced America’s entry into the Second World War. It was an ominous warning signal that the United States’ stronghold on basic industry was beginning to crumble. In a few short years, Youngstown’s power base in the steel industry would be shattered as all the major steel producers closed their “obsolete” plants in the Valley. Throughout this recent history, St. Elizabeth Hospital progressed both in structure and services, its growth mirroring the mood and economy of the country and the community.

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Since the completion of the South building in 1929, hospital leaders had anticipated the time when more beds would be needed and the original architectural plans for expansion, developed in 1915, could be continued.16 But the Depression and World War II interfered with the building plans and it was not until 1950 that St. Elizabeth’s felt it was financially able to take on the next phase of expansion. On February 18, 1950, Sister M. Adelaide Krummert, the hospital’s sixth administrator, announced plans to raise $2 million for a new six-story building (eight-stories, including basement and ground levels) which would add 225 beds to the hospital and run to the west of the present two buildings. The plan also made provisions to have all three buildings connected on all levels. Sister Adelaide also announced that the campaign for funds was expected to take several years. In May of that year, an advance gifts drive was planned with the public to be solicited for funds in 1951. The hospital had to purchase land for the expansion program and one piece of property which had 80 feet of frontage onto Owens Street17 was purchased from a Mrs. Martha Donnelly Rivers. Other parcels of land were acquired later. In November of 1950, Judge John W. Ford accepted the general chairmanship of the St. Elizabeth Hospital Building Fund. It was very fitting that Judge Ford be asked to chair the campaign because he was the grandson of Joseph G. Butler Jr., chairman of the hospital’s North building campaign in 1912. Judge Ford chose Charles B. Cushwa Jr. and Sidney S. Moyer as his vice chairmen. There was also a group of men appointed to assist in soliciting larger gifts from companies and organizations which was composed of: Walter Bender, Sidney Collins, Edward Purnell, John F. Hynes and Charles Gallagher. Dr. Francis McNamara was appointed chairman of the medical division and his committee included: Dr. W. K. Allsop, Dr. J. B. Birch, Dr. A. E. Brandt, Dr. William Evans, Dr. David Levy, Dr. Howard Mathay, Dr. John McCann and Dr. Saul Tamarkin. Frank Fortunato of the hospital’s accounting department chaired the employee division and his associate chairperson was Miss Violet Campbell, R.N. On November 10, the floor plans for the new building were placed on display at the hospital and employees were encouraged to view the plans and offer suggestions. Construction of the new building was to begin as soon as funding could be obtained. This would include what was raised through the campaign as well as any federal funding that could be procured through the Hill-Burton Act.18 A new feature of the 1950 campaign was the memorial gifts division, which gave donors an opportunity to make a contribution in the donor’s name or in the name or memory of someone else, either living or deceased.

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The idea was to “perpetuate the name of a loved one, friend, family, group or organization.” The plan was an appealing one to corporations since they could deduct gifts to charitable institutions from their net taxable income. Since the $2 million goal of the campaign was so large, the most successful division would have to be that of the memorial gifts. Judge Ford selected Sidney Collins and Edward A. Purnell to head this division and pamphlets, booklets, sign-up cards and manuals were prepared. A donation of $1,200 or more garnered the donor a bronze plaque and each item for the new wing was assigned a specific dollar amount so benefactors could choose what they wished to donate. The campaign ran for most of 1951 and was considered a great success. On October 11, 1951, a victory banquet was held at the Hotel Pick-Ohio in downtown Youngstown where Sister Adelaide was presented a check in the amount of $2,011,165. In July of 1952, the hospital received word that the Hill-Burton funds had been approved. However, these funds were delayed for about a year because of an unexpected cutback in all federal appropriations. Sister Adelaide and Attorney G. Hammond, president of the hospital’s advisory board, said that the construction would go on as planned and the hospital would just have to figure out a new way to raise the money. However, by June of 1953, the federal aid was restored and the hospital was ready to accept bids for the construction. The Mellon and Stuart Company from Pittsburgh submitted the lowest bid for the project—$3,769,800—and they were awarded the contract. (The Heller-Murray Construction Company, builders of the North and South buildings, submitted a bid of $4,213,082.) The architects for the West building addition were Schmidt, Garden and Erikson of Chicago, Illinois. An interesting note connected to the building project was that general contractors Mellon-Stuart reportedly paid the highest fee for a work permit ever recorded to that point by the city building inspector. The fee for the permit was $4,327.63. Carlson Electric Company of Youngstown was chosen to do the electrical work and the Sauer Company of Pittsburgh was selected for mechanical jobs that included plumbing, ventilation and refrigeration. The groundbreaking ceremony for the West building was set for August 2, 1953. Bishop Emmet M. Walsh presided at the event, which also had on the program: Mr. Hammond of the advisory board; Judge Ford, chairman of the campaign; Charles P. Henderson, mayor of Youngstown; Reverend Roland Luhman, pastor of Pilgrim Collegiate Church, representing the Protestant clergy of the city; Rabbi Sidney Berkowitz, representing the Jewish community; and Congressman Michael J. Kirwan.

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(On July 31, Sister Adelaide received a telegram from Rabbi Berkowitz saying he had been detained out of town and regretfully would miss the groundbreaking ceremony.) The spirit of ecumenism had been with the leaders of St. Elizabeth Hospital since its humble beginnings. In The Vindicator’s daily column, “Around Town,” Esther Hamilton wrote: At the groundbreaking ceremonies for the addition and remodeling of St. Elizabeth Hospital it began to rain when the Most Rev. Emmet M. Walsh. Bishop of Youngstown, began to give the address of the afternoon. Dr. Roland A. Luhman. . . stepped forward,. unfurled his umbrella and held it over the Catholic bishop until the shower was over. The architectural plans for the building called for a ‘’’T-Shaped Design’ with a central tower design motif. The present hospital will form the head of the ‘T’ with the new wing extending in a westerly direction from it.” To accomplish this, the middle portion of the hospital which connected the North and South buildings had to be removed. This center area had housed the main lobby and was considered one of the most beautiful sections of the hospital. Some of the sisters who worked at St. Elizabeth’s in the ‘30s and 40s remember it well and recall that there was a beautiful tapestry that covered one wall, ceiling to floor. The hospital advertised in the newspaper for a buyer for the old lobby. An ad appeared in the real estate section of the Washington Post Gazette in September 1953, which read (in part): Located in Youngstown, Ohio. For Sale: Where Is, As Is. Must be moved in the Very Near Future. No Reasonable Offer Refused. Although the ad appeared, hospital files show no record of any inquiries being made. Actually, it was discovered later that the center area could not have been moved intact and it was eventually demolished to make way for the new building. As construction continued, so did the quest for new technology. In March of 1954, St. Elizabeth’s announced the establishment of the department of radioactive medicine. Hospitals in the larger cities were using radioactive isotopes to treat thyroid and other diseases; and, invariably, patients in Youngstown who needed this treatment had to travel to hospitals in Pittsburgh or Cleveland. On January 7 of that year, the Atomic Energy Commission gave St. Elizabeth Hospital approval to establish the department and Dr. Raymond Scheetz, who had special training in this field, was put in charge of the management and administration of the iso-

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topes. He was assisted by Dr. George Altman. The department functioned as part of the radiology department, headed by Dr. Saul Tamarkin. Even though construction still continued on the West building, one department moved into its new location just as soon as it possibly could. The hospital laundry had always been located in a separate building— until the afternoon of September 14, 1955, when the ribbon was cut for the new laundry in the West building. The first hospital laundry was located in one of the three frame houses on the original Fitch property; the second was in the basement of the carriage house (Ivy Hall) behind the Stambaugh Mansion of the school of nursing. Miss Florence Sharkey joined the hospital as laundry manager in 1914 at the request of Father Maurice Griffin. She was in her 41st year of service when she was asked to do the honor of cutting the ribbon to open the new laundry. The new, modernized kitchen opened in December of 1955, and, in January of 1956, the women on the maternity unit and their babies became the first patients to move into the West building. On January 23 of that year, the emergency room was relocated and ready for operation. The dedication and blessing of the new structure was scheduled as a four-day event. The ceremonies began on June 28, 1956, when Bishop Walsh placed the cornerstone. On Friday, June 29, the hospital was open for inspection to area physicians, dentists, business and labor leaders, public officials and representatives of the various contractors who participated in the project. The actual dedication took place at 10 a.m., Saturday, June 30, 1956, with the blessing of the building and pontifical high mass of thanksgiving celebrated by the bishop, and the four-day event concluded on Sunday, July 1, with an open house and public tours from 1-4 p.m. The completion of the West addition to St. Elizabeth Hospital made it the city’s largest hospital, with over 500 beds and 63 bassinets. With the completion of the West building, the hospital bid farewell to Sister Adelaide, who was transferred to St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain. Sister M. Baptista Frutkin, assistant superintendent at St. Elizabeth’s, was named the new superintendent. Sister Baptista is said to have been a well-liked and capable person who encouraged growth and development. Where Sister Adelaide was more conservative financially, Sister Baptista was more liberal about funding new departments and research activities. In October of 1956, she announced the creation of a new position and the person who would fill it— the first full-time director of medical education at St. Elizabeth’s would be Dr. George Trimble. His job was to guide the internship and residency programs, which now included obstetrics and gynecology as well as surgery and medicine. In September of 1957, the Youngstown building inspector approved

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the construction of a 280-foot tunnel to connect the hospital with the school of nursing. The Charles Shutrump and Sons Company was general contractor. Sister Baptista announced in January, 1958, that the school of nursing’s Lourdes residence hall would have a third floor added to it. Also announced at that time was the construction of a 16-unit apartment building to house interns, residents and their families. In late March-early April, 1958, construction of the apartments—two separate buildings with eight units each—was begun by the Shutrump Company. The cost of the project was approximately $223,000. The apartments were a very important part of the medical education program because they were an attractive feature of St. Elizabeth’s program that proved to be an inducement for interns and residents. Another event of significance in 1958 was the Caesarean delivery of a baby without anesthetic being given to the mother. Mrs. Richard Green, a patient of Dr. Simon Chiasson, went through the entire procedure while under hypnosis. Sister Baptista hailed the successful delivery as “another milestone in local medical history.” The late ‘50s also saw the beginning of heart research at St. Elizabeth’s. In 1958, the hospital received a grant from the American Heart Association for research in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Dr. Leonard P. Caccamo, who headed the cardiology section since 1950, was in charge of the research program. On January 2, 1959, the school of cytotechnology was opened in the laboratory. Dr. Bernard Taylor, director of the laboratory at that time, said that the purpose of the school was to train technologists in the diagnosis of disease through study of changes in cell structure. The most wellknown test done by the cytotechnologist is the “Pap test,” which is used to help in the early detection of cervical cancer and other diseases of the female reproductive system. Late in 1959, Dr. Angelo Riberi and Dr. Caccamo shared in another American Heart Association grant to study cardiac blockage. Sister Baptista recognized the need for a strong educational program for physicians and committed the hospital to this. She arranged to outfit the research lab and it was here that some of the residents—including Dr. Riberi who had studied cardiovascular and thoracic surgery in Europe—performed surgery on laboratory animals in order to perfect new surgical techniques. Research, education, development of new departments and the need for more space heralded the decade of the ‘60s. John F. Kennedy became the 35th President of the United States and brought with him the “New Frontier”—the concept that nothing was beyond our grasp. For the “new generation of Americans,” the byword was “commitment.” The year 1961 was the 50th anniversary of St. Elizabeth Hospital. This

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half-century mark came almost as a “surprise” for it seemed such a short time ago that St. Elizabeth’s was a small hospital, caring for charity patients in a converted house. Now, in one facility, St. Elizabeth Hospital was the largest hospital in Youngstown, training interns and residents, doing research in the study of heart disease, educating registered nurses and maintaining the high level of quality care that was begun 50 years earlier. Not content with research alone, the hospital embarked on the clinical path toward the diagnosis of heart disease and open-heart surgery. In March, 1961, Sister Baptista announced plans to open a cardiovascular department. Equipment had already been ordered, including a heart-lung machine, and the department was scheduled to be “operational” in late summer, early fall of 1961. Heading the surgical section of the department were Dr. Angelo Riberi and Dr. Edmund Massullo, former surgical resident at St. Elizabeth’s who had gone on for further training in cardiovascular surgery.19 The medical section was under the administration of Dr. Caccamo, assisted by Dr. Elias Saadi, senior medical resident. Dr. Kurt Wegner was the consultant pediatric cardiologist, and Dr. Anthony Bayuk and Dr. Ching Chi Chen were responsible for anesthesiology. In July of 1961, St. Elizabeth’s achieved yet another distinction in local medical history when Dr. Paul Ruth and Dr. George Pugh (YHA) performed Youngstown’s first corneal transplant. The surgery was done at St. Elizabeth Hospital which earlier that year had received a $2,000 donation from the Lions Club for special refrigeration equipment that would properly store donor eyes. Also in 1961, St. Elizabeth’s opened its psychiatric department with space for 12 patients. Dr. Michael Kachmer headed the unit and Sister Mary Charles Fields was named its first supervisor. And that year the school of nursing celebrated the half-century mark of its operation by graduating the largest class ever—71. The 50th anniversary was a milestone for the hospital and it was celebrated in grand style. Sister Baptista announced in March that an eightmonth celebration would mark the year. The Golden Jubilee opened on May 11, 1961, with a pontifical high mass and dinner for the sisters who had worked at the hospital and priests from the diocese. On May 14, the hospital held an open house with tours for the public. In September, the physicians celebrated the event with special guest lecturers for medical conferences, a style show and tea for the doctors’ wives, and an ex-intern day which attracted some 100 former residents and interns. October events included the school of nursing alumnae homecoming and traditional “white mass” honoring St. Luke, in which the staff physicians participated. The feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary was honored with a special dinner for employees and the year ended with a dinner for the advisory board and the annual employee service awards ceremony. A

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Youngstown artist, Samuel Fossececa, designed a special emblem to commemorate the jubilee. The cardiovascular department was ready for its first open-heart surgery in June of 1962. The first patient was a two-year-old girl, Cora Rushton, who required more than four hours of surgery to close a large hole in her heart. Doctors Riberi and Massullo performed this first successful open heart surgery. Sister Baptista was transferred to Warren’s St. Joseph Riverside Hospital20 in June of 1962. Sister M. Consolata Kline, an assistant administrator for both Sister Baptista and Sister Adelaide, was named St. Elizabeth’s eighth administrator. She assumed her duties on July 1, 1962. Dr. C. Edward Pichette was president of the medical staff and Charles B. Cushwa Jr. was president of the advisory board. Traditionally, the sisters serving as superintendent/administrator were given a term of six to seven years, after which they would be reassigned to another position within the H.M. community, either in the health care field or some other position for which the community had a particular need. Because the H.M. sisters sponsored three hospitals (St. Elizabeth’s, St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain and St. Joseph Riverside Hospital in Warren) and Rosemary Home for Crippled Children in Cleveland, the administrators and assistants could easily move among the institutions. The longest term of office for any of the administrators had been 12 years, when Sister Germaine Hawkins served at St. Elizabeth’s from 1937 to 1949. Sister Consolata would serve as administrator of St. Elizabeth’s for 19 years before leaving in 1981 to take on new responsibilities as major superior of the H.M. religious community. St. Elizabeth Hospital would see its greatest physical development under the administration of Sister Consolata. Early in 1963, some of the improvements already made included: new isolation rooms constructed in the North building, a new X-ray room located next to emergency which provided immediate X-rays for accident victims, a new fluorescent lighting system in the delivery and maternity departments, and an expanded medical library that doubled its former capacity. Also during Sister Consolata’s tenure, the hospital would begin to take on a “new look” as the patient areas and other parts of the building were transformed from an “institutional drab” look to a brighter and more cheerful atmosphere. This gradual change came about through a slight modification to the routine maintenance schedule that called for repainting of rooms and offices on a rotation basis. As rooms were repainted, new colors were introduced— azure blue, peach, lemon yellow and celery green—colors unheard of in institutions where gray, green and tan provided the only “acceptable” decor. An employee working at St. Elizabeth’s during those years said that she felt Sister Consolata wanted to make the hospital as pleasing to the

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eye as possible so the people using it would at least have something pleasant during their hospital stay, which might otherwise be painful. In 1965, St. Elizabeth’s and the Youngstown Hospital Association embarked on another joint fundraising effort—The Greater Hospitals Campaign. Alfred S. Glossbrenner of YHA’s board was named general chairman and co-chairman was Charles B. Cushwa Jr. of St. Elizabeth’s advisory board. St. Elizabeth’s had expanded its X-ray, laboratory and emergency services and announced its intentions to build a new wing; YHA had plans to build a 120-bed hospital in Boardman. According to a campaign booklet published in 1965, “Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Beeghly offered their twentyone acre estate in Boardman as a site for a future hospital and the Beeghly Fund contributed one million dollars towards its construction.” In this same campaign booklet, the local hospitals were portrayed as a “major Youngstown Industry,” ranking fourth only behind Youngstown Sheet and Tube, U.S. Steel and Republic Steel. The population trends predicted that by 1970 there would be 426,000 people in the Youngstown area, including the suburbs bordering the city to the north and south. The projected rise in population in the southern suburbs prompted YHA to seriously consider plans for the Boardman-based hospital. Perhaps the most interesting point made in the campaign booklet referred to the number of hospital beds that would be needed in Youngstown by 1975. The figure was calculated at 2,100, representing five beds per 1,000 persons in an industrial area. Based on the 2,100 count, YHA’s North unit would need 534 beds by 1975; the South unit, 493 beds; and its Boardman hospital, 240 beds. St. Elizabeth’s would also need a staggering 900 beds by 1975. The Greater Hospitals Campaign goal was to raise a minimum of $4 million—enough money to insure that Youngstown would have its necessary 2,100 beds in the next decade. We now know that these longrange projections never materialized, nor did the hospitals’ expansion programs reach such proportions. Just 12 years later, the steel industry on which Youngstown’s economy was based would begin to crumble when Youngstown Sheet and Tube, the leading employer in town, closed its doors forever. Sheet and Tube’s closing was just the beginning; one by one, every major steel plant in the area would be shut down and the citizens of Youngstown would go through a long period of shock, anger and frustration. But, in 1965, the possibility of a steel industry disaster entered very few minds in Youngstown. The word of the day was “expansion”—expand, build, grow and spend—to care for Youngstown’s citizens of the future. Ironically, after the campaign literature inundated the citizenry of Youngstown with prospects of its bright future, the Greater Hospitals Campaign was not as successful as hoped.

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

The announcement of St. Elizabeth’s intention for a summer groundbreaking ceremony to begin its $6.5 million addition appears in a January 12, 1966, Vindicator article. However, in February in that year, when the final reports for the Greater Hospitals Campaign were tallied, the fundraising effort was found to have reached only three quarters of its goal. Lack of adequate funding forced St. Elizabeth’s to curtail its expansion plans and crowded patient conditions became the “normal” situation at the hospital. The scenes wete reminiscent of 40 years earlier when overcrowded conditions prompted the building of the South wing. In 1966, it was not unusual to have up to 25 admitted patients lying on carts in the emergency room, waiting for a bed. Scheduled patients had to wait six to eight weeks for admission, and physicians were given a limit on the number they could schedule. The parking situation was so critical that hospital officials were asking area residents to “think twice” before visiting a friend or relative. The hospital had purchased some property on Owens Street to be used for further expansion; and, to alleviate the parking problem somewhat, it was turned into a temporary parking lot. In a 1986 interview, Sister Consolata remembered these times and recalled that the patients suffered a great deal while waiting for admission to the hospital. She also said she felt a real empathy for the employees who worked so hard to maintain high standards of care under the “appalling” conditions. On July 1, 1966, the federal government’s insurance program for the elderly—Medicare—went into effect. Most of the country’s hospitals were wary of the effects Medicare would have on their operations. Although they were to be compensated for “reasonable costs,” the hospitals feared an onslaught of elderly patients that had the potential for the nation’s hospitals becoming a “dumping ground” for the elderly and medically indigent. However, these fears never materialized. Youngstown Vindicator articles which appeared in 1966 discuss the reality of Medicare in Youngstown: …hospitals expected admissions would begin to reflect the advent of medicare this week. To date, however, the effect has been noticed primarily in offices where there are a few more steps to go through and special medicare forms to fill out. Medicare would actually turn out as a “plus” for most hospitals which could now expect some guarantee of reimbursement for their patients over 65. Prior to the legislation, the hospitals would have taken care of these patients whether or not they had insurance coverage. The “appalling” conditions under which employees worked and the “cramped quarters” of the hospital during the latter half of the 1960s did not stunt the growth of the institution’s programs and services. In Octo-

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ber, 1966, plans were announced for an intensive coronary care unit that would open in November. It was to be the first such unit in Youngstown and Dr. Leonard P. Caccamo was named its first director. St. Elizabeth’s had been the area’s leader in critical care services, having opened the community’s first “constant care” unit in the early ‘60s. In January, 1967, St. Elizabeth’s began to pay hospitalization insurance as a benefit for its full-time employees. Prior to this, full-time employees had to pay $25 per month for family coverage under Blue Cross/Blue Shield. And, in July of 1967, a group of young adult women began the Junior Guild of St. Elizabeth Hospital with the three-fold purpose of serving the patients through volunteer work, fundraising and public relations in the community. St. Elizabeth’s was also making great strides in technology during the late ‘60s. In November, 1967, Dr. Elias Saadi of the hospital’s cardiology staff worked closely with the Westinghouse Electric Corporation to develop a piece of computerized cardiac catheterization equipment. It was the first of its kind in the United States and physicians from all over the country came to inspect the innovative new equipment at St. Elizabeth’s. By this time, the attending staff physicians at St. Elizabeth’s had become a major force in research and educational pursuits and were often asked to serve as advisors for new technology. In September of 1968, Dr. Salvatore V. Squicquero was named to the new administrative position of medical director. Dr. Squicquero had a busy private practice in family medicine and was also St. Elizabeth’s part-time medical education director, a position he continued to hold until the appointment of Dr. Caccamo as full-time medical education director in 1970. The position of medical director called for a knowledgeable, tactful physician who could act as a liaison between administration and the staff physicians. At times, the medical director would be called upon to “straighten out” conflicts which arose due to critical bed shortages, determining which patients could or could not wait for admission and working with the physicians as well as nursing services and the admitting department to assure that quality care standards were being maintained. The medical director would also attend medical staff committee meetings as the representative of administration. Dr. Squicquero has been St. Elizabeth’s only medical director. In an interview with Sister Consolata after she left the hospital in 1981, she said it was a very difficult position and, commenting on Dr. Squicquero’s performance in that role, she said, “He was a gem.” In 1968, the school of nursing began construction on Madonna Hall. This addition, which was to run along Caroline Street, east of Jeanne Mance Hall, would add several large classrooms, new offices and an enlarged library for the student nurses.

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In 1965, St. Elizabeth’s developed a two-phase building and renovation program to meet its needs for further expansion. Phase I would be the construction of a new wing that would extend from the present West wing. Phase II called for the complete renovation of the North wing built in 1915. (The plan was later revised to include the building of a new structure to replace the North wing beds and a more moderate renovation of the North building for offices and activities other than inpatient care.) Also in 1965, the hospital commissioned a study of the entire urban area around the hospital with the purpose of determining the feasibility of developing a health center in the area. The firm of Crane and GORWIC Associates, consultants on planning and urban design, conducted the study and discovered that the area was suitable as a health center but land would need to be acquired by the City of Youngstown. They recommended that the Child and Adult Mental Health Center build its new building on Covington directly behind the hospital complex of buildings. They also recommended that St. Elizabeth’s purchase additional land from the city to accommodate their proposed expansion programs and also to offer more parking than what was now available. By 1968, escalating costs of construction, materials and equipment had pushed Phase I’s new building to an estimated $10 million. In 1969, when the hospital was able to resume its expansion program, the bids for the West Extension building came in some 15 percent above what was expected—now making it a $14 million project, including $2 million in equipment. The West Extension building would be a 180-foot addition to the West wing. It was slated to contain 244 additional beds and a new laboratory, radiology department, emergency and laundry. The building would consist of basement and ground levels as well as floors one through six. One highly touted feature was that it would be fully air-conditioned. To provide patients with a restful atmosphere and more privacy, rooms would no longer be directly across from each other along a single corridor. The patient units would have a double corridor design with a centralized, glass enclosed nurses’ station. At the west end of each unit would be a large, bright solarium facing Moyer Park. Another welcomed feature was that each patient room would have its own bathroom. Other departments to be relocated in the new wing included an expanded intensive care unit with 32 beds, medical records, electronic data processing, purchasing, storeroom, maintenance and a mechancal equipment area. The West Extension was to be financed by money from the 1965 Greater Hospitals Campaign, Hill-Burton funds, and an additional $1.75 million from a new community fund-raising campaign. Ambrose J. Wardle, chairman of the board for McKay Machine and president of Wean United, headed the campaign. His co-chairmen were William G. Lyden

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Jr. and Sidney S. Moyer. All were members of St. Elizabeth’s advisory board. The campaign was very successful and on July 28, 1969, ground was broken for the West Extension building. Among the guests at the groundbreaking event were Bishop James W. Malone, Mayor Anthony B. Flask, Mrs. Roberta Messerly, secretary to Congressman Michael J. Kirwan, who was ill, Rabbi Sidney Berkowitz, Sister Bernadette Vetter, general superior of the Humility of Mary religious community, and Mr. Cushwa, Mr. Moyer and Mr. Wardle of the advisory board and fund-raising campaign. In a Vindicator article covering the event, the advisory board officials issued a statement saying: Although money remains a serious problem, [we] can delay no longer in the face of sky rocketing costs of building material and labor. The costs of building material and labor were not the only problem, though. On November 5, 1970, an article appeared in The Vindicator which reported that St. Elizabeth’s was caring for an all-time record of 625 patients and 57 infants. The census showed every bed filled but two in the pediatric ward. The waiting list for elective admissions was 10 to 12 weeks and the construction of the West Extension was not scheduled for completion until 1972. The building was nearly completed by the end of 1971, when preview open house tours were conducted in December for physicians, board members, employees, students and volunteers. In March of 1972, the public was invited to a weekend open house and tour of the new facility. Phase II of St. Elizabeth’s expansion program began almost immediately after the completion of Phase I. The original plan called for the North building to be totally “gutted” and rebuilt to meet present standards for patient care. Since Phase I was delayed for almost five years, the economic situation had changed considerably and it was found that the cost of such renovation would almost be equal to the construction of a new building. Also, there was the problem of losing use of all the beds in the North building while renovation was taking place. So, the plan was revised and Phase II now included the construction of a new building and a more moderate renovation of the North wing to make it adaptable for offices, outpatient services and other activities. The new building was to extend southward from the elevator tower at the junction of the new West Extension building and the West building—it would be called the South Extension. The addition would house some 100 beds, but only a few of these would be “new beds”; the others would replace the North building’s beds. The South Extension building would include a new ambulatory care department where clinics that the hospital provided for the community’s

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medically indigent and those on public assistance would operate. This department would also be the location of the regional clinics funded by the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Multiple Sclerosis Society as well as the site for several outpatient medical procedures. The building would house a new, expanded pharmacy—which had been in the same South building location since 1929—and a new gift shop, lobby and main entrance off Park Avenue. The patient areas would provide a floor for intermediate/step down intensive care, a neurovascular unit specially designed for stroke and head injury patients, and new labor and delivery, neonatal intensive care and pediatric units. The total cost of construction and renovation included in Phase II of the expansion program was estimated at $10.9 million. Funding was to come from an $8 million Hill-Burton government-guaranteed loan and an additional $2 million was hoped to be raised in yet another community campaign. In November of 1972, Arthur G. Young, president of Mahoning National Bank, was named general chairman of the campaign. Paul L. Bruhn was chairman of the primary gifts division—industry, financial institutions, clubs, organizations and individuals; and William G. Lyden Jr. headed the advance gifts division—board members, medical staff, volunteers and employees. In January, 1973, a groundbreaking ceremony for the South Extension building was held. Attorney John M. Newman of the hospital’s board of trustees served as master of ceremonies and others on the program included: Mayor Jack C. Hunter; Robert Machuga, Youngstown’s urban renewal director; George Shutrump, president of the Charles Shutrump and Sons Company, general contractors for the building; Robert L. Hanahan, the architect; Monsignor William Hughes, vicar general for the Youngstown Diocese; Sister Rosemary Murray, general superior of the H.M. community; Mr. Young and Mr. Bruhn of the fundraising campaign; and trustees Sidney S. Moyer and John S. Andrews. The groundbreaking ritual was done in a bulldozer since preliminary work had already begun at the site. In November of 1973, the “Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine became a legally established public institution of the State of Ohio.” The medical school with which St. Elizabeth’s is affiliated today is a consortium arrangement among the state universities at Akron, Kent and Youngstown with existing hospitals in those communities, as well as Canton and Ravenna, used for the clinical training of the students. The realization of an area medical school came after some seven years’ effort on the part of Youngstown physicians, hospitals, university officials, elected office-holders and the community at large; its consortium arrangement is a result of equal efforts in the other two communities once it was disclosed that the state was considering the establishment of another medical school in Ohio. In 1966, the Mahoning County Medical Society received

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Years of Growth

an official inquiry from State Senator Charles J. Carney and the organization passed a resolution which approved “the concept of a medical school in Youngstown.” Dr. Leonard P. Caccamo chaired the committee that was to investigate the desirability of a medical school. Eventually, the medical society commissioned a feasibility study and it was found that a medical school for Youngstown was both desired and feasible. Since similar activities were going on at Kent and Akron and all three areas seemed to have equal appeal, the logical step was to combine efforts to assure that the new medical school would be located in the area. In July of 1972, the presidents of Akron, Kent and Youngstown state universities met to discuss the possibility of a consortium arrangement. The state accepted the proposal and 16 months later NEOUCOM was “born.” In 1974, the U.S. Congress passed Public Law 93-641, the National Health Planning and Resources Act, which marked the beginning of government intervention in hospital planning. The legislation demanded that all hospitals receiving Medicare and other government funding must have all plans for future expansion or additional services approved by regional planning boards. Eventually these federally mandated boards would be phased out as hospitals themselves began to monitor their planning efforts more efficiently and state health departments began overseeing the expansion program of health facilities. In the summer of 1974, a cornerstone ceremony was held in the shell of St. Elizabeth’s new South Extension building and a “time capsule” holding hospital artifacts and memorabilia was sealed inside the stone. The year 1976 is distinguished as “a year in which Americans came together in celebration.” It was the year America toasted its 200th birthday and, at St. Elizabeth’s, the festivities carried over into September when the hospital embarked on its own eight-day celebration to mark the completion of the new construction phase of its expansion program. Both the West Extension and South Extension buildings were now operational and it was time to thank the community and all those who had worked so hard to bring about the “dream.” The celebration began on Sunday, September 26, with a mass of thanksgiving at St. Columba Cathedral and the formal dedication and blessing ceremony at the hospital. The St. E’s Chorus, which had been established especially for this occasion, performed at this ceremony, and the highlight of the day was the official announcement of a change in the hospital’s name. It would now be called St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center. Tours, a champagne-cocktail reception and buffet dinner rounded out the day’s activities which had some 800 guests in attendance. The following week was filled with activities designed to give the community an opportunity to view the health facility it had so generously supported throughout the years. Tours and receptions were scheduled on

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Tuesday, September 28, for the community’s clergy, hospital volunteers, area safety forces and emergency medical technicians. On Wednesday, morning and afternoon tours and receptions were offered for St. Elizabeth’s employees and the Junior Guild hosted “Baby Day,” which included an extended view of the maternity and neonatal intensive care areas for expectant parents and the staffs of various area agencies. Thursday was dedicated to physicians and a reunion of former interns and residents which included health exhibits, tours, a luncheon, sports activities, a cocktail hour and dinner, with entertainment again provided by the St. E’s Chorus. Saturday, October 2, was planned for the families of employees, outpatients and sisters from the area’s religious communities; and, on Sunday, October 3, the general public was invited for tours and a reception. St. Elizabeth’s had not sponsored such a celebration since its Golden Jubilee in 1961. However, medical center officials and the board felt it was the only way to properly thank the thousands of people who had contributed money, time and talent in support of the nearly 10-year building program that now made St. Elizabeth’s—with 747 beds21 and 63 bassinets— the largest single hospital facility between Pittsburgh and Cleveland and the largest Catholic hospital in the state of Ohio. It was the year the country had finally healed from the trauma of Vietnam and Watergate and Americans everywhere found reason to celebrate. While the size to which St. Elizabeth’s had grown was impressive, it was not the only cause for celebration. It was the dedication, the commitment, and the pride of the people who made up the St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center “community”—the sisters, the board members, the physicians, the staff, the volunteers and the students—that gave St. Elizabeth’s reason to celebrate in 1976. The next 10 years would see tremendous changes in the health care industry that would cause hospitals to face crisis after crisis in an attempt to survive. St. Elizabeth’s would also face these challenges and through the support of its “community” it would maintain relative stability in an era of change.

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Years of Growth

The “Great Snowfall” of 1950 In 1950, when St. Elizabeth’s was embarking on a fundraising campaign to help build the West wing, something unexpected happened on November 25 that took the campaign out of the news for a few days— the city had been hit by the worst snowstorm in its history. After the snow stopped falling, 29 inches had accumulated on the ground; travel by car, bus and even by foot became virtually impossible and area industries came to a standstill. But a hospital cannot stop its operations because of a snowstorm. People continue to need medical attention and, among other things, babies continue to be born. St. Elizabeth’s relied on the sisters and its student nurses who lived at the hospital as well as the employees who spent the night to insure that they would be on hand in the morning. Some of the stories of the “great snowfall” tell of the dedication and loyalty of both employees and physicians. Sister Ann Joseph, who was chief dietitian at the time, was burned when an oven exploded and superintendent Sister Adelaide took over for her. Dr. John McCann, who was a patient in the hospital recovering from a recent surgery, insisted that he be placed on a cart and taken “on rounds” throughout the hospital to assist with patients who needed a doctor. Hospital chaplain Father William Martin was peeling potatoes in the kitchen and Dr. Henry Shorr, who was a resident at that time, “hiked through drifts to get to the hospital, stayed there and, when he had completed his medical rounds, washed pots and pans in his spare time.” Mrs. Rose Taafe, R.N., ran a whole floor with only one nurses aide until reinforcements arrived. The streets were eventually cleared and operations returned to normal—but stories of the “great snowfall” would live on to remind others of a time when people just naturally pulled together in a time of crisis.

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

“Please Take Care of My Baby” Human interest stories are often found in abundance at a community hospital. An incident on June 4, 1954, contributed to hospital folklore about babies and served to remind everyone of earlier such incidents at St. Elizabeth’s. A newborn baby that had been found abandoned in a garage was brought to St. Elizabeth Hospital by the Youngstown police. A note had been left with the baby, which read: Dear People: I have left my baby in your garage because it was open with no car in it. So I knew you would find her when you came home. Please take care of her because I am unmarried and cannot face the disgrace. She was born Thursday, June 3. Please give or find her a good home. May God Bless You. When the story was released in the newspaper, several people called the hospital to inquire about the possibility of adopting the little girl. The hospital, however, allowed the diocesan Catholic Charities office to determine the home in which the little girl would eventually be placed. Since the hospital’s beginning, babies had been left on the doorstep or on porches in the neighborhood. The sisters always endeavored to find them good homes. It was in 1916 that the first child born to an unwed mother at St. Elizabeth’s was placed for adoption by Sister Genevieve. She had a bit of a dilemma on her hands with this first case, however, since the prospective parents were non-Catholic. Sister Genevieve wrote a letter to seek guidance from Father Maurice Griffin, who was out of town at a retreat. Father Griffin responded in a lengthy letter arguing that, although the unwed mother was a Catholic and had come to a Catholic hospital in her time of need, she left no instructions on what religion the child should be reared in and they should, therefore, make no assumptions. He made the point that the Catholic church did not need to force its religion on anyone and if Sister Genevieve was satisfied that the adoptive parents would give the child a good and loving home, he saw no reason not to give the child to the couple. Sister Genevieve did just that.

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Years of Growth

A Pioneer in Clinical Hypnosis The “milestone in local medical history” that was achieved in 1958 with the Caesarean delivery of a baby while the mother was under hypnosis was the beginning of a distinguished career in the area of clinical hypnosis achieved by St. Elizabeth’s OB/GYN specialist Dr. Simon Chiasson. Dr. Chiasson was a pioneer in the study of the clinical use of hypnosis and when he met Mrs. Green he felt she would be an ideal candidate for the procedure. She enthusiastically agreed and, after working several months with Dr. Chiasson, she successfully delivered her baby boy by Caesarean section—without anesthetic, without pain and with very little bleeding. A movie of Mrs. Green’s C-section delivery was used by Dr. Chiasson for several years afterward when he made presentations at medical teaching conferences both in the U.S. and abroad. The 16mm movie, filmed and edited by hospital photographer John Randall, was put together on a very small budget. Dr. Chiasson often commented that it always received a much higher rating than other films with $20,000 to $30,000 budgets also used at these conferences. Dr. Chiasson continued his work in clinical hypnosis and went on to gain national prominence in the field. In 1977, he was elected president of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and, in 1984, the 4,500-member organization presented him with a distinguished service award for “maintaining high standards as a physician, teacher and advocate of hypnosis.”

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

Grateful Parent Thanks Hospital

Personal stories of courage and triumph in the medical field have always stirred the hearts of those working at the hospital, those reading about the successes and those involved in the history-making events. In April, 1967, a 16-year-old boy “helped make Youngstown medical history” when he was the first local person to have surgery for a condition known as “pheochromacytoma,” a tumor surrounding the adrenal gland. The condition was diagnosed and surgery performed at St. Elizabeth’s. After the boy’s recovery, his father gave an interview to the Youngstown Vindicator in which he thanked those involved in his son’s case. The father said there were two things he would never forget—one was Dr. William Johnson, who worked day and night studying the young man’s lab tests to achieve a sound diagnosis; the other was the team at St. Elizabeth’s who performed “a feat of great medical skill to save our son’s life. We will never forget them.” Throughout its 75 year history, St. Elizabeth’s has received thousands of letters and calls from grateful family members who wanted the staff to know how much they appreciated what was done for them. Whenever the staff receives such a communication from patients and/or their families— no matter how often or how infrequently they come—it always seems to stir warm feelings that can be interpreted as “this is what it’s all about.”

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Years of Growth

Board of Trustees Achieves “Dynamic Mix” In addition to new buildings, technology and services, the hospital was changing in other ways during the 1970s. In May of 1970, the board of trustees was reorganized and, for the first time in its history, laypersons were asked to serve. Charles B. Cushwa Jr. became chairman of the board and he was joined by three other laypersons—John S. Andrews, Sidney S. Moyer and Attorney John M. Newman. John F. Hynes was named an honorary member. All had served as members of the hospital’s advisory board. Sister Bernadette Vetter, general superior of the H.M. community and president of St. Elizabeth’s board of trustees, said in a press statement following the announcement of laypersons being added to the board that the combined expertise of laypersons and the sisters was desired in order to deal with the complex problems hospitals had begun to face. She said: We are greatly concerned about rising costs, planning, development and fund raising, and our board must be a dynamic one. We feel our new members, with their qualifications, personalities and experience, will give our board a “mix” that is important in deliberations. In the following years, more advisory board members were added to the board of trustees. In 1973, Mr. Moyer was elected chairman and, by May of 1977, the advisory board had been incorporated into the board of trustees, with Attorney Newman as the newly elected chairman. At that time, St. Elizabeth’s board of trustees included, in addition to Mr. Newman, Mr. Moyer and Mr. Andrews: John A. Coakley Jr., Paul L. Bruhn, James F. Cain, Herbert B. Cohen, William F. Courtney, Mrs. Charles B. Cushwa Jr., William W. Cushwa, Allen Foxman, James P. Hyland, Marvin H. Itts, Sister Mary Carl Kotheimer, William G. Lyden Jr., Sister Celine Metzger, John Nelson, Dr. Stephen W. Ondash, Dr. Alexander K. Phillips, J. Phillip Richley, Sister Stella Schmid, Sister Susan Schorsten, George A. Seeds, Arthur G. Young, William F. Zarbaugh, Sister Dorothy Zwick and Sister M. Consolata Kline. Emeritus members were: Sidney J. Collins, Harry W. Hynes, William G. Lyden Sr., Benjamin Roth, K. Calvin Sommer and Frank B. Warren.

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The Medical School “Dream” Becomes Reality As the physical plant was expanding, the hospital realized that one important component of the future would be the ability to attract residents to its educational programs. Dr. Leonard P. Caccamo, who served as medical education director at St. Elizabeth’s from 1970 to 1983, summarized the major developments of this time in a 1986 interview. Dr. Caccamo remembered that, in the mid-sixties, the Mahoning County Medical Society formed a committee to study the feasibility of developing a medical school in the area. The main purpose of the medical school was to insure that the area hospitals would be able to keep their residency programs. The local medical society spearheaded a campaign to raise funds for a feasibility study done by Booze, Allen and Hamilton. St. Elizabeth’s was very supportive of this and contributed generously. State Senator Charles J. Carney and his successor Harry Meshel also labored long and hard for the medical school. Finally, a consortium arrangement among the hospitals and universities in Youngstown, Akron, Canton, Ravenna and Kent was agreed upon, and, once funding had been established, the Ohio Board of Regents declared that the medical school was approved for the degree of doctor of medicine. The school’s name would reflect the consortium arrangement which had brought it to realization—the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, or NEOUCOM. St. Elizabeth’s official involvement with NEOUCOM began in October of 1974, when the association agreement was negotiated. Sister M. Consolata Kline was named first chairperson of the Council of Chief Executive Officers, a position she held until she was elected major superior of the Humility of Mary religious community in August of 1981. Ground was broken for NEOUCOM’s basic science facility in Rootstown on December 17, 1975. The principal goal of the new medical school was to graduate physicians who would have acquired an interest in family medicine—a relatively new specialty in medicine and one that was badly needed in the northeastern Ohio area. Each hospital in the consortium was required to have a Family Medicine Center. The state granted the initial funds for construction of these facilities with the stipulation that, after 20 years of operation as a family practice center, the building would revert to the ownership of the institution. If the hospital decided to drop the family medicine residency before 20 years time, the institution would have to buy the building from the state. In March, 1978, ground was broken at St. Elizabeth’s for the construction of a Family Medicine Center,22 which was dedicated July 11, 1979.

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Years of Growth

The first four physicians to graduate from St. Elizabeth’s family medicine program were honored on June 19, 1980. They were: Dr. Michael Armentrout, Dr. James J. Enyeart, Dr. Steven Grossman and Dr. Ronald Scott. The medical education department saw the need for a learning center and made several suggestions to expand the facilities at St. Elizabeth’s. The realization of their recommendations was seen on May 15, 1980, when the John D. Finnegan Auditorium was dedicated at St. Elizabeth’s. The auditorium, modeled after the NEOUCOM facility in Rootstown, is designed to seat 215 and can be separated into two parts for smaller programs. The medical library was expanded, a media resources department added, and the offices of the medical education department were relocated to the renovated third floor of the South building. This new arrangement allowed for all physician educational programs to be centrally located within the hospital. On August 22, 1980, the Jeghers Medical Index, a large reference library, opened on 2-South of St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Harold Jeghers owned the unique medical index system and, according to Dr. Caccamo, wanted to give the index to a community based hospital that was linked to a medical school. Dr. Jeghers was medical director at St. Vincent Hospital, Worcester, Massachusetts, and, since his retirement in 1978, he has worked almost exclusively on improvements to the system. He came to Youngstown in 1980-81 to serve as a consultant for the Jeghers Library project when it relocated here. The medical index was then and still continues to be a unique library of over 300,000 articles, crossreferenced and organized for clinical problem solving. The acquisition of this library was another positive move forward in medical education at St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center.

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The True Spirit of Giving Volunteer groups have always played an important role in the development of St. Elizabeth Hospital. Early in 1912, when the hospital was just beginning, the volunteers were made up of groups of women from the Catholic parishes in Youngstown. Sister Thecla remembered that Father Griffin and Father Mears enlisted the support of the “parish ladies” to help sew linens and make bandages for the new hospital. It was not until 1932 that a formal women’s auxiliary was formed. One of the major projects of the St. Elizabeth Auxiliary is the medical center’s gift shop. Sister Coletta Rech actually started the gift shop in the 1950s, however, when she became ill, the auxiliary was asked to take over its operation. In October of 1956, Mrs. Theresa Foy, president of the auxiliary, named Mrs. Margaret Dreiling, a former hospital pharmacist and wife of Dr. Otto Dreiling of St. Elizabeth’s dental staff, as the first chairman of the gift shop. Logging more than 75,000 volunteer hours as chief buyer, bookkeeper and innovator of special sales, Mrs. Dreiling was to perform her duties with a passionate devotion for the next 22 years. In its strategic location near the Belmont lobby, the gift shop grew under Mrs. Dreiling’s careful guidance and soon became a popular place for patients, visitors and employees. For the convenience of visitors and employees on the lower levels of the hospital, The Gift Isle was opened in 1973 as a satellite gift shop in an area on the first floor that had formerly served as the emergency waiting room. It proved to be very successful and remained open until 1976, when the gift shop moved to its new, expanded location in the Park Avenue lobby. The auxiliary donates all gift shop proceeds back to the hospital. In 1958, the second full year of the auxiliary’s sponsorship of the gift shop, the organization presented Sister Baptista with a check for $5,000. By 1969, the total proceeds were $20,000; and, in 1984, gift shop profits totaled $52,000. Mrs. Dreiling is fondly remembered by many physicians, employees and other volunteers for her selfless giving of time and talents. She was the driving force behind the success of the gift shop, which has contributed many thousands of dollars to the development of St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center. In 1978, Mrs. Mary Margaret Conricote took over the helm as St. Elizabeth’s gift shop chairman. She, too, has given countless hours to the successful operation of the project the auxiliary acquired some 30 years ago. The Junior Guild is another volunteer organization whose fundraising efforts have contributed thousands of dollars toward the support of special projects at St. Elizabeth’s. Since 1974, the group has directed all proceeds from its projects toward the support of the neonatal intensive

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Years of Growth

care unit. Some of the guild’s innovative and successful projects include the annual St. Elizabeth Charity Ball, several Follies productions, rummage sales, tours of elegant homes in the community, benefit concerts, and sponsorship of the hospital beauty shop. Each year the members also serve hundreds of hours doing volunteer work within the medical center. In addition to the Auxiliary, Gift Shop and Junior Guild volunteers, the more than 800 men, women and teenagers who make up the St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center corps of volunteers include: the Red Cross (both adult volunteers and Volunteens), Ladies of Charity, St. Vincent DePaul Society, The Workers of St. Basil, Infant Hearing Assessment, and a large group of individuals who are identified simply as St. Elizabeth Volunteers. These volunteers provide the patients with many “plus” services—flower and mail deliveries; admission and discharge escort services; transport to Sunday mass, other chapel services and special events; and patient chart assembly, just to name a few. In recent years the various volunteer groups have banded together as a team for a fund-raising project that also includes the employees of the hospital—the Festival of Trees. Now a holiday tradition at St. Elizabeth’s, the project provides a “Chinese style” auction of several Christmas trees, each creatively decorated with beautiful hand-crafted ornaments made by hospital departments and volunteers. The project not only raises thousands of dollars but also adds a sparkle of holiday magic to the medical center as its main lobby is turned into a Christmas tree wonderland. This project, as well as other fund-raising efforts and the daily services provided for patients, represents the true spirit of giving that has always been a part of volunteer services at St. Elizabeth’s.

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

Medicare: The Myth and Reality The fears and suspicions that surrounded the advent of Medicare in the mid-sixties never materialized. However, the effects that the federally funded program would have on hospitals over the 20-plus years of its existence would be one of the milestones of the American hospital industry. The history of Medicare’s evolution into law provides insight into the perceived impact that this type of legislation had from the very beginning. Although some form of health insurance or compensation for the elderly had been discussed in Congress since 1916, certain special interest groups had always intervened to prevent legislation. During President Roosevelt’s New Deal, the issue of compulsory health insurance was again discussed. State medical societies and the American Medical Association voiced severe opposition and President Roosevelt felt that endorsing such a controversial program might jeopardize his whole Social Security Act. President Truman proposed a comprehensive medical insurance program in 1945. Congress conducted hearings on the subject but reached no decision. Congress saw increased activity on the question in the 1950s but again no legislation. In the presidential campaign of 1960, John F. Kennedy announced that medical insurance for the elderly would be one of his primary goals and it was one that Lyndon B. Johnson pursued after President Kennedy’s assassination. The position of the opponents to national insurance for the elderly was weakening and the issue had the support of the American people. It was a major point of the 1964 election campaign which Lyndon Johnson won by the largest majority of the popular vote in the history of presidential elections. A mandate by the people also returned a Democratic House and Senate. The Democrats saw the landslide victory as a referendum for their policies and Medicare became law with the signature of President Johnson on July 30, 1965. It was to go into effect on July 1, 1966. The Medicare program changed the way hospitals were reimbursed for patients over the age of 65. What the hospitals thought would be “disastrous” actually turned into quite a “boon” for the industry. Hospitals recouped money from Medicare that they may not have otherwise received for the care of an elderly indigent patient. St. Elizabeth’s had a long tradition of caring for the poor of the community, but with the Medicare program, it was guaranteed at least some payment on the patients who were over 65. This would be the case for practically the next 20 years until the payment plan was changed from a retrospective to a prospective system in 1983. This marked a turning point for many American hospitals. The pressure would be not only to contain costs but also reduce them.

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Chapter

Stability in an Era of Change

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

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Chapter

he beginning of the 1980s brought about many changes for the country and for its hospitals. The relative calm that followed America’s bicentennial celebration had begun to fade as the quake of worldwide terrorism was felt in our own backyards. The Iranian hostage situation shook the foundations of American stability and its people found comfort in a united spirit of nationalism that had not been felt since the days of World War II. President Jimmy Carter, who four years earlier had proved to be somewhat of a “political miracle” in his rise to power, postponed his campaign for re-election until the hostage crisis could be resolved. Meanwhile, Ronald Reagan was building the momentum that would carry him through to a landslide victory in the 1980 presidential election. The country’s switch to Republican leadership also included a majority of the Congress and the new president was able to push through most of his proposed legislation, including a bill that would have profound impact on health care. In 1981, Sister Consolata was elected as major superior of the Humility of Mary religious community. Even though the major building programs were completed, the medical center’s long-range plans developed and with the major educational programs solidly underway, there were many new challenges that her successor, Sister Susan Schorsten, would have to face over the next few years. In 1982, President Reagan signed the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA), which represented a modification in many federal programs—including Medicare and Medicaid. When TEFRA finally affected hospitals in the fall of 1983, it changed the way hospitals are reimbursed for the care given to patients covered under these federally funded health care plans. Commercial insurance companies also made changes in their reimbursement systems that included a more careful monitoring of services that would be covered. The new regulations presented a mandate to health care providers: maintain quality patient care and keep on firm financial ground while adhering to the new rules. Hospitals’ and physicians’

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

efforts to meet requirements for pre-admission certification and decrease the patient’s length of stay had to be balanced with the need to provide an equitable level of quality care to all patients. The new regulations also demanded a shift from inpatient hospitalization to services performed on an outpatient basis and an overall emphasis on better utilization of resources. A great deal of thought and planning went into St. Elizabeth’s preparations to “survive” the new government payment systems. With nearly half the medical center’s patient population covered by Medicare, it was crucial that St. Elizabeth’s be ready to face these changes in an organized, efficient manner. The first few years under the new program were not easy, but the medical center had been encouraged by its staff ’s ability and willingness to find better ways to use its resources and maximize its efficiency. In 1982, the national architectural firm of Perkins and Will was engaged to do a feasibility study on the medical center structure. The master plan developed by the firm called for an extensive remodeling of the West building. It hardly seemed possible that the units once thought to be the most desirable were now in need of renovation. St. Elizabeth’s Board of Trustees felt that the medical center could not begin the extensive program for at least 10 years; however, in September of 1983, the board approved a more modified renovation plan that would help make patients more comfortable and aid the staff. All rooms in the West building were air conditioned, color televisions were added and the 29-year-old nurse call system was replaced with a new and modern system. A renewed emphasis on the research aspect of St. Elizabeth’s threefold mission was initiated in 1983 when Dr. Robert McConnell, president of the medical staff at that time, established the medical staff research committee. Comprised of clinicians with an interest and/or accomplishments in research, the committee has continued in its role to stimulate quality research among both clinical staff and resident physicians and to provide guidance to those interested in undertaking new research programs. The committee also gives approval for some financial support of worthy projects through the medical center’s clinical research fund, which was established in 1984 as a result of several donations from individuals and departments who wanted to encourage more research and publication among the physicians at St. Elizabeth’s. Ensuing activities of this committee and the fund include: Convergence, St. Elizabeth’s quarterly research publication; an annual Residents Research Day sponsored by the medical education department; and some 78 articles published in medical journals since 1983. In March of 1984, St. Elizabeth’s was forced into a staff reduction— the first ever experienced in its history. Hospitals all across the country

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Stability in an Era of Change

had been reducing their work forces in the face of declining patient admissions. St. Elizabeth’s had also experienced a steady decrease in patient census and now found itself in a similar situation; hospital officials were left with no choice but to cut back on the number of employees. A carefully orchestrated plan was developed to provide a logical and equitable reduction of staff with most affected employees given the opportunity to return to work as soon as available positions became open. Early in the 1980s, St. Elizabeth’s recognized the need to address the special health care needs of the elderly. It was becoming a nationwide issue with over 12 percent of the country’s population in the 65-plus age bracket; and, in the Youngstown area, the need was even greater since its over-65 population was well above the national average. Through its networking efforts with other community organizations, including Youngstown State University, the medical center began developing a plan that would assure that St. Elizabeth’s could provide programs and services directed specifically to the needs of older adults. The year 1985 saw many new programs initiated at St. Elizabeth’s under the guidance and leadership of Sister Susan. One of the first to be announced was the appointment of Dr. Charles Wilkins as the area’s first and only director of geriatric medicine. His appointment also brought about the services of a new, specialized inpatient unit that provides for the unique health care needs of the elderly. In 1986, Mrs. Marlene Blackford, R.N., joined the staff as coordinator of geriatric services. Some of the programs sponsored by St. Elizabeth’s that support its commitment to the elderly include: Lifeline, an emergency response system that allows older adults to live independently by providing a direct link between the home and St. Elizabeth’s emergency care department; a Geriatric Day Care Center; the Medicare Information Unit, a resource service that offers information and/or assistance with insurance claims and processing; CareLink, a joint program with other Catholic hospitals in northeastern Ohio that provides several benefits to those 62 years of age and older; geriatric wellness programs that help older persons recognize that healthy lifestyles—even when adopted later in life—can make “the golden years” even brighter; and the annual Salute to Older Americans health fair. St. Elizabeth’s is also very active in educational and research programs directed to the older population. These efforts include: an interdisciplinary geriatric curriculum, developed in collaboration with the faculties of YSU and the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, which has served as a model for other hospitals and teaching institutions across the country; an annual geriatric educational symposium for physicians, nurses and other health professionals; and, together with YSU, the Regional Research Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, which provides opportunities for basic research and the development of programs that

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

serve a wide variety of needs in the delivery of health and human services for the elderly in the Mahoning Valley. In February of 1985, St. Elizabeth’s opened its Ambulatory Services Unit on the sixth floor of the West building. This unit provides “inpatient care with outpatient convenience” to those patients coming to St. Elizabeth’s for outpatient surgery or other procedures which require preparation or recovery time. The Ambulatory Services Unit looks very much like a regular inpatient unit—including staff nurses, comfortable rooms with their own bathrooms, color televisions and telephones, and waiting areas for family and friends. The only difference is that, instead of staying overnight, patients return to their own homes before the end of the day. One of the basic advantages to such a unit for outpatient care is that it has the full support of a major medical center, should it be needed. In March of 1985, Dr. Howard I. White was named as the medical center’s new director of emergency medicine. His enthusiastic plans for the development of St. Elizabeth’s emergency/trauma services included a renovation and expansion program and the drive to meet all standards required for a trauma center rating by the American College of Surgeons. Within 18 months of his arrival, the department would begin its renovation and expansion program and be verified as a level I trauma center— the highest attainable rating from the American College of Surgeons. St. Elizabeth’s is the only level I trauma center in a seven county area and one of nine in the state of Ohio. The expansion and renovation program would help the staff to provide patient care with maximum efficiency and give a more comfortable atmosphere to those using what is already the busiest emergency service in town. Addendum: The 1986 American College of Surgeons verification of St. Elizabeth as a Level I Trauma Center was provided by the Ohio Committee on Trauma. The chair of that committee, Dr. Richard B. Fratianne, conducted a site visit that included an inspection of the medical center’s capabilities to give total care to a trauma patient. This review included not only the emergency department’s handling of multiple trauma victims but also the medical center’s involvement in pre-hospital communication and education and its capabilities in surgery, intensive and intermediate care and rehabilitation. Education of all levels of caregivers and credentials of both the emergency department physicians and the physicians involved in intensive care and rehab were also reviewed. Care of the emergency patients was monitored and inspected to ensure that it met the strict national standards of the accrediting body. St. Elizabeth was the 9th hospital in the state of Ohio to achieve this status. It was a great step forward in the mission to take care of patients in the community and offer the absolute best care for those suffering trauma. Later on, the American College of Surgeons changed its procedure to

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Stability in an Era of Change

verify Level I Trauma Centers, with only the national organization having that authority. In 1995, St. Elizabeth received a visit from the ACS’s national committee on trauma and was verified at a Level I Trauma Center, a status it has maintained after several re-verification visits every three years. In April, the medical center extended its services to the Boardman area with the opening of the St. Elizabeth Community Care Center in the Medical Health Complex of the Southwoods Executive Centre. The Community Care Center offers several outpatient services such as physical therapy, respiratory therapy, speech therapy and audiology testing and assessment. It also houses the Geriatric Day Care Center which provides various services to elderly persons who may not need full-time nursing care but still require some monitoring for compliance to medical orders. The day care center also provides an opportunity for socialization that is often difficult for the elderly person with health problems. May of 1985 saw the opening of the Regional Learning Center for Cardiac Life Support, a unique educational service that provides cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training to both professionals and the public. With the use of five American Heart Association computerized CPR learning systems, students can work at their own pace to learn anything from basic heart-saver techniques to advanced cardiac life support. The program can also be used for the periodic recertification required of professionals in the health care field. The Center is under the direction of Dr. Larry Woods, St. Elizabeth’s director of critical care medicine and the area’s only full-time, hospital-based intensive care specialist. In October, the St. Elizabeth Cardiac Health Center opened on the first floor of the Belmont Avenue building owned by the medical center (formerly known as the Park Avenue Professional Building). The Cardiac Health Center is the site of the outpatient phase of the medical center’s cardiac rehabilitation program and also offers several programs that promote good cardiac health. Some of these programs include: Healthy Heart Cooking Classes for the public; a cardiac nutrition assessment program which doctors can order for patients who need diet modification; and a “mall walkers” program, initiated with both Southern Park and Eastwood malls, that provides guidelines and maps for people who want to start an exercise program in the safe and pleasant atmosphere of local shopping centers. Late in 1986, the Cardiac Health Center, in conjunction with the medical center’s pastoral care department, initiated a support group for heart patients and their families. In December, 1985, St. Elizabeth’s put its Mobile Intensive Care Unit into service. This fully equipped “mini intensive care unit” on wheels is used for inter-hospital transport of critically ill or injured patients from smaller hospitals in the region to larger medical centers with more sophis-

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The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

ticated critical care services. The MICU, also under the direction of Dr. Woods, is staffed with a physician, critical care nurse, respiratory therapist and emergency medical technician. In most cases, this special transport team and the critical care equipment on board allows for an earlier transport of patients than was previously possible. Also in December of 1985, St. Elizabeth’s celebrated its 74th birthday—an event that marked the beginning of its 75th anniversary year. Activities for the year would include six months designated to honor various groups affiliated with the medical center: January, the Sisters of the Humility of Mary; March, the medical staff; May, volunteers; June, alumni of St. Elizabeth’s educational programs; September, the community and benefactors; and November, the employees of St. Elizabeth’s. The year’s celebration would be culminated with a mass of thanksgiving at St. Columba Cathedral followed by a reception at the medical center on Sunday, December 7. December 8, 1986—the date marking St. Elizabeth’s 75th year of service to the community—is designated as the day that the medical center’s new Health Education Center will have its formal dedication. This new service to the community represents the future for St. Elizabeth’s as it becomes more actively involved in its community leadership role of providing health education, prevention programs and learning experiences that encourage healthy lifestyles in addition to the services it gives to the sick and needy who come to St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center for care.

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Epilogue

t is difficult, if not impossible, to place the 1980s into any kind of historical perspective, for we are too close to these years to objectively judge them. All we can do is chronicle the events and leave the evaluation to future generations. What the people of tomorrow will see as the major contributions and challenges of the ‘80s—we do not know. Throughout this book we have endeavored to provide a historical frame of reference to give readers the sense that history affects us as much as we affect history. The hospital has always been a reflection of the times—but it also has the power to direct history by its response to the pressing problems and moral questions of the day. In 1915, when the North building was dedicated as the first permanent structure, the guest speaker was Dr. Thomas Darlington, secretary of the welfare committee of the American Iron and Steel Institute in New York City. Dr. Darlington’s visionary speech addressed the three-fold purpose of St. Elizabeth’s: to provide quality patient care, to educate and to conduct research. No one in the audience that day could have envisioned how the provision of patient care at St. Elizabeth’s would be expanded—nor the obstacles that would have to be overcome to assure its quality. They did not realize that the hospital’s mission “to educate” would go beyond the traditional schools that teach skills to physicians, nurses and other health professionals to community outreach programs that educate the public about life-saving techniques, disease prevention and wellness. Nor would the crowd gathered for that dedication ceremony in 1915 foresee that St. Elizabeth’s involvement with research would extend outside the hospital doors and into joint efforts with universities, medical schools and health agencies. This history of St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center shows in a very small way how the circle of caring has evolved over 75 years. If there is one thing that “stands out” in this look at the past, it is that no one person, no single group, no solitary effort is responsible for the development of St. Elizabeth’s. It took many individuals and many groups—all of them

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working together—to bring about the St. Elizabeth’s we know today. This fact should serve to remind all of those now associated with the medical center that each one is contributing in his or her own special way to the future history of St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center. On November 26, 1911—the day the hospital was formally dedicated—an article written by one of its early founders, Father Maurice Griffin, appeared in the Youngstown Vindicator. As we celebrate the past and look to the future, it seems fitting that part of what he said be reprinted here: It is well for the world that each new venture must pass through a sifting process in which . . . sympathies, antipathies, hopes, fears, and errors form the sieve and the clashing of their wills, the movement. It is to be hoped the hospital has passed safely through this ordeal. . . . From those whom God has allowed to gather this world’s goods, we ask a reasonable share; from. . . [those] who mold the opinion of others, we expect that the power be used to favor [this] charitable work,’ [and] from the indifferent, we ask that they speak no word against us until the work shall have time to speak for itself. After 75 years, it would appear that enough time has passed to let the work of St. Elizabeth’s “speak for itself.” As we move forward to the 21st century, we humbly ask for God’s blessing.

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Notes The church later became St. Columba Cathedral.

At that time, Youngstown was under the Cleveland Diocese.

Burke Street was later renamed Park Avenue.

During the late 1960s, the sisters modified their name to the Sisters of the Humility of Mary.

Although this was the first time the “blue nuns” had been asked to operate a community hospital, the religious order was familiar with the ministry of caring for the sick and injured. The sisters had run a hospital at the Villa during the latter part of the 19th century when the railroad was being built in the area.

The property is in the name of John H. Fitch. Some earlier accounts of St. Elizabeth’s history have identified it as the property of Paul Fitch, who was John’s son.

In 1912, two other parcels of land were acquired for expansion of the hospital. The house located on the Cartwright property was used for a nurses’ residence and the Owens home was moved from its original site and annexed to Fitch House to provide more space for the hospital. The total cost of all remodeling was $34,508.35.

St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain is also sponsored by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary and a member of the H.M. Health Care Corporation.

In 1985, another artesian well was discovered during the construction of St. Elizabeth’s boiler plant/distribution center, located directly to the north of this first building, across Parmalee Avenue.

The “garage” was actually a carriage house. After remodeling, it became known as “Ivy Hall”; however, the program remained in existence until the early 1950s, serving as a pre-kindergarten school for children of registered nurses working at St. Elizabeth’s.

After the war ended in August of 1945, the funding for the nursery school project was curtailed; however, prior to that, it was used as a laundry for the hospital. In 1978, Ivy Hall was torn down to make way for the building of St. Elizabeth’s new Family Medicine Center.

In 1943, Youngstown became its own diocese. Bishop McFadden served as its first leader. He was later succeeded by Bishop Emmet M. Walsh and Bishop James W. Malone.

When St. Elizabeth’s added its West building in the late 1950s, the design followed the topography of the land and included a basement level as well as the ground level and six floors that connected to the two existing buildings. In 1976, when the South Extension building gave the hospital a new main entrance on Park Avenue (basement

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level), it was decided that the floor numbers would be changed: the basement became the first floor, ground became second, first level became third floor, and so on to the eighth Rosemary Home is also operated by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary

Some accounts place the number of beds at 360.

It is believed that the original plans developed in 1912 called for a series of separate buildings built in “cottage” or “pavilion” style, which was the design trend for hospitals at that time.

Owens Street originally ran parallel to Belmont Avenue, west of the North and South buildings. Eventually the entire street was taken for St. Elizabeth’s expansion programs.

The Hill-Burton program supplied funding for construction in exchange for which the receiving hospital agreed to give a proportionate amount of free care to the public. The Hill-Burton program was alter modified to government-guaranteed loans rather than outright grants.

In addition to the training he had received in Europe, Dr. Riberi spent another four years studying heart surgery at Indiana University Medical School and the University of St. Louis. Dr. Massullo completed his surgical residency at St. Elizabeth’s and received further training in cardiovascular surgery at Georgetown University and Parks Airforce Base in California where he was co-director of cardiovascular research.

St. Joseph Riverside Hospital in Warren is also sponsored by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary and a member of the H.M. Health Care Corporation.

In June of 1978, Executive Director Sister M. Consolata sent a notice to all medical center departments announcing that the total bed count for St. Elizabeth’s had been changed to 756. This change came about when the 24-bed psychiatric unit on 5-North was expanded to a 32-bed unit on 6-south.

In 1986, the Family Medicine Center’s name was changed to the St. Elizabeth Family Health Center.

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St. Elizabeth’s Anniversary

o celebrate its 75th anniversary, St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center planned an entire year of activities designed to honor various groups affiliated with the medical center, both past and present. Each member of the planning committee was responsible for at least one major project and they, in turn, solicited the help of others to serve on their subcommittees. The year of celebration was the result of hundreds of people working together in a cooperative spirit of unity. To all of the subcommittee members and those working on other projects, we extend our heartfelt thanks. You are now a part of the history of St. Elizabeth’s and you have every reason to take great pride in the part you have played in its 75th anniversary celebration. Listed here are some of the activities and events that were included in St. Elizabeth’s 75th anniversary year: Commemorative Calendar with full-color prints of winning photos from a contest sponsored by the medical center among its employees, physicians and volunteers. These calendars were distributed during the 1985 Christmas season to all employees and other friends of St. Elizabeth’s. St. Elizabeth’s Anniversary Chorus made up of employees of the medical center and directed by M. Benny Melnykovich, R.N., of the emergency care department. Park Avenue Lobby redone with new wallpaper, carpeting and wall hangings representing the various “looks” St. Elizabeth’s has had over its 75 year history.

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History of St. Elizabeth’s commissioned to be researched and written by Maribeth Burke Heman. Historical Photo Displays along the 2-West corridor and outside the cafeteria. As various groups were honored throughout the year, historical photos of that group’s earlier activities at St. Elizabeth’s were added to the gallery. In November, photos of all the current employees working at St. Elizabeth’s were added to bridge the past with the future. Special thanks and commendations go to Scottie Hanahan and John Randall for their extra efforts in making this historical gallery a truly beautiful addition to St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center. Historical Quilt hand-crafted by a committee of expert seamstresses. Each block represents a different milestone in the history of St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center.

~ 1985 ~ December 1

Youngstown Vindicator rotogravure section features a historical photo display of St. Elizabeth’s.

December 4

Media briefing held at St. Elizabeth’s. Members of the press invited to a luncheon and preview of activities planned for 75th anniversary year.

December 8

St. Elizabeth’s 74th birthday party; employees, physicians, volunteers and students invited to bring their families to party in the medical center cafeteria. A huge sheet cake decorated with icing reproductions of earlier buildings is shared by the hundreds who attend. Festival of Trees held in main lobby.

Week of December 9

Commemorative calendars distributed to employees and mailed to other friends of St. Elizabeth’s.

December 19

Sister Susan sends Christmas message to staff in SEHMC News. She notes, “As we move into 1986, we are also looking at the past—for this is the year we celebrate our first 75 years as a health care facility in this community. From a historical perspective, it is easy to see that what St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center is today is due primarily to the work of all those people who have gone before us. It is a time to be grateful for the support of those who preceded us, and

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St. Elizabeth’s Anniversary

it is also a time to realize that what the medical center is 75 years from now. . . will depend in many ways on what we do today. We are the ones creating the future. . . . ” ~ 1986 ~ January is dedicated to the Sisters of the Humility of Mary who have served at St. Elizabeth’s since 1911. We honor them for their commitment to healing and the stability and growth of St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center under their sponsorship. January 18

Sisters Day. H.M. sisters who have worked at St. Elizabeth’s invited to a reunion at the medical center. The day included a video presentation, tours, a special liturgy service in the chapel and buffet dinner.

March is dedicated to the physicians who have served at St. Elizabeth’s since 1911. We honor them for their loyalty, skill and integrity in the care of their patients and their efforts to keep the flame of knowledge continually bright. March 13

Doctors Day. Current medical staff members and retirees invited to medical center for a day of activities: mass in the chapel followed by breakfast; morning lecture by Dr. Richard Selzer, renowned surgeon and author from Yale University; tours; a luncheon; and dinner at Mr. Anthony’s where past medical staff presidents, those physicians with 10 or more years of service, and recent retirees were honored.

A public lecture featuring Dr. Selzer was held in Finnegan Auditorium the evening of March 12.

May is dedicated to all persons who have volunteered their time, gifts and services since 1911. We honor them for the special talents they bring to provide the patients of St. Elizabeth’s with many “plus” services. May 4

Special liturgy in hospital chapel for Infant Hearing Assessment, St. Elizabeth’s and Red Cross volunteers.

May 12

Auxiliary bake sale and luncheon.

May 18

Volunteer recognition ceremony; vesper service in chapel for Workers of St. Basil.

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May 22, 23

Auxiliary book sale in main lobby.

May 25

Special liturgy in hospital chapel for Junior Guild, Auxiliary and Gift Shop volunteers.

May 31

26th annual Charity Ball has theme of “Diamonds Are Forever” in honor of 75th anniversary.

June is dedicated to all who have been students at St. Elizabeth’s since 1911. We honor you for your professionalism, skill and commitment to health care. June 21

Alumni Day. All graduates of St. Elizabeth’s educational programs invited to a reunion luncheon. St. Elizabeth’s Chorus performs brief program.

St. Elizabeth’s and Youngstown State University made a joint announcement of the establishment of The Regional Research Program for Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology.

September is dedicated to all those in the community who have supported St. Elizabeth’s by sharing themselves, their time and their resources. We honor you for the part you have played in the development of St. Elizabeth’s during its 75 year history and ask for your continued support as we create the future history of St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center. September 6, 7, 13, 14

St. Elizabeth’s invited the community to tour the hospital, visit a specially prepared exhibition hall and share in refreshments. The weekend public tour route included several hospital departments with medical center management staff and volunteers serving as tour guides during the four-day event.

September 24

Benefactors Dinner held in St. Elizabeth’s cafeteria dining room.

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St. Elizabeth’s Anniversary

November is dedicated to all those who have worked at St. Elizabeth’s since 1911. We honor you for the skill and compassion you have shown in your commitment to a mission of caring. November 6

Employees with 5 years of service honored during recognition ceremonies and receptions held at four different times throughout the day.

November 7

Annual Employee Service Awards Dinner in cafeteria dining room. Employees with 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service honored. St. Elizabeth Chorus provides entertainment.

November 13 Retirees Reunion in special dining rooms of medical center. All retirees invited to tea in their honor; medical center staff invited to visit with former co-workers. November 17

Feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary celebrated with complimentary dinner for all medical center staff and volunteers.

November 18–21

Employee Recognition Days. Each day those working on different levels of the medical center honored with a carnation presented by members of the administrative team and special chapel services that included a rededication to the healing ministry and the distribution of cards printed with the philosophy of St. Elizabeth’s.

November 26

In honor of the formal dedication of St. Elizabeth Hospital in 1911, Bishop James W. Malone and three hospital chaplains blessed St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center and all who work there. Wall hangings of St. Elizabeth’s philosophy were distributed throughout the medical center.

December 7

Mass of thansgiving at St. Columba Cathedral and anniversary reception at the medical center. Festival of Trees begins, runs through December 14. St. Elizabeth Chorus performs.

December 8

Dedication of the St. Elizabeth Health Education Center.

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Members of the 75th Anniversary Committee Mary Margaret Conricote Bette Durkin Sister Francis Clare Fullerman, H.M. Sister Carole Anne Griswold, H.M. Sister Mary Justin Hammer, H.M. Lorraine â&#x20AC;&#x153;Scottieâ&#x20AC;? Hanahan Maribeth Burke Heman David Levy, M.D. June Lomax Patty Rush Sister Susan Schorsten, H.M. Holly Small

Once again, our heartfelt thanks to the members of our subcommittees and all the others who have helped to make this 75th anniversary year a memorable occasion.

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St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center 1044 Belmont Avenue Youngstown, Ohio 44501 (216) 746-7211 Sponsored by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary

Complete Inpatient and Outpatient Medical/Surgical Health Care Facility. • 756 beds, 63 bassinets • 25,746 admissions in 1985 • 3,268 employees • 223 physicians, surgeons and dentists on active medical staff; 123 on courtesy staff Major Teaching Hospital

• Affiliated with the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine • Residency programs in surgery, internal medicine, family medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, radiology and general dentistry. A transitional program rotates through several areas • Schools of education for registered nurses, nurse anesthetists, medical technology, cytotechnology, radiologic technology and nuclear medicine technology • Clinical experience programs for several health professions Center for Critical Care and Emergency Medicine

• The busiest emergency department between Cleveland and Pittsburgh • Over 36,000 patients treated in the emergency care department in 1985 • Verified as a Level I Trauma Center by American College of Surgeons • Regional referral center for trauma and critical care services • 32-bed intensive care unit; 6-bed cardiac surgery recovery unit; 102 intermediate beds • Full-time, board-certified director of emergency medicine • Full-time, board-certified director of critical care medicine • Mobile Intensive Care Vehicle—a mini ICU on wheels used for inter-hospital transport of critically ill or injured patients throughout northeastern Ohio

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• Regional Learning Center for Cardiac Life Support—basic and advanced CPR training and certification; five American Heart Association computerized self-learning systems serve both professionals and the public in a six-county area • Critical Care Skills Lab Family Centered Maternity

• Largest maternity department in the area; over 60% of the babies born in Youngstown are born at St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center • 2,619 babies born in 1985 • Award winning childbirth education program • 17 ob/gyn specialists, including a reproductive endocrinologist • Birthing rooms, short-stay program • Referral center for high-risk mothers and newborns • 10-bed neonatal intensive care unit; intermediate nursery • “Baby Watch 24” infant apnea monitoring program Cancer Care Center

• Comprehensive inpatient/outpatient care • Affiliate of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee • Parent and family support groups • Approved by American College of Surgeons Cardiac Services

• Comprehensive diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical services for treatment of heart disease • Largest staff of cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons in a six-county area • St. Elizabeth’s Cardiac Health Center—cardiac rehabilitation and prevention programs Geriatric Services

• Inpatient Geriatric Assessment Unit • Geriatric Day Care Center • Physician director of geriatric medicine • RN coordinator of geriatric services • CareLink—a fellowship of caring for adults 62 and older; members entitled to special discounts and other benefits

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• Lifeline—personal emergency response system that links subscribers with St. Elizabeth’s emergency care department • Geriatric curriculum for nursing, nutrition and medical students • Regional Research Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology in conjunction with Youngstown State University • Medicare Information Unit Special Units and Programs

• Gynecology • Women’s Health • Orthopedics • Neurology • Pediatrics • Psychiatric Care • Rheumatology • Infectious Diseases • Dialysis Services • Speech Pathology and Audiology • Rehabilitation Medicine

• Pulmonary Medicine and Respiratory Therapy Ambulatory Services Unit • Inpatient care with outpatient convenience “Cut the Red Tape” Outpatient Services • Advanced Registration • Customized scheduling

• P.A.T. (Pre-Admission Testing) “Here’s to Health” Wellness Programs Mahoning Valley Poison Center • Poison information resource center for five-county area St. Elizabeth Community Care Center, Boardman, Ohio • Outpatient Services • Geriatric Day Care Center

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St. Elizabeth Education Center

• Educational resource center for the community • Models, displays, “hands-on” materials and programs designed to teach visitors about wellness, disease prevention and healthy lifestyle development

St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center Philosophy As a care community, St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center extends the healing ministry of the Lord as found in the philosophy and mission of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary. We commit ourselves to strive for fullness of life in body, mind and spirit for those who come in need of care, as well as for those associated with the Hospital. We believe that every person is created uniquely and loved by God. Therefore, we strive to show respect for each person by providing quality health care in an atmosphere characterized by justice, compassion, love and a desire to be of service. Because we believe in the promotion of health we provide a variety of programs and services for the personal and professional development of people. With a tradition of caring and with the guidance of the Church’s pastoral teachings and directives, we strive to respond to the needs of our time We believe that each person at St. Elizabeth’s participates in, and continues the healing of Jesus by striving to express these values in daily activities.

Accepted by the Board of Trustees on 5/30/86

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This section includes as many photos as possible from A Circle of Caring, published in 1986, during St. Elizabeth’s 75th anniversary. Some of the photos in that book were lost.

St. Elizabeth Hospital received its first patient on December 8, 1911, in this converted home, which was formerly part of the Fitch property on Belmont Avenue. After the permanent hospital was built, this was referred to as “Fitch House.”

The Owens home was later annexed to Fitch House to provide more space for St. Elizabeth Hospital, which had outgrown its first building within the first year of its operation.

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Reverend Maurice Griffin

Reverend Edward Mears

Dr. Raymond E. Whelan

Mother Patrick Ward

Bishop John P. Farrelly

Miss Margaret Gallagher

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St. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first surgery room. Left to right: Dr. Milan, Dr. Fitzpatrick, Sister Geraldine, Dr. Whelan and Miss Margaret Gallagher.

The first hospital bill

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Sister Thecla McManamon (1912)

Sister Thecla (1980s)

Charles Owsley, arcthitect

Nurse Dorothy Millman, World War I casualty

Groundbreaking for St. Elizabeth Hospital’s first permanent structure—the “new hospital” … a real hospital.

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When St. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opened its first permanent structure in 1915, it was considered one of the most modern hospitals in the country.

The hospital kitchen in the early 1920s

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A private room at St. Elizabeth’s in the ‘20s

St. Elizabeth’s emergency department in the 1920s

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The sunny solarium in the North building

The Stambaugh Mansion on Belmont Avenue was purchased in 1926 and converted into the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing.

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St. Elizabeth Hospital in 1929 with more than 300 beds and an ever-increasing staff of physicians and employees.

The main lobby was located on the first floor of the center section that connected the North and South buildings.

Dr. Francis McNamara, St. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first intern and the third president of its medical staff

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June Jugenheimer (Lomax), student nurse in 1941, was one of the many nurses who enlisted after completing their training at St. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

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The surgery suite looked like this during the 1930s.

The first class of the Cadet Nurses Corps at St. Elizabeth School of Nursing graduated in 1944.

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Sister Mary Zita (Dorothy Zwick) with some of the thousands of “Baby Boomers” who were helped into the world at St. Elizabeth’s.

“For Sale: Where Is, As Is.” Although the ad ran, there were no takers to move the beautiful center section that connected the North and South buildings. Eventually, it was demolished to make way for the West building addition, which also connected all three buildings on all levels.

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It takes a lot of people to operate a hospital. The staff in the 1950s included doctors, nurses, technicians, managers and service personnel.

With the opening of the West Extension building in 1972, St. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total bed count was brought to 747. The addition also provided a new 32-bed intensive care unit, laboratory, radiology department and emergency.

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A dedication and blessing ceremony for the West Extension and South Extension buildings on September 26, 1976, marked the beginning of an eight-day celebration designed to thank the community for its support during the hospital’s most recent expansion program. It was also the day the hospital officially announced its name change to St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center.

One of the departments to relocate into the new South Extension building was the neonatal intensive care unit where premature and high-risk newborns get a “fighting chance” at life.

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The Regional Learning Center for Cardiac Life Support provides CPR training for both professionals and the public.

St. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critical care outreach program includes the Mobile Intensive Care Unit, which is used for the inter-hospital transport of critically ill or injured patients.

THE CIRCLE OF CARING

years

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Administrators who have served at St. Elizabeth and Humility of Mary Health Partners.

Sister Genevieve Downey, 1911 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1916

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Sister Geraldine Cantillon, 1916 – 1922

Sister Marie Hortense Kenney, 1922 – 1931

Sister M. DeLellis Kennelly, 1931 – 1937

Sister Germaine Hawkins, 1937 – 1949

Sister Adelaide Krummert, 1949 – 1956

Sister Baptista Frutkin, 1956 – 1962

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Sister Consolata Kline, 1962 – 1981

Sister Susan Schorsten, 1981 – 1993

Andrew Allen, 1993 – 1995

Kevin Nolan, 1995 – 1999

Michael Rowan, 1999 – 2002

Robert Shroder, 2002 – Present

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Board chairs who have served at St. Elizabeth and Humility of Mary Health Partners

Charles B. Cushwa Jr., 1970 – 1973

Mr. Cushwa was the first layperson to serve as chair of the St. Elizabeth Hospital Board of Trustees. Prior to that, the sister who held the top leadership role for the sisters’ religious community served as board chair. Mr. Cushwa’s father was one of the founders of St. Elizabeth Hospital.

Sidney S. Moyer, 1973 – 1977

Attorney John M. Newman, 1977 – 1992

J. Phillip Richley, 1992 – 1993

Lawrence Heselov, 1993 – 1995 (St. Elizabeth); 1998 – 1999 (HMHP)

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E. Jeffrey Rossi, 1995 – 1998

Dr. Franklin Rizer, 1999 – 2002

Germaine Bennett, 2002 – 2006

Attorney Leonard Schivone, 2006 – 2009

Suzanne Fleming, 2009 – 2011

Daryl H. Cameron, 2011 – Present

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These pictures are part of a series of drawings created by Sister Mary Joanna Huegle that tell the story of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary.

Sisters in the Garden, 1854 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1864, France The sisters from the early religious community in France chose to wear the long, simple dress and fluted cap typical of the French women in their village. They wore blue to honor the Blessed Mother. The statue of Mary was brought by the sisters to America and today is still on display at Villa Maria.

Home in America, 1864, Pennsylvnia When the sisters came to America, they settled on a 250-acre farm in western Pennsylvania, near the Ohio state line. They worked hard to clear the swamp land to make it productive.

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Teaching Ministry, 1864, Louisville, Ohio The sisters began their ministry in education in America by teaching young children of the French settlers in Louisville, Ohio. Because of the sisters’ financial situation, only a few remained in Louisville. The others went on to establish the motherhouse in Pennsylvania, now known as Villa Maria, affectionately referred to as “The Villa.”

Smallpox Epidemics, 1864/1872, New Bedford, Pennsylvania/Lowellville, Ohio Shortly after the sisters arrived in America in 1864, a smallpox epidemic broke out in New Bedford, Pennsylvania, and in 1872, another epidemic hit Lowellville, Ohio. Both times, the sisters went into the homes of farmers and took care of those stricken with the illness. They often brought the children back to the convent so they would not be exposed to the disease.

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Caring for Orphans, 1870s, Villa Maria, Pennsylvania A few orphan children traveled with the sisters from France to America. The ministry was expanded when the sisters began to care for children in the area after one or both parents died.

Health Care Ministry, 1875, Villa Maria, Pennsylvania The sisters struggled to support themselves and the orphans. During the building of the railroad in nearby Lowellville, a deal was struck with the railroad officials to purchase the Villa trees for railroad ties. In exchange, the sisters promised to care for any sick or injured railroad workers. The sisters set aside two rooms for a small clinic to care for these men.

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First Hospital in the Mahoning Valley, 1875, Villa Maria, Pennsylvania The two-room clinic soon was not enough space to care for the railroad workers. So the sisters built a larger facility next door, which was called the St. Joseph Infirmary and referred to by the men as â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Sisters Hospital up Lowell Hill.â&#x20AC;? This was the first hospital in the Mahoning Valley. The little hospital remained open until 1911, when St. Elizabeth Hospital opened in Youngstown, Ohio.

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These photos represent some of the advances St. Elizabeth has made in the past 25 years. They are but a few of the many wonderful things that have made the hospital – and Humility of Mary Health Partners – the leading provider of health care in the area.

Robotic surgery with the daVinci Surgical System™, at St. Elizabeth since 2007, reduces pain and scarring and promotes faster recovery.

Dr. Michael Kavic, a laparoscopic surgery pioneer, instructs surgery residents at St. Elizabeth to care for future generations.

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The regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first hyperbaric oxygen therapy program, at St. Elizabeth since 2004, helps speed wound healing.

St. Elizabeth offered the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first 64-slice CT scanner in 2004 to enable faster diagnoses.

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The regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only Level I trauma center, at St. Elizabeth since 1986, treats the most serious injuries.

Diabetes educators partner with newly diagnosed patients to provide vital help, information and support.

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Patients today are able to order all of their meals through room service.

Today, labor, delivery and recovery all occur in modern, private birthing suites.

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The regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first open heart surgery was performed at St. Elizabeth in 1962. Today, St. Elizabeth continues to be a leader in cardiac care, performing more than 3,000 procedures each year.

Monitoring patient status continuously ensures timely care and shorter stays.

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GPS positioning allows precise radiation therapy treatment at Partners for Urology Health.

Since 1996, St. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acute rehabilitation program has helped many people regain their strength.

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The patient simulation lab at St. Elizabeth allows students and clinicians to perfect their skills in a realistic setting.

St. Elizabeth Health Center as it is in 2011.

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A few of the activities that have taken place over the past 25 years since St. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 75th anniversary.

Pioneers in Cardiac Care: Dr. Elias Saadi, center, cardiologist, and Drs. Angelo Riberi, left, and Edmund Massullo, heart surgeons, were pioneers in the provision of cardiac services at St. Elizabeth and in the community.

Volunteers: The St. Elizabeth Auxiliary took on the hospital gift shop as a project in 1956. Mary Margaret Conricote, pictured here, succeeded Margaret Dreiling as gift shop chair in 1979 until management of the gift shop was turned over to the hospital.

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Hike for Heart: (Top) Sister Susan Schorsten and Attorney John M. Newman at the first event in 1985. (Bottom) Volunteers helped make the Hike for Heart as huge success.

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75th Anniversary: One of the 75th anniversary projects was a historical quilt hand-crafted by a committee of expert seamstresses. Each block represents a different milestone in the history of St. Elizabeth. From left are Scottie Hanahan, Sister Susan Schorsten, June Lomax and Mary Machuga.

Day Care: In 1988, St. Elizabeth announced plans for a day care center near the hospital for working parents. Sister Susan Schorsten, right, with Don Argiro, associate executive director for human resources, and Donna Daniels, owner of Wee Care Day Care and Learning Centre, her daughter, Nicole, and three-week-old son, Alex.

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HM Guest House: (Top) The HM Guest House serves as home away from home for out of town families of critically ill or injured patients. (Middle) The St. Elizabeth Auxiliary has supported the guest house with its fundraisers since the early â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s. (Bottom) The maintenance staff who worked on remodeling the house in 1989.

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Employees of the Year: In 1987, St. Elizabeth introduced an employee of the month program. The first employees of the year were (left) Julie Nohra of nursing services; (center) Sherry Anderson of surgery; and (right) Bertha Jones of nutrition services.

Poison Center: For some 30 years, the Mahoning Valley Poison Center at St. Elizabeth provided education and support to the community, in particular, to parents of children who were accidentally poisoned.

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School of Nursing: The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing started at the same time the hospital opened its doors in 1911. During its 85 year history, the school graduated 3,254 nurses. (Top) An early class of nursing students. (Middle) Graduation ceremonies always included the nurses pledge, first written by Florence Nightingale. (Bottom) A capping ceremony in the early â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s.

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Community Cup: St. Elizabeth helped bring the Community Cup to the area and has won it a total of six times.

Sister Susan Schorsten was the happiest of them all for the first victory in 1992.

The latest victory in 2011 helped cap off the centennial year. From left are Don Koenig, Ron Charity, Tonia Adams and Porfirio Esparra Jr.

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CLAS: In 2008, eight staff members were trained to assess HMHP’s performance according to the 14 national standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in health care. Seated are Shirley Poindexter, left, and Karen R odgers; standing from left are Susan Stewart, Kera Thompson, Katrina Walker and Porfirio Esparra Jr. Missing from the photo are Nichole Carter and Casey Pitts.

Our Link to the Past: Martha Murphy, daughter of Dr. Raymond E. Whelan, first president of the St. Elizabeth medical staff , and Margaret Gallagher Whelan, one of the hospital’s first nurses.

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Dental Clinic: In 2010, St. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dental clinic was one of only three dental programs in the nation to receive the Best Practice award from Safety Net Solutions. In this photo from 1982, Dr. Frank Beck, left, then a second year resident, and Dr. Larry Trombka, first year resident, work on a dental clinic patient. Today, Dr. Beck is director of the dental residency program at St. Elizabeth.

Heritage Week: The quilt project spanned two Heritage Week celebrations. In 2003, staff members created quilt squares representing their departments, and in 2004, the quilt was assembled and presented to the Sisters of the Humility of Mary during their 150th anniversary. It hangs in the hall across from the library at the Villa.

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K-9s for Compassion: The K-9s for Compassion volunteer group began visiting at St. Elizabeth in 2001. The group, which provides animal-assisted activity/therapy, is affiliated with the Pet Partners program of the Delta Society. Katie Matola Costello and her dog, Vickie, were among the first to bring this type of activity to HMHP hospitals and nursing homes.

A Legacy: Joanie and Dr. Rashid Abduâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story was the inspiration behind the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center, which opened at St. Elizabeth in November 2011.

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History Book: (Clockwise, from left) Sister Celine Metzger, Maribeth Burke Hernan and Patty Rush work on the centennial history book at the Villa. Sister Celine, retired as director of mission integration at St. Elizabeth, and Maribeth, who now works at Ohio State University Medical Center, volunteered to research and write the book; Patty edited it and oversaw its production. Maribeth wrote the 75th anniversary history book in 1986, when she was employed at St. Elizabeth.

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109

St. Elizabeth Health Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100th Anniversary Update to A Circle of Caring 1986-2011

Researched and written by Maribeth Burke Hernan and Sister Celine Metzger, H.M. Edited by Patty Rush

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St. Elizabeth Health Center’s 100th Anniversary Update to A Circle of Caring • 1986-2011 Published: December 2011

St. Elizabeth Health Center

1044 Belmont Avenue/Youngstown, Ohio A member of Humility of Mary Health Partners, which is a region of Catholic Health Partners, Cincinnati, Ohio H M H P B OA RD O F D I REC TORS Mounir Awad, M.D. St. Elizabeth Boardman Medical Staff President Martha Bushey Daryl Cameron Chair Brian Corbin Treasurer Daniel Fitzpatrick, D.O. St. Joseph Medical Staff President Sister Maryann Golonka, H.M., Secretary Sister Carole Anne Griswold, H.M. Sam Kooperman

Betty Jo Licata Vice Chair Bipin Patel, M.D. Eugene Potesta, M.D. Member-at-Large Scott Schulick Steven Sheakoski, M.D. St. Elizabeth Medical Staff President Robert Shroder Humility of Mary Health Partners President/CEO John Starcher Catholic Health Partners Representative Shelley Taylor-Odille Jay Williams

H M H P S ENIO R LE A DERSHI P Bob Shroder President and Chief Executive Officer, HMHP Genie Aubel President, St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center John Finizio President, St. Joseph Health Center Don Koenig Executive Vice President, Operations, HMHP Don Kline Divisional Chief Financial Officer and CFO/Senior Vice President, HMHP Dr. Nick Kreatsoulas Vice President, Medical Affairs/Chief Medical Officer

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Paul Olivier Senior Vice President, Business Development Sister Marie Ruegg, H.M. Senior Vice President of Mission Integration James P. Schultis President, HMHP Development Foundation Molly Seals Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Learning, CHP Eastern Division/HMHP Cathy Tolbert Senior Vice President of Nursing and Clinical Services/ Chief Nursing Executive

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Introduction

n the 25 years since the publication of A Circle of Caring, St. Elizabeth’s 75th anniversary history book, much has happened to change the hospital’s direction of service to the community. In the mid-1990s, St. Elizabeth joined with its sister hospital, St. Joseph Riverside Hospital in Warren (also sponsored by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary), to form an integrated delivery network. This was the first step in what eventually evolved into Humility of Mary Health Partners (HMHP), which has acute care hospitals, long-term care facilities and home care and hospice services. Membership in a larger organization—Catholic Health Partners—was another change. The following pages concentrate primarily on St. Elizabeth’s history, but, at some point, that history becomes inextricably intertwined with that of HMHP. Not all activities during the past 25 years are chronicled here. The content includes highlights that were thought significant from an historical perspective, but by all means, not the only important activity to occur from 1986 to 2011. Likewise, names mentioned are not the only people to make significant contributions to the organization. They are listed to round out the historical content of the activity. This book also contains the story of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, their journey from France, their early struggles and how they came to be associated with Catholic health care, as well as the evolution of health care from the small infirmary at the Villa through the opening of St. Elizabeth Hospital to the establishment of Humility of Mary Health Partners. The development of mission integration in our facilities and information about the year of celebration to mark St. Elizabeth’s 100th anniversary are also included. Through all the changes in the provision of health care to those in need, one thing has remained the same—the mission. When St. Elizabeth first opened its doors in 1911, its purpose was to care for those no one else was caring for. That mission remains the same today: To improve the health of our communities, with emphasis on people who are poor and underserved.

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112

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113

Chapter

The ‘80s

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114

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115

Chapter

hether hospitals are large, medium-sized or small, they all have one thing in common: They are like villages and every person working there and patients being cared for become family. The history of St. Elizabeth is replete with stories that demonstrate what the Sisters of the Humility of Mary did to guarantee better lives for the citizens of Youngstown and the surrounding counties. 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of St. Elizabeth Hospital. For many, the “beacon on the hill” still stands for a mission of reaching out to the community and taking care of its health care needs. It is also the place of employment for many citizens of the greater Youngstown area, and countless numbers of young adults have taken advantage of the many educational programs and clinical experiences to become outstanding professionals in the fields of medicine, nursing, anesthesiology, radiology, laboratory sciences, respiratory and other allied health programs. In 1911, when the first hospital opened in a house with 30 beds on the corner of Belmont and Park avenues, the guest speaker for the opening dinner was Dr. Thomas Darlington. He was recognized as an expert in hospital operations. At that time, he spoke of the three tenets of a hospital, or the three reasons why a hospital should exist. It was to provide quality health care for its patients and the community, to provide education and to conduct research. St. Elizabeth was founded on these three tenets and they have guided its operations for 100 years. Dr. Darlington’s words were prophetic. There are many hospitals in the United States that have adopted these same tenets. The Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, one of the largest academic medical centers in the country, lists “health care, education and research” as its mission. Dr. Darlington would no doubt be honored 100 years later to know how his words guided other fine health care facilities. Providing quality health care can mean many things. It includes offering the best quality to the patients who come through the doors of St. Elizabeth. It means using the most effective techniques and advancements

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116

The History of St. Elizabeth Health Center

in medicine. It means hiring the very best professional staff available to assure a safe and positive outcome for every patient. And, it includes empowering a loyal and valued administration and board to spend money judiciously on medical advances in equipment and buildings. The hospital has seen many challenges in the past 25 years. But as difficult as the years have been financially for hospitals in general, and particularly for those in the Mahoning Valley, they have continued to be years of growth for St. Elizabeth.

For the 100th anniversary, we are taking a look back at the last 25 years. In 1911, Sister Genevieve Downey, the first hospital administrator, told one of the other sisters working with her that she knew the space in the 30-bed house would not be enough on the day it opened. How true this is for many who have experienced a building project or a renovation of a department. Planning for the space is exhilarating, envisioning all of the improvements that new space and equipment will bring. Yet on opening day, it seems there are things never anticipated. Building a new hospital is a daunting task for anyone, let alone for a sister in a religious order whose background was teaching music to elementary school students. Sister Genevieve’s handwritten diary still exists today. It tells a story of dedication, sacrifice and hope. Not long after the hospital opened, a campaign began for the permanent structure that would open in 1915 (now known as the North building). Sister Genevieve was instrumental in the design of the new hospital. Because of her vision and humility, she listened to the workers in her tiny hospital and asked what was good about the present hospital and what they would wish for in the new hospital. As they told her, she took notes and the architects incorporated those notes into the design. Similarly, Sister Susan Schorsten, the ninth administrator of St. Elizabeth and its second chief executive officer (CEO), initiated the hospital’s first formal survey process in January 1985. The surveys included three publics—the patients, the employees and the medical staff. The survey was designed to tell administrators and the board what was being done well, and what the needs for the future were. Sister Susan intended to use this information as a blueprint for future planning, building and program development. She took a page from Sister Genevieve’s book and asked the people who knew best what was needed for the future. Planning in the mid 1980s was tenuous at best. In 1982, Diagnostic Related Groups (DRGs) were introduced by the federal government. This was a new system of reimbursement. As each inpatient’s chart was coded at discharge, the patient’s diagnosis or problem had a corresponding code.

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Each procedure or treatment also had a corresponding code. The medical records staff coded each chart and, using a federal, mathematical formula, the patient’s admission would fall into one of 300+ categories called DRGs. The federal government, which administers the Medicare health care reimbursement plan for senior citizens, then paid the hospital based on the DRG. Prior to DRGs, if a patient was in the hospital for 10 days for pneumonia, the Medicare program reimbursed the hospital for its charges to take care of the patient. Under DRGs, the pneumonia diagnosis itself was reimbursed at a particular amount. The amount of reimbursement was the same whether the patient stayed in the hospital for one day or for 10. The patient’s care included medications, feeding and bathing, laundering bed clothes, and, if the patient was very ill, using costly supplies. Once the DRG payment ran out, the hospital was responsible for the costs. This was an enormous paradigm shift for health care. Physicians had never been trained to worry about the cost of keeping a patient in the hospital. Physicians were trained to care for the patient’s illness, regardless of the cost. The new reimbursement model made the physician a partner in the hospital’s success or failure. Without the support of its physicians, a hospital could lose millions of dollars every year. The early and mid-1980s were frightening years. Administrators, the board and the medical staff leadership were not sure St. Elizabeth would remain solvent, let alone, be able to plan for expansion. Yet planning went on. In the 1980s, Sister Susan earmarked several signature programs that would receive special funding for renovation of certain departments and technical/clinical innovation in others. These included emergency medicine, cardiac programs, geriatric medicine, cancer programs and neonatology. In March 1985, Dr. Howard White was hired as the new director of emergency medicine at St. Elizabeth. Dr. White worked at one of the busiest emergency departments in the country, Northwestern Hospital in Chicago. He was very familiar with the problems of large, urban emergency care and his singular insistence that the problem of overcrowding in the ED could be solved became contagious. Many in administration and clinical areas were energized by his enthusiasm. When Dr. White arrived, it was not unusual for the emergency department to hold more than 20 patients overnight and even longer due to a shortage of beds. It had become “business as usual.” But Dr. White challenged management and the clinicians to seek better solutions and, by doing so, he created a new culture for the emergency department. Many of those who were subjected to grueling sessions with Dr. White while he forced accountability on them got caught up in the groundswell of change. Working with a dedicated department director,

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Nancy Siefert, and a very talented emergency department staff, he was able to effect great change for the patients and their families. Prior to Dr. White coming to St. Elizabeth, family members were not permitted into the treatment areas with the patients. Dr. White changed this almost immediately upon his arrival and actually encouraged parents of small children to be part of the process when their children were receiving stitches following accidents. This one, small change was a landmark in the customer service relationship between the staff and the parents. When this impediment to fostering a collaborative relationship with the patient’s family was removed, the stress relief on the staff was almost palpable. Families became partners in care with the clinicians and the atmosphere in the department improved one thousand fold. Dr. White inspired the staff because he never asked anyone to do more than he did himself. A tireless clinician, he was that rare kind of leader who inspired others with his energy and work ethic. Sister Susan recognized the need for expansion in the emergency department and planning soon began on a major renovation of the area. In April 1986, groundbreaking was held for a project that would increase the space in the department by 5,344 square feet. The renovations included three new trauma rooms designed with the patient in the center of the room so treatment could be provided from any side. One room would have an X-ray machine that rotated so patients did not have to be moved. The two other trauma rooms were to be used as critical intensive care units for patients with severe trauma. An additional room would house a decontamination area with a separate entrance for patients who may have been exposed to hazardous materials. Plans also included two OB/GYN rooms, a psychiatric room, an isolation room, pediatric treatment rooms and medical/surgical areas. What is amazing is that a mere 25 years ago, smoking and non-smoking waiting rooms were included in the renovation plans for the emergency department. There is no doubt that nearly half of the workforce today at St. Elizabeth does not remember the time when smoking was permitted in the hospital. And even fewer remember when cigarettes were actually sold in the gift shop. It was Sister Susan who began a very spirited campaign against hospital smoking when she became CEO in 1981. She started by prohibiting cigarette smoking by the employees and managers in their offices. The Surgeon General’s report on the dangers of smoking was published in 1966, but well into the 1970s, cigarettes were still being sold in the gift shop and cigarette vending machines were located throughout the hospital. As late as the 1980s, directors of departments—even clinical departments—were still smoking at their desks. Employees, medical staff, visi-

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tors and patients were able to smoke almost anywhere in the hospital. It was not unusual to see some physicians smoking in the halls as they were making rounds on their patients. The admitting department was hampered in bed placement of patients by trying to ensure that non-smokers were placed together to avoid being placed in semi-private rooms with smokers. The admitting staff kept a transfer book, which was used to document patients’ requests to be transferred to a non-smoking room. The staff found it nearly impossible to accomplish this task. In November 1986, Sister Susan commissioned a smoking survey to be done during the same week as the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout in November. In June 1987, the hospital announced that, starting in July, all cafeteria areas designated as “smoking” would be converted to “non-smoking” areas. The smaller “non-smoking” area would be designated “smoking.” It was a rare moment in history for employees and medical staff to actually witness this change in such a dramatic fashion. Years of education had finally produced a behavioral change and the handwriting was on the wall for the time when all smoking would be banned from the hospital. There was an overall desire to curb smoking in the hospital and all agreed that a policy was needed to accomplish this. The employee smoking policy review committee was made up of employees who were smokers and non-smokers. True to St. Elizabeth fashion, employees were also very compassionate when it came to their co-workers. They supported smoking cessation classes to help fellow employees kick the habit. The survey also showed that in 1986, smokers comprised only 22 percent of the workforce. The committee’s recommendations were adopted and St. Elizabeth became smoke free in 1989. By 2008, employees and visitors were prohibited from smoking on any property owned, operated or maintained by St. Elizabeth, including sidewalks, driveways and parking lots. Wellness became the general theme of the 1980s and many heart healthy activities and programs were initiated during this decade. The Hike for Heart was a popular walk jointly sponsored each fall by St. Elizabeth and the American Heart Association (AHA). The first event was held Sunday, September 29, 1985. Participants walked a 1-, 3- or 5-mile route around Wick Park and winding through the upper north side of Youngstown, ending up at the hospital for refreshments and prizes. The two-fold goal of the walk was to promote healthy habits as well as raise funds for worthy causes. Employees and members of the community received pledges for the miles they walked and the money was shared by the AHA and the Regional Center for Cardiac Life Support at St. Elizabeth. Based on the photographs from this event, employees, medical staff and board members appeared to have a wonderful time regardless of the weather.

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The St. Elizabeth Cardiac Health Center, a rehabilitation program designed for post heart attack and open heart surgery patients, opened in October 1985. This facility was designed to teach cardiac patients about healthy eating habits and behavioral changes that included regular exercise and smoking cessation. One of the first outpatient centers for personalized patient care, it was staffed by registered nurses, registered dietitians, exercise physiologists and a physician, Dr. Nicola B. Nicoloff, who was the first physician director of the center. Exercise equipment at the cardiac rehabilitation center included treadmills, stair steppers, rowing machines, cross trainers, bicycles and weights. The exercise physiologists monitored the exercise regimes while the registered nurses monitored heart activity and stress. The dietitians offered education on healthy eating habits and also helped patients with personalized low-fat and low-sodium eating plans. They even provided Healthy Heart Cooking Classes that featured “celebrity chefs,” who often turned out to be cardiac physicians. The center was not only for patients, it was also offered to employees. St. Elizabeth was a major stakeholder in the war against heart disease and the Cardiac Health Center was a first class facility staffed by dedicated professionals. St. Elizabeth had always been known for its prominence in the field of cardiac care, dating back to the first open heart surgery in Youngstown, which was performed by Drs. Angelo Riberi and Edmund Massullo on a young patient named Cora Rushton. Therefore, it was no surprise that the hospital was on the cutting edge of cardiac wellness programs. Yet, it was also in the 1980s that a very controversial decision was made that angered many in the health care community. The fast-food chain, McDonalds, opened a restaurant on the first floor of the South Extension building in 1989. As cardiac rehab and wellness programs were proliferating throughout the hospital and smoking was being banned as a behavior of an unhealthy lifestyle, the opening of a McDonald’s restaurant in the hospital seemed incongruous to many physicians, employees and patients. One of the primary reasons for inviting the company into the hospital was the overcrowded conditions in the hospital cafeteria. It was not unusual for employees to wait in long lines at lunch time. Since employees only had 30 minutes for lunch, administrators realized something needed to be done to respond to employee needs. As it was, the cafeteria was closed to the general public during the hours of 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to allow more room for employees. This was seen as deleterious to customer service relationships with visitors and family members. The McDonald’s restaurant was planned as an alternative to the crowded conditions and another option for students, employees and visitors.

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This would be the first McDonald’s in an Ohio hospital; however, there were actually seven others located in other hospitals across the country. The experiment with fast food did not last and the McDonald’s restaurant closed in 2002. And in a nod to irony, it was replaced with a building—the South Pavilion—that houses the outpatient St. Elizabeth Heart Lab and state-of-the-art cardiac surgery suites. On January 30, 1987, Dr. Ronald Mikolich, a St. Elizabeth cardiologist, performed the first heart valvuloplasty procedure in the area. Dr. Mikolich trained for the procedure at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md., and did further studies at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. This procedure was the first to employ a balloon catheter to open diseased and scarred valves in the heart and it took the place of open heart surgery for replacement of valves. Most patients who were candidates for this surgery had rheumatic heart fever as a child. The walls of the valve become scarred and blood cannot pass through as it normally should. With valvuloplasty, a balloon catheter broke through the scarred tissue and opened the valve. Nearly 50 percent of patients with valvular heart disease were candidates for the new procedure. The 90-minute procedure was less invasive than cardiac surgery and the time the patient spent in the hospital could be as little as 48 hours. The patient had less pain and a shorter rehabilitation. It also reduced the cost for insurance companies and the hospital. Dr. Mikolich was a principal investigator for the research accompanying this procedure. As such, he worked with many other health professionals in determining the value of the technique. In May 1987, Dr. Felix Pesa, vascular surgeon, and Drs. Elias Saadi and Shawki Habib, cardiologists, received training at the University of California at Los Angeles to perform a revolutionary laser treatment for patients with atherosclerosis in leg arteries. The laser procedure made it possible for patients to have a less invasive method to correct clogged arteries in their legs. The words “less invasive” were beginning to mean less time spent in the hospital and less risk to the patient. As Medicare and other insurers were haggling with hospitals over expensive and extensive procedures, anything that could be done to reduce the patient’s length of time in a hospital bed was seen as a positive move. Prior to the use of the laser, the only method of treatment for patients with this problem was major surgery. Dr. Pesa had been following the literature on laser angioplasty and noticed that one company, Dynamic Concepts, had perfected a new metal tip that made it much easier for the physician to guide the laser. The three physicians were trained on the procedure and, when they began performing them at St. Elizabeth, it was the first hospital in northeast Ohio to use the laser system. On September 13, 1987, St. Elizabeth received approval to begin performing kidney transplants at the hospital. Prior to this, hospital physi-

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cians only harvested organs for implantation at Cleveland or Pittsburgh hospitals. In 1987, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) approved St. Elizabeth to do its own kidney transplants. It was a shining moment for the nephrology and urology departments. In a cooperative agreement with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, transplant physicians were on the staffs of both hospitals. Not only was it a significant step forward clinically for St. Elizabeth surgeons and the health care team, it also meant that patients and families would not have to travel for their care. They could have the procedure and recover in their own community, where they would have the love and support of their families. At the time of the UNOS announcement/approval, some 300 persons in the greater Youngstown area were on dialysis and 50 on the transplant list. The first kidney transplant performed in the Mahoning Valley was done on October 19,1988, at St. Elizabeth by Dr. Peter Bretan, who was recruited to head the surgical program in affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic. The transplant program at St. Elizabeth was closed in 2003 when the Cleveland Clinic decided to discontinue some of its satellite centers. Today, patients who are candidates for kidney transplants are helped through that process by an RN who is a certified clinical transplant coordinator. Alberta Benedetto has been working with renal dialysis and transplant patients since 1980. She educates, makes referrals to transplant centers in Ohio and Pittsburgh, and coordinates pre-transplant evaluations, living donor evaluations and the patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s care after transplant. In 1989, the hospital implemented several new computer systems that affected nearly every department. Almost a year of planning went into the system conversion that impacted admitting, registration, billing, nursing order entry, major test result reporting, pharmacy, lab and medical records. The business modules were called Medipac and the clinical module was called Clinipac. They were part of the HBO system, which later became McKesson when it was bought by the pharmacy giant. The pharmacy computer system was called Baxter and the lab system was Cerner. On August 29, 1989, Andy Allen joined the administrative team as the first chief operating officer in St. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history. Chief operating officer (COO) roles began to appear in health care in the 1980s. The purpose of the COO was to handle all of the day-to-day operations of a hospital. This would free the CEO to concentrate on policy development and the relationships between administration and others, such as the board, medical staff and area lawmakers. Employees have always been one of the greatest blessings that the Sisters of the Humility of Mary have enjoyed. Indeed, Sister Susan said as much in her Christmas letter of 1986. Over the years, the sisters have always kept employees in the forefront of every decision made. This was

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especially true in the mid-1980s when several programs were initiated to benefit employees. The Employee Suggestion Program began in February 1987. Employee entries were chosen based on their potential to meet the goals of the program that emphasized “improving patient care, cost savings, efficiency, productivity, and morale and/or guest relations.” The PRIDE employee of the month program began in July 1987. This program was designed for employees to nominate other employees who exhibited exemplary behavior and service. In October 1987, the hospital began to offer tuition reimbursement as a benefit of employment. Tuition reimbursement was available after six months of employment. The courses taken had to be “related to job skills improvement or those required to complete an associate’s, a bachelor’s or a master’s degree from a college or university.” Community colleges that offered courses leading to registration or certification of any kind were also eligible. And all of the various schools of education run by St. Elizabeth were eligible. This included the school of nursing and schools of radiologic technology, nuclear medicine technology, medical technology and cytotechnology. Students at the St. Elizabeth School for Nurse Anesthetists were also eligible for tuition reimbursement. As education was one of the cornerstones of the hospital’s philosophy, this change made it possible for many employees to embark on new roles and careers. One of the goals of the sisters was to allow employees who transferred to another hospital in the Humility of Mary Health Care System (HMHCS) the freedom to make that transfer without losing benefits. In October 1987, the system approved the portability policy, which allowed employees to take positions in other hospitals sponsored by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary without losing their long service dates. A nurse could transfer from St. Joseph in Warren to St. Elizabeth without losing any benefits with regard to retirement and seniority. In the employee newsletter dated October 22, 1987, the HMHCS noted that the new policy was based on the belief that “experienced personnel who were committed to the HM health care ministry should be assisted in staying within the organization.” In May 1988, the hospital announced plans to open a day care center for working parents. The new facility, built on the corner of Caroline Street and Ford Avenue, was named Wee Care Day Care Centre. It included day care, preschool and after school care. In making the announcement, Don Argiro, associate executive director for human resources, stated that the planning for the day care center grew out of the request for a reliable day care service in the 1987 employee survey. After investigation into many different venues, administrators felt that the new day care center operated by Donna and Anthony C. Daniels and located within a block of

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the hospital would meet the needs of employees. Certified teachers and registered nurses would be among the staff. The cost for employees to use the day care center was through payroll deduction. Later on, a discount was offered to employees. The HM Guest House opened in 1989 in a house on Caroline Street that had previously served as a residence for several resident physicians who worked at St. Elizabeth. The guest house was created for families of critically ill and injured patients who wanted to stay close to their family members. Many people came from long distances and the guest house was a convenient and safe place for them to stay. Sister Therese Quinn, who had been the hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s director of media resources, served as the first director of the guest house. Shortly after the guest house opened, the St. Elizabeth Auxiliary was asked to support it through its various fundraising activities. Money raised through shoe/uniform, book and jewelry sales have provided funds for remodeling, new furniture, draperies, bedding and kitchen supplies.

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The Smoking Dilemma St. Elizabeth made the decision to become smoke free in 1987. However, St. Elizabeth and all hospitals today still struggle with the small number of patients who continue to smoke. Many provide outdoor shelters attached to hospitals by walkways, or try to prohibit smoking altogether. And caregivers are torn between treating the patient and trying to get them to kick a bad habit at the same time. Smokers cannot stop smoking overnight. Being in a hospital is emotionally draining for many people and when a patient is trying to recover from a devastating illness or accident, it might not be the most opportune time to approach them with a smoking cessation program. However, nurses and physicians, respiratory therapists and social workers all make it their goal to educate patients on the dangers of cigarette smoking during their stay in the hospital and in outpatient visits. Today, the rights of the non-smoker have eclipsed those of the smoker and, in the best interest of society and promulgating good health, the smoker has fewer and fewer choices in public facilities. But as with everything at St. Elizabeth, the decision to go smoke-free was not made lightly and was done with compassion for those who would feel a hardship from this decision. Today, all patients who smoke are given guidance on how to quit smoking. In 2007, Humility of Mary Health Partners earned several grants to open and operate the Regional Tobacco Treatment Center, which provides comprehensive treatment programs to employees and the public at no charge.

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St. Elizabeth Auxiliary The St. Elizabeth Auxiliary has an illustrious history of volunteering and service. Established in 1932, the group has had many dedicated women working to support the hospital in a number of ways. In the early years, the group sponsored activities such as a “toys for children shower.” In 1942, Sister Germaine Hawkins, administrator, asked the group to become active in volunteer service. And, in 1956, the auxiliary agreed to staff the hospital’s new gift shop—covering a 12-hour period over three shifts. The first gift shop chair was Margaret Dreiling, who served from 1956 to 1979, when she was named honorary chair—a title she held until her death in 1981. Mary Margaret Conricote took over as gift shop chair in 1979 until management of the gift shop was turned over to the hospital. With Mary Margaret’s work as gift shop chair and in several other arenas—including continuing her work in the gift shop as a volunteer—she has accumulated thousands of hours of service to St. Elizabeth. Today, volunteers still help staff the Gift Shoppe at St. Elizabeth. Through the years, the auxiliary began taking on the role of fundraising as its primary activity. Through various sales, the members have raised thousands of dollars used for hospital improvement projects. Sister Susan Schorsten asked the auxiliary to take on the HM Guest House as a major project for fundraising shortly after it opened in 1989. Modeled after Ronald McDonald House, the guest house, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2009, grew out of a need for families and friends of patients to stay close to the hospital either because they lived far away from Youngstown or the patient’s condition warranted them staying in closer proximity to their loved one. The auxiliary has been responsible for furnishings and renovations to the guest house, which included an updated kitchen, a more comfortable living area and the addition of five bathrooms. The house can now accommodate up to 15 guests. The guest house has been used by more than 3,000 people since it opened. Members of the St. Elizabeth Auxiliary celebrated their 75th anniversary with a luncheon in February 2009. Although the true 75th milestone had been reached a few years earlier, the membership thought it appropriate to hold off on the celebration so it would coincide with the 20th anniversary of the guest house.

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The ‘90s

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n January 1993, St. Elizabeth entered the realm of home care. St. Elizabeth Home Care provided skilled nursing and therapies, including physical, occupational and speech. The history of nursing began with women administering to the sick in their own homes mainly because hospitals did not exist in many towns. Those hospitals that did exist had issues with sanitation and high rates of infection due to unsanitary conditions. There were major issues with the supply of good water, and the physicians and nurses infected patients due to poor hygiene and cross contamination. Florence Nightingale, whose tireless work to decrease infection during the Crimean War, was often quoted as saying, “My view you know, is that the ultimate destination of all nursing is the nursing of the sick in their own homes. I look to the abolition of all hospitals.” (1867) In the post Medicare DRG years, home care took on a new meaning as it decreased the patient’s length of stay. Medicare was eager to pay for home care as the costs were much less with services provided in the home versus services in the hospital. Patients fared better, too, as the home was more conducive to a speedier recovery. St. Elizabeth Home Care provided continuity of care between the hospital stay and the home. Nurses had the advantage of access to patients’ records and working with the same physicians and therapists who had treated the patient in the hospital. Plus the name and reputation of St. Elizabeth was an important factor for patients when choosing a home care provider. In July 1993, St. Elizabeth Home Care received Medicare certification and, in October 1993, had already made 13,712 visits, which was 250 percent above projections. Also in January 1993, an announcement was made that would mark the end of an era. Sister Susan Schorsten announced her resignation, which would become effective June 30, 1993. After 82 years of leadership by a member of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, for the first time in its history, the possibility existed for a lay person to become the CEO. In an oral history with Sister Susan in 2010, she remarked on her decision,

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saying she felt it was time for her to move on and to give others a chance to breathe new life into the organization. She decided to take a sabbatical in Washington, D.C., to further enhance and develop her knowledge of health care policy. The hospital hired the consulting firm of Heidrick and Struggles to work with a hospital-based search committee for the selection of a new CEO. The search committee included Sister Marie Ruegg, representing the HM religious community; Sister Frances Flanigan, president and CEO of the Humility of Mary Health Care System; Mary Anne Ladigo, director of community outreach services and the only employee selected to serve on the committee; Dr. Samuel Adornato, board member, past president of the medical staff and a well respected practicing ear-nosethroat surgeon; Dr. Karen Codjoe, staff pediatrician; J. Phillip Richley, board chair; J. Patrick Downey, chair of the board’s personnel committee; and Lawrence Heselov, board member and chair of the search committee. The sisters emphasized that the new CEO, whether an HM sister or a lay person, had to embody a commitment to the mission, philosophy and values of Catholic health care. It was a bittersweet moment in the history of St. Elizabeth. The sisters had always enjoyed a very close relationship with the employees. Many employees felt the personal sacrifice of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary served as an example of fortitude and strength to them and to their families. The sisters had always worked to create a family atmosphere and many employees working at St. Elizabeth in 1993 had only known one other CEO, Sister Consolata Kline, who had been executive director from 1962 until 1981. The sisters’ love for the poor and the sick inspired the work of many of the employees and physicians. It was almost unthinkable to lose that connection. Members of the leadership of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary made it clear they would maintain their presence and work with the new CEO, whoever it might be, to continue with their mission. In February 1993, the department of telecommunications, under the direction of Bob Fisher, enhanced the ability of caregivers to communicate with each other by creating St. Elizabeth’s first fax network. Fortytwo fax machines were installed throughout the hospital at the request of physicians. The fax machine and the efficiencies it brought to health care cannot be underestimated. When these machines were introduced to health care, a whole new world of opportunities opened up. The fax machine provided for continuity of patient care, communication between the caregivers, and written documentation with required signatures that would provide for the medical-legal aspects of charting. Physicians now had the ability to monitor patient reports throughout the day and to evaluate and interpret the results immediately. The first fledgling steps

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in the age of electronic communication between caregivers emerged. The results of this new technology provided physicians the ability to write orders in their offices and fax them to the nursing units to start patients on medications and schedule tests. It reduced the patient’s length of stay by providing enhanced information sharing. Caregivers made decisions more quickly, which improved patient care and patient satisfaction. As with all changes, there were those who could not comprehend the need for new technology and were comfortable with the old ways. One physician in particular refused to use the fax machine because he felt it was too costly for him. After a few weeks of negotiating, Sister Susan approved a deal for the hospital to buy the paper for his machine. He arrived every week in the medical records department to personally pick up his box of paper. Also in February 1993, the Ambulatory Care Center moved to its present location on the corner of Park Avenue and Covington Street. For a while, it shared the space with the Parkview Counseling Center, which had previously owned the building. Sister Margaret Ebin was the director of the Ambulatory Care Center and was instrumental in moving the department to the new location. Sister Margaret had been director of nursing services at St. Elizabeth from 1967 to 1970. She then spent the next 15 years as director of nursing services at St. Joseph Riverside Hospital in Warren. The original name for the Ambulatory Care Center was the outpatient clinic, which was on the ground floor of the South building. Sister Mary Stephen Torma was the supervisor. The outpatient clinic stayed in that location until the South Extension building was built in 1976. When it was relocated to the third floor of the new South Extension building, the clinic was renamed the Ambulatory Care Center. In 1985, Sister Margaret returned to St. Elizabeth to direct the center, which was expanding. The center served an essential part of the hospital’s mission to continue its treatment of the poor and those who were economically disadvantaged. By 1993, some of the clinics were: medical, surgical, pediatric, cardiac, neuro, neonatal, OB/GYN (including high risk maternity), muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, rheumatology, allergy, renal hypertension, trauma follow up and dentistry. The dental clinic stayed on the third floor of the South Extension building until new space could be renovated, which included four new rooms. The day of the move was hectic and full of challenges. Originally, Parkview Counseling Center was supposed to be completely cleared out of the building before the move took place, but, Sister Margaret had to move the Ambulatory Care Center with the behavioral health services staff still working there and seeing patients. It was challenging at times. St. Elizabeth was on the ground floor of the building with behavioral health services on the second floor. Sister Margaret needed space almost immediately after she moved in, which was not an

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unusual place to find oneself when working at St. Elizabeth. The need for space seemed never ending. In May 1993, Sister Celine Metzger, major superior of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, appointed Andrew W. Allen as the first lay president and CEO of St. Elizabeth. Andy, as he liked to be called, was recommended by the search committee and the board approved the choice. Andy was well known to all of the St. Elizabeth community because he had been its COO since August 1989. He and Sister Susan had a wonderful relationship and they complemented each other’s styles of management. Employees were happy with the choice due in large part to Andy’s “management by walking around” style and friendly demeanor. He was known to visit departments all over the hospital and knew employees by their first names. His approachable manner, common sense and engaging sense of humor endeared him to nearly everyone. He actually fit in so well with the community that people were shocked to find out he was not a native “Youngstowner.” When Andy left St. Elizabeth in 1995 to take a position with the Carondelet Health System in St. Louis, Mo., he remarked at his farewell dinner that he never worked in any place where he felt so much at home. He was promoted several times at Carondelet and retired in 2009. He continues to share friendships with many St. Elizabeth employees and others in the Youngstown community. In June of 1993, the beloved Stambaugh Mansion, which was home to the student nurses since 1926, was demolished. Sister Susan had worked diligently to find a way to keep the building on the St. Elizabeth campus. She had plans to make the Stambaugh Mansion into a health care museum and started to place many historical items in the large rooms on the first floor of the home. Area physicians donated many items, including antique medical equipment and furniture, which was on display for a few years in the mansion. Sister Susan also investigated placing the home on the National Register of Historic Places, but felt torn in making that decision because she could not predict what the costs would be for St. Elizabeth in the future. The laws for placing homes on the historic register demand that once the house is placed on the register, nothing can ever be done to change it in any way. The home must be maintained in the fashion that it was built and could never be razed. The price tag for keeping the home in its pristine, historic condition was enormous. The building had terrible termite and worm damage to its main structure and foundation. It would need to be brought up to building code and then maintained forever by the hospital, regardless of the cost. Seeing no other alternative, she made the very unpopular decision to demolish the home. Nurses who were former students stood on the street

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across from the mansion and watched as the wrecking ball attempted to bring down the walls. The mansion didn’t make it easy for the wrecking ball, which took much longer to accomplish its goal than anyone predicted. The famous “sacred stairs,” most of the furnishings, and the marble fireplaces were sold to an area businessman named Gilbert “Gib” James. Many former students were able to pick up a brick or two in memory of their days in nursing school. The adjacent Joan of Arc Hall was also razed. Years earlier, the carriage house, named Ivy Hall, where many school social functions took place, was torn down to make room for the St. Elizabeth Family Medicine Center. The school had its own legends and folklore. Many students told stories of seeing or hearing ghosts in the attic of the Stambaugh Mansion. The “sacred stairs” were so unstable that students were only permitted to stand on them once a year, on the night of the capping ceremony. The housemothers made sure that all students were in their rooms before 11 p.m. and in the 1970s, they made rounds with the faithful watchdog, Sheba. Sheba was a light-colored German shepherd who rarely barked or even looked up from her bed when anyone came in the door. But she was as much a part of the school of nursing as its students, instructors and directors. It was rumored there were actually many Shebas and that as one Sheba passed away, she was replaced with a look-a-like, who was also called Sheba. In July 1993, the hospital announced the need for cost containment due to declining inpatient admissions and reductions in reimbursement. The hospital, for the second time in its history, would reduce staff by 250 positions. It was during this time that hospitals started to feel the results of the dramatic changes and shifts in health care reimbursement. Insurers and employers were finding it more and more difficult to fund hospitalization insurance for members and employees. Inpatient care was shifting to outpatient, which was reimbursed at a much lower rate. It is interesting to note that staff reductions were done on August 12, 1993, and in September of that year, St. Elizabeth’s team came in second at the city-wide Community Cup competition. Employees gave an outstanding effort to repeat the 1992 first place victory and came up short by only 6.75 points out of a total of more than 300. It was a remarkable tribute to the loyalty and dedication of the employees. On June 16, 1993, the 100th kidney transplant was performed at St. Elizabeth. The program, which originally began with organ harvesting, had now achieved a milestone in transplants. Still operating in affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, St. Elizabeth’s kidney transplant program was staffed with remarkable surgeons from the clinic who were able to enhance the reputation of the hospital while serving the needs of the Youngstown community. As inpatient admissions began to level off in the ‘90s, more and more

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procedures were being done in outpatient surgery centers around the country. Government payers started this trend with DRGs in the mid1980s and, as the decade of the 1990s began, many private insurers saw an opportunity to also reduce their costs by negotiating lower rates with hospitals. The cost of health care was a hot topic in the ‘80s and this not only continued into the ‘90s, but also grew more intense. One way to combat the high costs of procedures was to offer more of them on an outpatient basis. Many hospitals began to move less severe procedures to the outpatient arena. In 1993, administrators and the board realized the need for a state-ofthe-art outpatient surgery center. Prior to this time, space was procured in various areas of the hospital and there was no central location for this service. In addition to all of the discussion about a new outpatient surgery center, there were also voices raised about its location. Many in the St. Elizabeth community felt that any new surgery center should be located away from the main hospital, possibly in Boardman, Poland or Canfield, where many of the physicians had their offices. The suburbs and surrounding townships were exploding with urban creep, while the city of Youngstown was in the midst of a decline in population that started in 1976 with the closing of the steel mills. The city struggled to keep industry and retail department stores and shops, physicians’ and dentists’ offices and restaurants from moving to the suburbs. When St. Elizabeth announced that it would build the new Outpatient Surgery Center on hospital property, it was a welcome sign for city planners. The center was dedicated on August 27, 1993, and included five operating rooms, two laser rooms, five endoscopy suites and two nerve block areas for pain management. There were also three family waiting areas, a multi-denominational prayer room, a satellite laboratory, mammography and radiology suites and separate dressing rooms for patients. It was physically pleasing with an open atrium design and a view from the second floor to the main family waiting area. Sister Susan Schorsten commented in an oral history in 2010 that the decision to build in Youngstown was not made lightly. It was mainly in response to the majority of surgeons on the St. Elizabeth staff, who wanted the outpatient surgery area to be as close to the inpatient surgery department as possible. Their decision was based first on patient safety since patients would be closer to the hospital should something unforeseen happen in the operating room, and, secondly, on their own schedules. Many surgeons had offices in the suburbs and scheduled their office hours on days when they were not in surgery. If they were performing surgery on inpatients at the main hospital, it would be much easier and more efficient for them to do outpatient surgery on the same day, across the bridge in the Outpatient Surgery Center.

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The Outpatient Surgery Center also opened with a different model of staffing that allowed for more patient focused care. New staff members in the center would have one of only three different job descriptions: registered nurse, patient care technician and unit clerk. Some duties were shared and unit clerks were cross-trained with patient care technicians to ensure maximum efficiency. Registered nurses could also do some of the patient care technician duties. It was a radical change in sharing of duties but a portent of things to come as patient centered care was becoming a new trend in the delivery of care. Later in this same year, St. Elizabeth announced the opening of its new cardiology unit. The former Ambulatory Care Center (outpatient clinic) on 3-South Ext. was renovated for cardiology procedures and a new catheterization lab, which was larger than the previous labs on 3-West Ext. The unit was 16,000 square feet with all new state-of-the-art equipment. St. Elizabeth had long been the premier cardiology hospital in the area dating back to the first heart programs in the 1950s, which were started by Drs. Leonard Caccamo, Elias Saadi and Edward Kessler. The continued building of modern facilities and the procurement of some of the best practitioners in the country helped St. Elizabeth keep its promise to the community to deliver the very best in the treatment of heart disease. By 1995, hospitals were beginning to position themselves in alliances with other hospitals in order to strengthen their base. Many health care institutions were merging. The cost of providing health care was becoming more and more of a challenge and many smaller community hospitals were closing. St. Elizabeth was in stable financial condition and, although challenged, was still investing in building and expanding services. In 1995, the Humility of Mary Health Care System announced the formation of an integrated delivery network (IDN) named HM Health Services. To do this, St. Elizabeth in Youngstown and St. Joseph Riverside in Warren would consolidate under one board. Both hospitals would maintain their own identities and medical staffs. A key to success would be finding additional ways to maximize the strengths of both hospitals through coordination, consolidation and cooperation. One CEO would administer the two hospitals and each director of a service would oversee the same department in both hospitals. This was a sensitive time in the hospitalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; history. Change is never easy and while employees at both institutions were willing to coordinate and cooperate, most were apprehensive regarding consolidation. The leadership of Humility of Mary Health Care System was cognizant of the appearance of a larger hospital swallowing up a smaller one and did everything possible to ensure St. Joseph employees would be treated fairly in leadership positions. Management roles were streamlined and both institutions began the slow process of working together in what might be

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considered an arranged marriage. Eventually, both hospitals profited. St. Elizabeth was infused with the fresh air of new talent and St. Joseph was able to expand many of its services. And having one board ensured that both hospitals would remain solvent and working in the same direction. Hard decisions were made during this time, also. As reimbursement became challenging, programs were evaluated for long term viability. One of the toughest choices for everyone was the eventual closing of the poison center in July 1995. For 30 years, St. Elizabeth was the sole supporter and home of the Mahoning Valley Poison Center. For most of these years, it was physically located in the emergency department. For decades this fine service provided much needed education and support to the community, in particular, to parents of children who were accidentally poisoned. The poison center hot line was available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Children from the community participated every year in the poison center poster contest, many featuring “Mr. Yuk,” the green scowling cartoon face that was a symbol for children to stay away from potentially harmful substances. The winning entries were posted on billboards strategically located throughout Youngstown and surrounding areas. It was a high profile service that St. Elizabeth reluctantly closed after exhausting all options to secure funding. St. Elizabeth was unable to persuade area health care providers or other sources of donations to share in the annual $260,000 cost of operating the center. 1996 was a year of great change for St. Elizabeth. In March, the Western Reserve Care System (WRCS) announced the closing of its Southside Medical Center’s emergency room. Although WRCS had made the plan known in the fall of 1995, the actual announcement and closing took place very quickly and caught many in the community off guard. In anticipation of the influx of more patients, steps were taken at St. Elizabeth to increase the emergency department staff, add an additional triage area, and expand the hours of the minor emergency care area known as “ReadyCare.” Earlier in the year, the area’s first chest pain observation unit opened on the fourth floor to treat low risk chest pain patients. Many of these patients traditionally stayed in the emergency department for long periods of time while vital tests were being run to determine if they needed admission or not. The chest pain unit could absorb this census of patients and provide 23 hour care, thus freeing up more space in emergency. The work redesign project, which began in the fall of 1995 to open patient focused care centers on the nursing units, was in full swing in the spring of 1996. The re-engineering process was designed to bring more services to the patient at the point of care. Re-engineering was a buzz word of the ‘90s, and the concept of patient focused care started in many hospitals on the west coast and moved east. It was a radical approach designed to be implemented in a quick, dramatic fashion to shake up an

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organization. There were many changes to existing practices, and the human resources department was in the pivotal position of rewriting policies. New personnel policies included a concept where employees of units involved in the redesign had to reapply for their own jobs. It was a huge departure from established practices, but it reaped much efficiency in cost, quality and service. In 1995, Kevin Nolan was hired as president and CEO of HM Health Services, replacing Andy Allen. Kevin had experience with multi-hospital systems and he streamlined the executive offices and administrative positions. He consolidated the administrative team in a new building on Belmont Avenue, which was equidistant between St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph. He worked to break down the barriers between the two hospitals and was sensitive to the feelings of staff at both facilities as more administrative changes were introduced. Kevin was instrumental in changing the names of both hospitals, dropping the word “hospital” in favor of “health center” to better reflect the goal of improving the health of the community. The facilities were now known as St. Elizabeth Health Center and St. Joseph Health Center. In 1996, St. Elizabeth closed its school of nursing, which had begun the same day the hospital opened on December 8, 1911. The St. Elizabeth School of Nursing graduated its last class of 43 nurses in June. The school closed for a variety of reasons including the decline in popularity of diploma nursing programs as more students were enrolling in four year baccalaureate degree programs. St. Elizabeth had attempted to partner with Gannon College in Erie, Pa., in 1991, but that affiliation never succeeded. Shortly after that, the school attempted a partnership with Youngstown State University in its two-year associate degree program. Several faculty members joined YSU, but the university program was self sufficient and only needed St. Elizabeth as a clinical site for its students. In August 1996, the Sisters of the Humility of Mary and the Mercy Health System in Cincinnati announced they had signed a letter of intent to combine the Humility of Mary Health Care System with the Mercy Health System. Sister Frances Flanigan, president and CEO of HMHCS, said of the partnership, “This action offers great opportunity to enhance the quality of care we deliver as well as the cost of that care. We are especially pleased to pursue this opportunity with an organization that shares our Catholic mission and values.” The Mercy Health System was anxious to expand into northeastern Ohio and had approached HMHCS, asking them to consider partnering in a new corporation. The partnership would provide for a stronger base for sharing best practices and negotiating better rates with insurance carriers and financial institutions. The Mercy Health System was the largest system in Ohio and the seventh-largest in the United States. With this

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change, sponsors included the Sisters of Mercy in Cincinnati and Dallas, Pa. (near Scranton); Sisters of Charity of Montreal; and the Sisters of the Humility of Mary. (In 1999, the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor in Cincinnati joined the system.) The partnership was official in January 1997 and, in June 1997, the Mercy Health System announced a name change to Catholic Healthcare Partners (CHP) to better reflect the system’s multiple sponsors that shared in a common vision. (Note: CHP changed its name to Catholic Health Partners in 2010.) There were many at St. Elizabeth who were unsure of the new partnership. While most employees were comfortable with the Humility of Mary Health Care System when it was just St. Elizabeth, St. Joseph and St. Joseph in Lorain, very few people were prepared for the next announcement of joining Catholic Healthcare Partners in Cincinnati. For many, it was traumatic. It was a major change to partner with a much larger system. The fears and anxiety resulted from not knowing if CHP would literally be taking over, and what the hospitals would be able to do as separate facilities. Would they lose control of their goals and budgets? Employees were afraid the hospitals would lose their identities. There had been major changes in a few short years. The changes continued through 1997. Even the publications that employees had become so familiar with throughout the years were changed and the last issue of St. Elizabeth News was published in December 1996. A new publication, InVision, appeared in January 1997, with a whole new look. It was a large, newspaper tabloid bulletin, that included monthly updates about St. Elizabeth, St. Joseph and HM Home Care. Although the newsletter brought more information to many of the employees about the other entities that made up HM Health Services, the new format was a huge departure from the more folksy and intimate St. Elizabeth News. Employees were worried about losing their autonomy in the large system. In 1997 and 1998, St. Elizabeth experienced efforts to unionize some staff members by the Ohio Nurses Association and Teamsters Local 377. In the summer of 1997 and, again in August of 1998, the ONA elections to represent nurses were defeated. In the early spring of 1997, maintenance workers voted for the Teamsters to represent them. That summer, service workers followed with a “yes” vote for the Teamsters. At the same time, the professional group chose not to go with union representation by the Teamsters. The petition for a technical group election was withdrawn by the Teamsters. By the end of 1998, St. Elizabeth was ready to move to the suburbs. Following the advice of many over the years, the board approved a plan to open several outpatient services on land in Boardman owned by the

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hospital for years. This land was at the corner of McClurg Road and Market Street. An announcement was made that the new Boardman facility would have the region’s first comprehensive women’s center with labor and delivery, newborn nursery, neonatology, comprehensive breast care, clinical osteoporosis and gynecological services, including surgery. The facility would also house an outpatient oncology center to provide chemotherapy treatments and diagnostic testing and procedures, and a 24-hour emergency department that would serve the populations in Boardman and Poland and also the residents of northern Columbiana County. It would hopefully reduce the crowded conditions in the emergency department at St. Elizabeth in Youngstown. It was thought that the oncology center could open within a year and the others would follow in 24 to 30 months. The comprehensive women’s center was controversial and it never opened in Boardman. These services stayed at the Belmont Avenue location due in large part to the board and administration having reservations about moving maternity away from the underserved population in Youngstown. At the end of 1998, Catholic Healthcare Partners announced that HM Health Services would become its own region of the system. Early in 1999, the organization changed its name to Humility of Mary Health Partners, as all regions within CHP had “partners” as part of their name. Since HMHP became its own region, and the Lorain hospital would also become a separate region, the Humility of Mary Health Care System was dissolved. In March 1999, Kevin Nolan announced that he was leaving HMHP to take a position at Affinity Health System in Oshkosh, Wisc. In July 1999, Michael Rowan was named the new president and CEO of Humility of Mary Health Partners. Larry Heselov, chair of the board, stated, “Michael Rowan will be a solid addition to the Humility of Mary Health Partners’ team. His broad experience meets our needs, and he shares our commitment to excellence, compassion, service, the mission of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary and improving the health of our communities.” Michael Rowan seemed to be just what the doctor ordered for St. Elizabeth and HMHP. His optimism and “can do” attitude sparked a new and refreshing feeling among the employees of the hospital. One move that confirmed his belief in good communication was changing the employee newsletter to a weekly bulletin called Partners. Michael seemed to connect on a very personal level with the employees who were energized by his enthusiasm. His articles in Partners were less formal than employees had seen from past CEOs. His column appeared in almost every issue, and they were often filled with common sense advice, using examples that resonated with employees to generate interest in the subject. He was honest in his communication and answered difficult

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questions. When the McDonald’s restaurant’s service became sub-par, he was very open in his response to a question sent to him in one of his CEO-grams. The question asked what administration was going to do about the length of time customers were waiting, the general quality of the food, and the overall cleanliness of the restaurant. Michael answered the question honestly by saying, “We will talk with the owners and tell them we want them to remove the restaurant from the hospital.” Michael never shirked responsibility and he understood the importance of being a presence to the employees and community. He was dedicated to the mission and in one article stated, “Our mission is to succeed and provide higher and higher levels of compassionate care to the people of the Mahoning Valley. We must meet our goals. We owe it to the Sisters of the Humility of Mary who have put the future in our hands. And we owe it to the poor and underserved in our communities.” By these words, he demonstrated the depth of his understanding of the concept of servant leadership. From the very first days of St. Elizabeth Hospital in the 30-bed Fitch House on Belmont Avenue, Sister Genevieve had decided she would no longer ponder the future or ask what each new year would bring. In her own handwriting she declared, “I will give, give, give, then I will be sure that this question is meaningless.” When the new hospital was built in 1915, the sixth floor was reserved for women who were the “poor and underserved” in the community. Sister Genevieve made sure this unit was the most well-appointed and attractive unit in the entire hospital, which surprised many who toured the new facility during its open house on January 31, 1915. She responded that these women were exactly the ones who needed to be given something better than what they had. That spirit of generosity to those in greatest need flourished throughout the years at St. Elizabeth. To be entrusted with this legacy is a great responsibility but also a great honor. The Youngstown YMCA and Humility of Mary Health Partners announced in August 1999 a plan to collaborate on a $9 million building project on the Boardman campus that would house a YMCA family branch/hospital rehabilitation center. The concept of a sports complex in the Boardman area had been discussed by a member of St. Elizabeth’s hospital administration for many years. Ed Baur, senior associate director for planning, marketing and public relations in the ‘80s and ‘90s, proposed a plan to build a complex in Boardman. This complex would house a sports facility for employees and the general public and rehabilitation services. Architectural drawings had been submitted for the complex but competing programs and limited resources had always placed it on the back burner. By 1999, the time and circumstances appeared to be right. The YMCA was at peak capacity at its downtown Youngstown facility.

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With more than 7,000 members and 30,000 participants on an annual basis, the organization needed to expand to keep providing services. The collaborative plan included a 70,000-square-foot building, which the YMCA would own and operate, leasing the land from HMHP. HMHP would lease 30 percent of the building for rehabilitation services. The YMCA announced it would start a fundraising campaign to raise $6 million for the expansion, which was slated to be finished in 2002. The last time the YMCA had engaged in fundraising was in 1968. It was emphasized that the Boardman YMCA would be an addition to the main program downtown and not meant to replace any functions or services currently provided. As 1999 was coming to a close, the looming fear of the year 2000—also known as Y2K—was alarming businesses and industries that relied on computers for their daily functions. At HMHP, the information technology (IT) department had been working on a plan since 1995 to orchestrate fixes to systems and install patches from vendors of electronic systems. In some cases, new systems were installed and older versions replaced in order to minimize any interruptions in service. Because of the intense and coordinated planning by the IT team, the hospitals experienced no interruption in service and the rollover to 2000 was a success.

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The Community Cup Sister Susan Schorsten was one of the community leaders who encouraged the Youngstown YMCA to offer the Community Cup to the residents of the greater Youngstown area in 1990. And the Cup has been a part of St. Elizabeth’s and Humility of Mary Health Partners’ history ever since. No year was sweeter than 1992, when the St. Elizabeth A Team won the Cup for the first time. The St. Elizabeth/HMHP teams won the overall Cup five more times—1994, 1995, 1996, 2001 and 2011, during the centennial celebration year. The organization continues to cosponsor the event and field teams every year. There’s just something about summer that says, “It’s time to get ready for the Community Cup,” which celebrated its 20th event in 2009. Here is an excerpt from the April 6, 1990, edition of the employee newsletter, SEHMC News: If you think competition is HOT in the business world, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet! The Youngstown Area Community Cup will burn up the tracks and heat up the pools Sept.7-9. And you can be a part of it. “We’re really excited about co-sponsoring the first-ever Community Cup and we’d like all hospital employees to get involved,” said Sister Susan Schorsten, executive director. The Community Cup, organized by the Youngstown YMCA and cosponsored by St. Elizabeth’s and Western Reserve Care System, is designed to develop a lifetime awareness and commitment to physical fitness; to foster employee pride; and to nurture Youngstown’s community spirit. Primarily an athletic competition, the Community Cup offers area businesses an opportunity to win recognition as the fittest, strongest and most enthusiastic business organization around. Events include walking, jogging, swimming, running and biking, as well as a tug-o-war. Non-athletic events include a banner competition and a pep rally. Both count for points in the trophy race and teams also may earn competitive points for providing volunteers to work. “I know there are a lot of athletic, talented and enthusiastic people in our hospital,” Sister Susan said, “and by participating, we will be helping to increase residents’ pride in living and working in Youngstown. Don Barger, occupational health manager, coordinated the first event.

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Y2K The possibility of computer crashes throughout the world as the new millennium approached was emphasized by a tremendous media blitz that reinforced and fueled that fear. Although many felt that the millennium would not officially occur until midnight of the year 2000, the world was faced with a somewhat nebulous term called “the countdown clock,” which was apparently loaded into every computer system in the world. Although few understood what it meant, and many questioned why anyone would put a countdown clock in every computer in the world, these questions were immaterial to the problem at hand. The real issue of Y2K can be simply explained: Computer programmers for years had built applications with the year truncated to two digits. For example, 1983 was 83, and 1999 was 99. There had never been any standard that the year should be programmed in four digits. When the year changed to 2000, it was feared that computers would either not recognize 00, or would try to force the date as 20100. No computers were programmed for a five digit year, and 00 could be confused with 1900. In order to obviate the projected chaos, computer programmers affixed changes called “remediation.” These were patches to enable the computers to recognize a four digit year code, i.e., 2000. The information systems department under the guidance of Chuck Folkwein, the chief information officer for HMHP, had actually been planning for this night for many years. Chuck had named Karen Smith the project manager for Y2K. Karen had extensive experience in computer applications and platforms. The first step was validating all of the equipment in all of the HMHP facilities. After the equipment inventory was completed, the systems were divided into three priorities: high risk, medium risk and low risk. High risk involved computer systems and applications related to patient care. By prioritizing the needs, employees of information systems could concentrate their efforts on the most serious applications. In most cases, vendors of the systems supplied the fixes that needed to be applied. After the fixes were applied, they required vigorous testing to make sure that everything worked. Drills and worst-case scenarios were rehearsed for months before the end of 1999. Nothing could be left to chance. On the night of December 31, 1999, while most Americans were attending the greatest New Year’s Eve party of all time, a large contingent of employees were at their battle stations at the hospitals, watching and waiting for 01/01/00 to occur. Their marching orders included waiting for the clock to move to 2000, logging onto their systems and validating that they worked. A call was to be placed to the command center to let the engineers know that the software and hardware were operational. Because

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of the intense and coordinated planning by the IT team, the hospitals experienced no interruption in service and the rollover to 2000 was a success. Remarkably, the command center was able to close at 2 a.m., and the year 2000 became just another normal Saturday morning.

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Chapter

The New Millennium

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Chapter

n May 2000, Michael Rowan unveiled his master facility plan with a price tag of $10 million. He explained it by saying “being the best means looking your best,” and there were many improvements that needed to be made to St. Elizabeth. These included $1.1 million to repair walls, roofs and the pedestrian bridge between the parking deck and the hospital; $3.5 million to upgrade heating and air conditioning systems; $1.8 million to upgrade patient rooms and lobby areas; and $3.6 million on energy management programs, major renovation to two nursing units, and renovation of the human resources and finance departments. By January 2001, the St. Elizabeth Boardman Campus Emergency Center opened and immediately saw more than a dozen patients on its first day in the $2 million, 8,000-square-foot facility. An open house was held for area physicians, HMHP board members, local ambulance companies and fire/EMT squads, hospital employees and the general public. Michael Rowan commented during the blessing and ribbon cutting event that, for years, citizens of Youngstown relied on the emergency care they received at the hospital on Belmont Avenue and that this extension of emergency services into the southern communities and towns would “begin a new chapter in the history of our organization.” The second phase of the Boardman project for the new YMCA and the St. Elizabeth Wellness Center broke ground in April 2002. If everything stayed on schedule, the YMCA would open in the summer of 2003. Hospice of the Valley (HOV), which had been offering end-of-life care to patients in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties since 1979, joined HMHP in February 2001. HMHP’s hospice program was incorporated into HOV and all the employees from the combined services worked together from either the Boardman office or the Salem office. An office in Warren was planned for a later date. In the surgical arena of care, a new robot was introduced in March of 2001. Robotically assisted surgery became available with the world’s first FDA approved device called AESOP. AESOP stood for Automated

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Endoscopic System for Optimal Positioning. The arm of the robot was designed to function like a human arm and allowed surgeons to maneuver instruments with greater precision. Since many surgeries can be long and difficult, the robotic arm was a tremendous advantage to the surgeon. It was also exceptional in teaching students the finer points of laparoscopic surgery. The AESOP system was St. Elizabeth’s initial foray into robotic surgery. Later in the decade, the da Vinci—an even more precise robotic system—would come upon the scene and St. Elizabeth would once again be at the forefront of providing the best possible technology for precise surgical techniques. In April 2001, a cascading water fountain was erected in St. Elizabeth’s main lobby on Park Avenue. The fountain, which included a statue of St. Elizabeth of Hungary and a glass wall hanging with the mission statement, was an effort to beautify the space and add a calming, meditative presence to the area. It is difficult to determine now if the planners knew that when the hospital’s first permanent structure was built in 1915, workers uncovered an unusual feature known as an artesian well. An artesian well pumps water from its own source and is usually associated with foundations that are made of rock. The artesian well from the North building flowed continuously and was free of bacteria. In 1985, another artesian well was discovered during the construction of the boiler plant and distribution center on Parmalee Avenue, just north of the hospital. Both wells were capped during construction. In May 2001, St. Elizabeth faced its first work stoppage ever when Teamsters Local 377 announced its membership would strike. Although it was a difficult time for everyone, the staff pulled together to be sure patient care was not interrupted and the facility stayed as clean as usual. The strike lasted 10 days. In February 2002, nursing leadership received word that St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph had met the criteria for a site visit, the last phase for Magnet® designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The designation is given to hospitals that meet stringent national standards for excellence in nursing services. The application process is lengthy and difficult and there are many criteria to be met. The Magnet journey began in 1999. It involved many hours of meetings, site visits to other Magnet hospitals and years of implementing new processes and auditing results before the application was submitted in September 2001. The quest for Magnet status was finally realized when St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph were notified on August 21, 2002, that they were the first hospitals in the state of Ohio to achieve Magnet designation. They were also the 53th and 54th hospitals in the country with Magnet status.

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Four years later on November 16, 2006, St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph were re-designated for four more years. Less than 4 percent of hospitals in the United States had achieved Magnet re-designation by 2006. It was a stellar achievement for the many nursing leaders and staff members who were dedicated to providing the best possible nursing care to the patients who came through their doors. In 2010, St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph began the quest to earn their third designation as Magnet facilities, with St. Elizabeth Boardman also seeking its first designation. At press time, a site visit for ANCC officials was scheduled for the three hospitals and their associated off-site facilities in September 2011. It seemed that Michael Rowan spent a lot of his time at groundbreakings. In May of 2002, he was back in Boardman to kick off the construction of the permanent St. Elizabeth Emergency and Diagnostic Center. The Boardman emergency department opened in January 2001 in a modular building, and in April 2002, construction began on a permanent structure. The $14 million Boardman facility, which would open in the fall of 2003, had 56,000 square feet to care for emergency patients and provide diagnostic testing. And right on schedule, both facilities openedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; the YMCA on September 10, 2003, and the St. Elizabeth Emergency and Diagnostic Center on September 25, 2003. The emergency part of the center had patient treatment rooms for specialties including pediatrics, orthopedics, ENT, OB/GYN, critical care and even a fast track for less serious injuries. There was also a decontamination unit to manage chemical exposures. The diagnostic area offered a myriad of radiology procedures including CT scans, mammography and MRIs. Pulmonary function testing was available as were comprehensive neurology services, such as EEGs, EMGs and nerve conduction studies. Full laboratory services were provided including a donor blood bank. Rehabilitation and wellness programs were offered in the YMCA, which was located on the southeast corner of the Boardman campus. As St. Elizabeth began to grow in different communities with new services, the need for personnel to staff these facilities became an issue. The nursing education programs in the area were not adequate to provide the number of nurses the hospitals needed. In May of 2002, St. Elizabeth announced its intention to become part of the Mercy College of Northwest Ohio in Toledo (now Mercy College of Ohio). The Ohio Board of Regents would need to approve it; the physical space for a school would need to be allocated; and nursing instructors would need to be hired. St. Elizabeth was hoping that, by the fall of 2002, a local branch of Mercy College would be ready to accept students. When this new program was announced, it was greeted with a flurry of anticipa-

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tion. Although there was a national nursing shortage, it was still difficult for prospective students to get into established programs at Youngstown State University or Kent State. Mercy’s two and a half year associate degree program was attractive to many in the Youngstown community. On March 10, 2003, Mercy College’s St. Elizabeth Campus accepted its first class of 30 students. Located on the second floor of the St. Elizabeth Cardiac Health Center, the facility included classrooms, a skills lab and faculty offices. A new class was scheduled to begin within a few months. Patricia McAllen was named program coordinator for the St. Elizabeth campus. In October 2002, Michael Rowan announced that he would be leaving HMHP to take the position as chief operating officer for Detroit’s St. John’s Health System. On December 18, 2002, Bob Shroder was named president and CEO of HMHP, a position he held as interim since the departure of Michael Rowan in October. Bob was well known to HMHP as he had been hired in 1997 as chief operating officer for St. Joseph Health Center. In 1998, he was promoted to executive vice president of HMHP and was instrumental in bringing the staffs of St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph closer together. Bob’s style of management was similar to Michael’s but he also had a reputation for exquisite detail, especially in budgeting and financial matters. Many department directors at St. Joseph could tell stories of finding themselves under careful scrutiny with regard to cost accounting and reimbursement issues. Many employees considered him to be a gentleman of personal integrity and keen political insight. They thought he was an outstanding choice to be CEO. In April 2003, all health care facilities in the United States were subject to a new law called the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The original law passed in 1996, also known as the Kennedy-Kassebaum Law, was intended to standardize the electronic flow of information between health care facilities for treatment of patients, and from health care institutions to insurers. But as the federal government soon became aware, electronic information sharing of a patient’s private health information needed to be protected. There were no safeguards in place yet because there were few electronic patient records. The majority of electronic information about patients was contained in billing forms that were required by Medicare. To ensure that patient information would remain as confidential as possible, the Privacy Rule was added in 2000 and later modified in 2002. It was enacted on April 14, 2002, but the federal government gave health care institutions one year to implement it because there were some extensive changes that needed to be made in the way hospitals protected the privacy of patient information.

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In November 2003, the Heart Lab at St. Elizabeth opened. The joint venture between St. Elizabeth and a group of private cardiologists was, ironically, built on the site of the former McDonald’s restaurant. The new facility included three floors. Cardiologists performed low risk cardiac catheterizations and other low risk cardiac procedures on the first floor. The physical building was impressive with a hotel-like atmosphere for patients and a large, comfortable waiting area for families. (In 2010, the partnership dissolved and the facility was added to HMHP’s services under the new name of St. Elizabeth Heart Lab.) On August 5, 2004, the first class of Mercy College of Northwest Ohio, St. Elizabeth Campus graduated 26 students, who received their associate of science degrees in nursing. Twenty-two of the graduates were slated to begin working at HMHP facilities. The graduation ceremony included a baccalaureate prayer service at St. Columba Cathedral, upholding the tradition of the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, whose annual graduation included a Mass said by the bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown. Mercy’s next class would graduate on May 12, 2005. In 2005, HMHP announced the building of an inpatient facility, but this would not be a new wing added to an existing facility but rather it would be a brand new, state-of-the-art, 108-bed hospital located on the St. Elizabeth Boardman Campus. (Twenty beds on the top floor were initially allocated for a pediatric unit to be operated by Akron Children’s Hospital.) With a price tag of $77 million, Bob Shroder explained that the new hospital would serve the growing populations in southern Mahoning and northern Columbiana counties. The St. Elizabeth Emergency and Diagnostic Center in Boardman was enjoying great success and patients were much happier with the convenience of the Boardman site. Also the timing was right for the funds to be appropriated for the project. Bob had to answer many questions from the community and employees. Many employees were fearful that the main hospital would somehow be in jeopardy. But he allayed their fears by explaining that not all services would be moved to Boardman and that St. Elizabeth in Youngstown was currently in the middle of a $10 million renovation of its surgery department. The hospital in Boardman would have 108 private rooms with private bathrooms and showers for patients. Hopefully, by opening this many beds in Boardman, the Youngstown flagship hospital would be able to convert more semi-private rooms to private rooms in response to patient requests. There had never been enough private rooms in St. Elizabeth, in any of its buildings. When the West Extension building opened in 1972, there were only two deluxe private rooms on each patient unit. Since the third floor was radiology, the fourth floor was intensive care and the seventh floor was maternity, that left only four units for general patient

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care. With the addition of that enormous wing, the hospital only acquired seven additional private rooms. For many years, the admitting department kept a book where patient requests for transfers to private rooms were documented. If patients were lucky, they would get transfers to private rooms, but it was a rare occurrence. Since the first hospital opened in 1911, there was a shortage of beds and the emergency department was always overcrowded. Boardman was not the only area where HMHP was building. In November of 2004, a new St. Elizabeth Emergency and Diagnostic Center opened in Austintown. The facility provides 24-hour emergency care as well as many diagnostic tests. Due to the overwhelming utilization of the facility, it was expanded in 2010. In 2005, Humility of Mary Health Partners entered into an affiliation with Akron Children’s Hospital. The first phase was management of the pediatric unit at St. Elizabeth and providing pediatric subspecialty medical support. Akron Children’s staff also provided neonatal special care nursery services at St. Elizabeth. Akron Children’s Hospital was also to provide pediatric services on the top floor of the new Boardman hospital when it opened in 2007. With the closing of Forum Health’s Tod Children’s Hospital in 2007, it became clear the 20-bed unit in the Boardman hospital would not be big enough to support all of the area’s pediatric inpatients. As a result, St. Elizabeth’s 8-South Ext. unit was converted to an expanded pediatric unit run by Akron Children’s Hospital. Other pediatric services also came to the main hospital, including physician coverage in the emergency department and pediatric radiology and pediatric oncology services. In 2009, HMHP and Akron Children’s Hospital purchased Forum’s Beeghly Center property on Market Street in Boardman. Akron Children’s converted the Women’s and Children’s Pavilion to a new pediatric hospital. The grand opening was held December 8, 2009—which was the 98th anniversary of St. Elizabeth Health Center. Today, the Akron Children’s Hospital’s Special Care Nursery at St. Elizabeth continues to provide the best pediatric services to babies born at the hospital and surrounding areas. In April 2005, HMHP announced a program to help lower income employees achieve the dream of home ownership. HMHP partnered with the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority’s Hope VI Initiative to create a program in which eligible employees could receive $3,000 toward a down payment or other costs associated with buying a home. Many of the homes were located in the neighborhoods surrounding St. Elizabeth, where a revitalization initiative was underway. To many, owning their own home is part of the American Dream. Home ownership provides stability, security and self respect. It demands much of the home owner including reliability, responsibility and community outreach. These characteristics

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enhance self esteem. The philosophy behind the HMHP/Hope VI Initiative was to help employees build up each other and the communities they live in. On April 20, 2005, St. Elizabeth unveiled its new state-of-the-art surgery department following a $10 million renovation. Seven new surgery suites were built on the third floor of the South Pavilion and major renovations were completed in the entire area. This project added 10,000 square feet to the existing department and seven new operating rooms. Features included “boom technology,” which basically moves everything located on the floor to the ceiling, where it is suspended by cables. This leaves the floor free of machines and clutter and gives the operating room staff more freedom to maneuver during a procedure. It also makes the area less prone to bacteria, thus providing a more sterile environment. The floors are constructed of material that includes an anti-bacterial agent to reduce the chance of infection. The rooms are outfitted with the latest technology so physicians, nurses and others on the team are able to view X-rays and other raw data from computer screens in the room. They can also enter information electronically into the patient’s medical record at the actual point of care, allowing this information to be available sooner to others on the patient’s care team. Although entering information electronically during a surgery procedure can be challenging, most quality organizations that oversee hospital operations and the Joint Commission have long held that point of care entry is more reliable, safer for the patient and captures the elements necessary for documenting the patient’s encounter more fully. Having this equipment and technology available in St. Elizabeth’s new surgery rooms was a great advancement for the department. Later in the same year, the second floor of the South Pavilion was opened as a new surgical lobby. The late Dr. and Mrs. William Evans donated the money for the lobby, which is named after them. Dr. Evans was an eye-ear-nose-throat surgeon for more than 50 years and served as president of the St. Elizabeth medical staff. His donation of $600,000 to the development foundation was earmarked for a capital project. The foundation invested the money until it grew to the substantial sum of $785,000. Ed Toth, president of the foundation at that time, approached Jim Davis, executive vice president for HMHP, and said he had some money and wondered if there was something the hospital needed. Jim said, “Sit right down and let’s talk.” Jim said St. Elizabeth was very much in need of a new lobby where families could wait while their loved ones were in surgery. The former surgical waiting area was located in the Belmont lobby. It was a place of high activity and very few private areas for physicians to speak with family members. The new lobby offered a serene and calm

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environment for families to wait for news of their loved ones who were undergoing surgical procedures. The design was soft, comfortable and inviting. It included a private conference area for physicians and families to talk, smaller pod-like seating for privacy, computers with Internet capability, and nearby chapel, Espresso Café and Gift Shoppe. In February 2005, St. Elizabeth instituted a Rapid Response Team (RRT)—a component of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s 100,000 Lives Campaign, which the hospital was committed to. The RRT is seen by many organizations and hospitals all over the country as “life saving” for patients. A caregiver involved in the treatment of a patient who is not identified as a “Do Not Resuscitate Comfort Care” (DNRCC) may have a serious concern that he/she cannot handle at the moment and needs additional help or intervention. Instead of calling a Code Blue resuscitation team, the caregiver has the ability to call the RRT. The interdisciplinary team includes an advance practice nurse or critical care nurse, a respiratory therapist, a third-year post graduate medical resident and a critical care intensivist or designee. The team evaluates and assesses the patient’s condition and initiates interventions immediately to stabilize the patient. In the early days of RRTs, St. Elizabeth’s team made many presentations on the development of the program at regional, state and national conferences, including the 2006 Magnet Conference in Denver and the 2007 Magnet Conference in Atlanta. The Joint Commission accredited St. Elizabeth’s Primary Stroke Center in January 2005. St. Elizabeth’s program was the first in the Mahoning Valley to be certified by the Joint Commission and one of the first in the state of Ohio. The stroke center was recertified in 2006, 2008 and 2010. In 2007, the newest jewel in the HMHP crown opened. St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center, located at the corner of McClurg Road and Market Street, was the first new hospital to be built in the Mahoning Valley in nearly 50 years. After four days of open houses for employees, invited guests, physician office staff members and the public, the facility opened on August 1, 2007. On the first day, 21 patients were admitted and more than 90 patients were seen in the emergency department. Genie Aubel, former chief operating officer for the St. Elizabeth Boardman Campus, was named the first president of St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center. The hospital opened with five nursing units that provided intensive and intermediate care, as well as general medical-surgical care. It also had emergency, inpatient and outpatient surgery, endoscopy, radiology and laboratory departments. The opening of the new hospital was the culmination of many decades of discussion and planning. Finally, after so many years, the dream was a reality and appeared to be on its way to a very successful future. Much discussion was held on what the new hospital’s name would be. It was decided to keep the St. Elizabeth identity

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with the physical location added to distinguish it from the hospital in Youngtown. Celebrations surrounding the opening of the hospital began July 22 with the blessing of the hospital and an open house that drew more than 1,200 HMHP employees and their family members. “St. E’s Boardman is building on the strength and history of Humility of Mary Health Partners and we want to celebrate that by beginning the celebrations of our opening with a ‘family’ event for HMHP employees and their families,” said Genie Aubel. Following the blessing, the new hospital and HMHP services were showcased to physician office employees as part of an annual reception. Invitations were also issued for a preview reception later that week. Physicians, contractors, government officials, donors and other local dignitaries met with hospital and Catholic Health Partners administrators for an evening reception. More than 4,000 people attended the official ribbon-cutting and public event on July 29. Crowds lined up to tour the new facility, especially enjoying the chance to go “behind the scenes” into areas not normally available to the public. Staff members quickly set up water brigades to bring glasses of water to those visitors waiting outside in the summer sun. The seven-story hospital represented an investment of more than $80 million in construction and equipment costs and brought 108 additional acute hospital beds to the region. The building was also designed with an eye on the future to provide for anticipated needs. (Beds were expanded to 128 in 2010.) An additional patient tower can be added and surgery can be expanded. The emergency department was expanded in 2010. Continuing on the road of robotic surgery, St. Elizabeth purchased the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System® in September 2007. This system was approved by the FDA to be used in prostate surgeries. The precision of the system and the ability for the surgeon to drop radiation seeds into the prostate gland were enhanced. Initially used only for prostate surgeries, it is now being used for gynecological surgeries. St. Elizabeth was the first hospital in the area to use the da Vinci system. Unless you have been a patient in a hospital yourself, you cannot begin to appreciate the issues associated with comfort and the inability to move in and out of a hospital bed, especially after a surgical procedure or during a chronic illness. Responding to this need, in July 2008, St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph made a major investment in patient comfort and safety by purchasing more than 500 new hospital beds. (These were the same beds that were at St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center when it opened.) The new beds, which were from the world’s largest hospital bed company— Hill-Rom—cost the system $7.5 million. The beds had state-of-the-art technology, which included air mattresses that inflated and deflated with

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the movement of the patients, thus making it easier for patients to move and less likely for them to develop pressure ulcers (bed sores). The head of the bed could be adjusted so patients could more comfortably recline. Other amenities included built-in scales for calculating patient weight, obstacle detection systems, and an alert to nurses if patients attempted to get out of bed. In 2008, Humility of Mary Health Partners began a proactive journey to ensure the care it provides meets the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health’s cultural competency in health care requirements. This means providing care to patients with diverse values, beliefs and behaviors, including adjusting the delivery of care to meet a patient’s social, cultural and linguistic needs. Eight staff members were trained to assess the organization’s performance according to the 14 national standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in health care. These standards focus on the actual delivery of culturally competent care, the availability of language assistance and the organizational support for cultural competency. In 2009 and 2010, assessments were made at the three HMHP hospitals. Action plans were developed and are being implemented to address areas that need improvement. In May of 2010, a new facility for the treatment of prostate cancer patients—Partners for Urology Health—opened in Austintown. Located next to the St. Elizabeth Emergency and Diagnostic Center, the new facility provides world-class care and is a joint venture of HMHP, NEO Urology Associates Inc. and Advanced Urology Inc. It’s the first of its kind in the area. The May 6 blessing and dedication included a VIP reception to honor all those responsible for making the center a reality. The May 8 ribbon cutting and public open house gave the community an opportunity to tour the center and learn about the technology. In 2010, The St. Elizabeth Dental Clinic was named one of just three dental programs in the nation to receive the Best Practice award from Safety Net Solutions. The award recognizes the hard work and accomplishments of safety net dental programs that have translated into positive improvements for the communities they serve. The clinic provides a full range of safety net dental services to low-income and uninsured children and adults. In 2010, Catholic Health Partners began the implementation of an electronic health record (EHR) in all of its hospitals and physician practices. Called CarePATH, the project involves the adoption of the Epic information system. “The CarePATH project requires a commitment from each of us—and a willingness to change,” said Bob Shroder, president and CEO of HMHP. “The end result will be well worth the effort because

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with CarePATH, HMHP gains one more powerful tool to further enhance the quality of care we provide to our patients.” A three-phase process for implementation included introducing the system at one CHP region and other regions learning from that experience. HMHP ambulatory areas and employed physicians’ offices were the first to go live with the Epic EHR in November 2010. The ambulatory system was adopted quickly and offered patients online access to their own medical record via an application called MyChart. Next came planning for implementation of CarePATH in the inpatient hospitals—St. Elizabeth, St. Joseph and St. Elizabeth Boardman. Planning for this began even prior to the ambulatory implementation. At the time of this book’s publication, nearly 10 months of preparation had been completed for the anticipated summer 2011 go live date. During this time, more than 800 Power Users and thousands of end users were training during a total of 1,200 training sessions at HMHP. The HMHP Development Foundation announced in July 2010 plans to raise the funds to build the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center. The center will apply to be certified as a comprehensive center after it is operational. Accreditation for this is given by National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). Of the $8 million needed for the project, $4.5 million has been raised through donations from the community and $3 million from HMHP capital funds. The rest of the money continues to come in from employees, physicians, grants and events. The project is on its way, with the expected opening date of fall 2011. Many St. Elizabeth employees remember Joanie Yurko fondly as the head nurse on 3-West for more than 20 years. She was a role model of what was best in the nursing profession. Quietly effective and graceful in her speech and deportment, she was highly respected by physicians, staff, patients and families. After she married Dr. Rashid Abdu, she set about another phase of her life and volunteered for many projects and fundraising activities at St. Elizabeth. In1993, Joanie was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. After rounds of chemotherapy and other drugs to fight the disease as hard as possible, Joanie lost her battle and died June 2, 1994, exactly 15 months to the day she was diagnosed. During Joanie’s treatment, the Abdus often traveled to Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Dr. Abdu knew of comprehensive breast centers in other areas of the country where all the health professionals and equipment are housed in one location. He promised Joanie he would open such a facility at St. Elizabeth. After 15 years of talking to people about the development of the center, Dr. Abdu met with Jim Schultis of the HMHP Development Foundation, who started the wheels in motion to find funding for the center.

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The Journey to Magnet Status Achieving Magnet® status is a rigorous exercise that is not for the faint of heart. The designation is based, in part, upon excellence in nursing leadership, education and nurse satisfaction. The rules are specific, and hospitals must provide documented evidence of their compliance with the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s standards—including satisfactory patient safety scores related to nursing functions. This means very low rates of patient falls, pressure ulcers, and ventilator related pneumonias, to name just a few. The Magnet initiative group was spearheaded in 1999 by project coordinator, Kay Hunt, director of organizational education; Bonnie Perrotto, senior vice president of nursing; and Nancy Varley, who served as administrative assistant. Early in 2002, the ANCC notified the hospitals they had met the criteria and were scheduled for the second part of the process, the site visit, on March 11 and 12. At this time, no hospitals in Ohio had been designated as Magnet hospitals. The designation for St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph would be the first in the state. Not even the prestigious and world famous Cleveland Clinic had managed to achieve this status. Those involved in the process were not only energized by the prospect of success but also exhausted following the more than two year effort. And the waiting game was not yet over. They would still have to shine during the site visit and wait again for the results. If there was ever a time for employees, supervisors, managers and administrators to pull together, this was it. They had one chance, one shot to be the first in the state. The ANCC presented the official Magnet plaque at a celebration dinner on November 22, 2002, at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman. One special member of the Magnet team was not able to attend. Kay Hunt had been very recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and she succumbed to the disease nine days after the victory celebration. Kay was an elegant and graceful woman who always put others first. She was such an integral part of the Magnet story that her many friends and colleagues were numbed by her passing. She lived just long enough to see her passion for excellence rewarded.

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The HIPAA Era The House Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) designated that patients must authorize the release of records for anything other than treatment, payment or hospital operations. Hospital operations sounded like a broad term, but Health and Human Services (HHS) defined operations narrowly such as regular audits performed on site by hospital employees or as part of quality assurance initiatives. New policies were needed or old ones were revised, signs outside of patient rooms listing their full names needed to be removed, white-boards in emergency departments could only list the last name of the patient, protected health information needed to be shredded or placed in locked recycle bins rather than thrown out in normal trash, and patients needed to tell their caregivers the names of relatives and friends with whom they could share information. Many hospitals, including those at HMHP, were already protecting patient confidentiality and records. Caregivers had always been reminded not to mention patients in verbal conversations in hallways, elevators or cafeterias. And the golden rule for HIPAA was “need to know.” Caregivers could be sure they were doing the right thing if they had a need to know the information to do their job. And the words “minimum necessary” were clues to caregivers to remind them that only the minimum amount of information necessary to perform their jobs was required. Also interesting to note, if state laws existed that were stricter than HIPAA, the state law prevailed. So a state could make laws more restrictive than HIPAA but not less restrictive. Although HIPAA arrived with quite a bit of fanfare and trepidation, the actual effect of its interruption on the normal course of business was minimal. The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) for the federal government was charged with enforcing HIPAA. If a hospital was found to have breached patient confidentiality, a fine could be assessed. When HIPAA was implemented in 2003, the OCR acted more in an advisory role and rarely imposed fines. It was primarily interested in educating hospitals regarding HIPAA. However, in more recent years, the agency is stepping up sanctions and imposing more penalties on hospitals. Many in the health care industry attribute this change to the ever increasing federal deficit and the government’s need to recoup dollars in any way it can.

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The Tsunami of 2004 Seemingly out of nowhere on the night of December 26, 2004, a terrible tsunami hit the countries of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. Caused by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean, the epicenter was determined to be off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the loss of life at nearly 230,000 people with 170,000 alone in Indonesia. It was regarded as the worst single tsunami in history. One of the first leaders in the world to respond to the tsunami with an understanding of its enormity was Pope John Paul II. In a statement he asked for prayers for the dead and survivors and immediately urged all nations to send money, food, water and medical supplies to the affected areas. At St. Elizabeth, staff mobilized quickly to send needed medical equipment and supplies to the area. Dr. Niranjou Patel spearheaded the response. Some of the staff members who helped in the process were Mike Clark, Pete Vimmerstadt and Daryl Brommer. Some 16 pallets were sent to India, where they were to be shipped to the areas most in need.

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The Knowledge to Heal, the Spirit to Care Can you name the brand? “The Uncola”, “Don’t Leave Home Without It”, “When It Rains It Pours”, “Just Do It” and “We’re Looking for a Few Good Men.” These short phrases are known as tag lines. A tag line defines a company or industry. It is designed to be a catchy phrase that people remember and hopefully will associate with the brand. In November of 2004, with the help of Susan Stewart, HMHP’s director of strategic marketing, and a brand consultant, employees at St. Elizabeth, along with other HMHP facilities, took part in focus groups to propose a tag line for the region. The groups spent months identifying the key characteristics of the health care entities that comprise HMHP and settled on a phrase to include the words healing, caring and spirit, which embody the mission and philosophy of the organization: Humility of Mary Health Partners— the Knowledge to Heal, the Spirit to Care.

Do you need some help with the tag lines above? 7-up, American Express, Morton Salt, Nike, and the United States Marine Corps.

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The Hospital Based Spirituality Initiative In March 2005, St. Elizabeth was chosen as only one of seven hospitals in the United States to receive a grant to work with the Hospital Based Spirituality Initiative. The sponsors for this initiative were the Catholic Health Association of the United States, the Georgetown Center for Clinical Ethics, the National Interfaith Coalition on Aging, and the Washington Theological Union. The initiative’s website defines the purpose of the project as “developing and testing strategies that encourage ownership of the professional responsibility for spiritual care among all care providers and to better understand the organizational values and infrastructure that support increasing the spiritual care provided by caregivers. Integral to this process is developing programs that address the spirituality of professional caregivers as well as patients.” The Hospital Based Spirituality Initiative had two objectives. The first was to allow caregivers the opportunity to realize their own spirituality, and secondly, to test the hospital’s commitment to support the spiritual care that caregivers provide. The pilot project was conducted in two secular hospitals and five faith based hospitals, including St. Elizabeth. The 8-West Ext. nursing unit was selected for participation in the program. Barb Lorenzini was the nurse manager who encouraged and guided the staff in this activity. The initiative’s pilot project provided data for development of future spirituality programs in the health care setting.

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The Boardman Chapel A special feature of the St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center’s chapel was the installation of some of the stained glass windows that previously were in the St. Elizabeth main lobby on Park Avenue. The windows were commissioned for the South Extension in 1976. They depicted the Works of Mercy, which include feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, comforting the sorrowful and giving shelter to the homeless. All of the windows were removed from the main lobby and the design was updated by Studio Arts, a firm from North Canton. They were installed at both St. Elizabeth Boardman and in the new surgical lobby of St. Elizabeth Youngstown. When the windows were installed in the Boardman chapel in 2007, Sister Marie Ruegg, senior vice president of mission integration, said, “This is a symbolic act representing the connection and continuity of the services between the two facilities and that we are part of each other.”

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Culturally Competent Care Our nation has been described as the world’s melting pot. Foreignborn employees make up 12 percent of the work force and the number of people who speak a language other than English at home exceeds 30 million. In the next few decades, the demographics of the residents of the United States will have changed dramatically. It is anticipated that more than half of the population will be comprised of Hispanics/Latinos, African Americans, Pacific Islanders, American Indian and Alaskan Natives. How organizations prepare for this demographic shift is critical to providing safe and effective health care. The Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, describes cultural competency as “a set of behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals that enables effective work in cross-cultural situations.” Cultural competence in health care describes the ability to provide care to patients with diverse values, beliefs and behaviors, including adjusting the delivery of care to meet a patient’s social, cultural and linguistic needs. HMHP’s journey towards cultural competency began in the 1990s, when the Diversity Steering Committee was established. In 2008, HMHP took a further, proactive step with the appointment of an eightmember team of staff members who were trained to assess the organization’s performance according to national standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS). The plan was to assess the three HMHP hospitals, focusing on actual delivery of culturally competent care, the availability of language assistance and the organizational support for cultural competency. In early 2009, the team conducted a two-day assessment of St. Elizabeth Health Center and in late 2009, a similar assessment of St. Joseph Health Center was completed. A Language/Special Needs Committee was formed that year with members from across the organization to help guide HMHP on its journey to cultural competency. An assessment of St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center occurred in the summer of 2010. Action plans were developed and are being implemented to address areas that need improvement, such as using only medically trained interpreters for medical/clinical translations and ensuring that every level of the organization reflects the diversity of the Mahoning Valley. Also in 2010, HMHP added a special section to its internal website to provide easy access to tools for employees when treating limited Englishspeaking patients, patients with special needs or those from different cultures. The organization also began to evaluate clinical outcomes based on ethnicity.

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Ninety Years of Memories from Martha Whelan Murphy “I remember eating the cookies that were sent to the staff in the surgery department,” said Martha Whelan Murphy, 90, on remembering one of her most amusing memories at St. Elizabeth Health Center. Martha is the daughter of Dr. Raymond E. Whelan, the first medical staff president and his wife, Margaret Gallagher Whelan, the first surgical nurse at St. E’s. Dr. Whelan was extremely instrumental in the development of Youngtown's Catholic hospital. Martha’s earliest memory of St. E’s was when she was eight or nine; she would roam the halls of the hospital and go with her father when he made his rounds. She was her father’s cane as he was arthritic and would lean on her wherever they went. “When he would perform his professional duties, it was my time to leave. This is when I would take cookies. I also learned to run the switchboard and helped out in the packaging room,” said Martha. When Dr. Whelan would use the library he taught Martha how to find the books he needed. “I always had to make sure I put the books back in the right place,” said Martha. Ever since she could remember, her parents talked about the hospital at home. From this it was hard for Martha not to want to go into a health care field. She was always interested in the health and welfare of people, thus starting her career out as a social worker and later in social administration. She became the first and founding executive director of District Area Agency on Aging Inc. and held that position for 18 years. She retired in Oct. 1991. Martha and her late husband, Attorney Robert M. Murphy, have five children, fourteen grandchildren and four great grandchildren. She enjoys bridge, volunteering at Millcreek Park and being a master gardener. Dr. Whelan’s philosophy continues to be exemplified in St. E’s mission today. He saw the need for a Catholic hospital and helped make it come true. When Martha thinks of St. E’s today she is proud of what it has grown to be. She said, “If my father were here he would be elated with the success of St. E’s.” Written by Mary Eckard, public relations intern, and published in the March 21, 2011, issue of Partners, HMHP’s weekly employee publication.

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The Sisters of the Humility of Mary Our Founding Sponsor

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uring the summer of 2004, the Sisters of the Humility of Mary began celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the establishment of their religious community. They announced five different celebrations encompassing the communities of Cleveland-Lorain, Akron-Canton, Warren-Youngstown, Ashtabula, Columbiana and the western counties of Pennsylvania. All programs began at 7 p.m. with Mass, followed by a reception. Many know the story that deserves retelling of the small group of sisters from the French village of Dommartin-sous-Amance, who together with Father John Joseph Begel, traveled to America in response to an invitation by Bishop Louis Amadeus Rappe of the Cleveland diocese to teach immigrant children in Louisville, Ohio. In 1854, Father Begel co-founded the order in France with Marie Antoinette Potier, later known as Mother Madelaine. Father Begel was pastor of two small churches in the villages of Dommartin and Laitre. He was concerned about the lack of education of the children, especially girls. Mlle. Potier, a member of Father Begelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parish, opened her home as a school and an orphanage. Together, she and Father Begel set about revitalizing Christian life in his parish through the care and education of children. Mlle. Potierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s housekeeper and a hired teacher joined her in the education and care of the children. By May 1855, five more women came to assist with the project and to establish a second school. One of the women was Marie Anna Tabouret, who is better known as Mother Anna, the American foundress of the religious community. In time, the group wished to be companions in prayer and community as well as in service. They asked Father Begel for a rule of life. He gave them the Rule of the Society of the Children of Mary, a type of Sodality (an organization to promote spirtuality among young women), and he asked Bishop Menjaud of Nancy for permission to expand the work of the association to other parishes. The women would live in small groups of three or four, close to the villagers. One group would take care of the

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children and the others cared for the sick and elderly and gave proper care to the church in each village. A free workroom was added to the school. This workroom was used to train women and girls in needlework in a setting where Christian instruction was shared with them. After studying the rules of several congregations, the sisters submitted their own for approval and requested the title, Sisters of the Assumption of Mary. On August 29, 1858, the rule was approved; however, Bishop Menjaud gave them the title of Sisters of the Holy Humility of Mary. (In the renewal after Vatican II, the title was simplified by omitting the word “Holy.”) The sisters chose the ordinary dress of the time—a peasant dress and a fluted cap. The sisters chose blue in honor of the Blessed Mother. When they went to the parish church, they wore a black veil over the cap. Ten years after the founding of the community, Father Louis Hoffer, a missionary working in Louisville, Ohio, returned to France. He came with the request from Bishop Rappe to look for sisters who were willing to come to Louisville to teach the children of French settlers. Father Hoffer heard of the little community of sisters and he asked if four of its members would volunteer in Louisville. After much prayer and deliberation, the entire community decided to accept the call to be missionaries to America. The Catholic Encyclopedia states that Father Begel was not popular with the civil authorities in France because he was not a supporter of Napoleon III, who was the nephew and heir to Napoleon Bonaparte. Several history texts recount that many Catholics did support Napoleon III and the Catholic rural population is credited with electing him president of the French Second Republic—much of this due to name recognition. Father Begel, however, had a different perspective on Napoleon and was in conflict with the civil authorities. As an outcome of his views, the sisters’ teaching certificates were revoked. Since the sisters could no longer teach school in France, they chose to accept Bishop Rappe’s invitation to go to America. Three months prior to departure, Mother Madelaine, who was chronically ill with tuberculosis, died on March 7, 1864. In addition to the loss of their beloved foundress, the sisters suffered the loss of Mother Madelaine’s funds. The sale of her property was to have financed the trip and the relocation of the sisters in America. Mother Madelaine’s family contested her will and reclaimed the funds. As a result, the sisters were left without resources. At the end of May 1864, Father Begel, 11 sisters and four orphans left France for America. Bishop Rappe had been informed of the sisters’ misfortune, but he reminded them: “You will find in America the same unfailing Providence you found in France.” After a difficult trip, they arrived in Louisville, where the people happily welcomed them. Because of

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their meager funds, the sisters were unable to purchase the brick residence in Cleveland that the bishop had selected for their relocation. Instead, Bishop Rappe offered the sisters 250 acres of land* in western Pennsylvania, near the Ohio border. He asked them to pay for the brick building on the land. Father Begel and the sisters accepted the offer. Three sisters stayed in Louisville to teach the children, and the other sisters settled on the Pennsylvania land, using the brick building as their residence. *The land had originally been given by a Catholic gentleman, William Murrin, to the diocese of Pittsburgh with the following intention: His farm should be used for a religious institution with a priest in residence. He had hoped that a priest would say Mass in the area’s small church. For a time, William (Billy) lived in a small cabin on the property. That area is still known as Billy’s Field. Eventually, the bishop of Pittsburgh deeded the 250 acres to the bishop of Cleveland Diocese, which at the time, extended to the Pennsylvania border.

Upon the death of Mother Madelaine, Mother Anna Tabouret was appointed superior of the religious community. She became the pillar and support of the sisters. As the American foundress, she led the sisters in the challenging tasks of taming the overgrown weeds, removing rotted tree stumps, and planting crops in the swampy soil of the property. When Mother Anna felt the community had reached a crisis, she and two other sisters set off for Cleveland to ask the bishop to permit them to go back to France. They walked barefoot along the muddy ruts of the road into Youngstown, a distance of 12 miles. They washed their feet and put on their shoes before proceeding to the depot. After a trip on the night train, kindly pedestrians directed them to the bishop’s residence. Bishop Rappe was startled and amazed to see them. They blurted out why they had come. They were strangers in a strange land, with no means of support and no communication with their American neighbors. Their crops had failed. There was no food and both orphans and sisters were ill without medication. The bishop asked them to remain and do the best they could, relying on Divine Providence. He gave them a small amount of money and promised to find a woman to teach them English. Mother Anna and the sisters followed Bishop Rappe’s request and, in an amazing way, the hopeless situation began to improve. Within the year of the arrival of the sisters from France, a smallpox epidemic broke out in New Bedford, Pennsylvania, a village one mile from Villa Maria. Mother Anna and the sisters went into the homes of their neighbors and nursed the smallpox victims. They often brought the children back to the convent to protect them from the disease. With the death of one or both of the parents, the children stayed on as orphans at the Villa, where they were cared for and educated. In the 1875, the sisters opened a hospital—St. Joseph Infirmary (also known as the Sisters Hospital up Lowell Hill)—on their property for

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men who became ill or were injured while working on the construction of the railroad. Mother Anna made an arrangement with the railroad officials: If they would buy the trees on the Villa property for railroad ties, the sisters would nurse the men. This arrangement gave Mother Anna funds to enlarge the sistersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; residence. The sisters both worked the land as simple farmers for their own sustenance and cared for those who needed healing. Today, the Villa farm supplies the sisters with fresh produce. Half of the produce is given to food pantries and other facilities serving those in need. The sisters reached out to the ill through home care and a hospital for those who needed acute care. Today, part of the legacy of the sisters is St. Elizabeth Health Center, a member of Humility of Mary Health Partners, which is a region of Catholic Health Partners, a major Catholic health care system in the U.S.

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Sisters Who Served at St. Elizabeth Last Name

Current Name

Former Religious Name

Ansbro* Patrice Anthony* Mary Anna Bast* Ann Joseph M. Ann Joseph Bernier Mary Clare Berry Mary Therese M. Teresa Bishop* Evelyn Blantz* Claudia Blizzard* Magdalen Bojo* Annunciation Bonham* Helen M. Vincentia Bookmyer* Mary Michael Brislane* Ellen Rose Buckley* Anna Rita Burgess Margaret M. Monica Burns* Theophane Burns* Rosella Cannell* Mary Judith Cantillon* Geraldine Casey* Bernardine Clark* Alicia Cleary* Theophane Coleman* Kathleen Mary Alexis Collasowitz* Stephena Connelly* Ann Patrick Courtad* Odile Dohner Judith Ann Dominguez* Raquel M. Ann Raquel Donatelli* Gloria Maria Goretti Dowed* Kieran Downey* Genevieve Ebin Margaret M. Charlene Elmlinger* Mary Lillian Farragher* Adele Farragher* Mary Magdalen Fesler Patricia Fields* Mary Charles Fisher Anna Marie M. Laboure Floom* Dolores

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Last Name

Current Name

Former Religious Name

Frey* Assumption Frutkin* Baptista Fullerman* Francis Clare Gauntner Susan Mary Blaise Gladieux* Marcelline Golonka Maryann Good* Joseph Marie Griswold Carole Anne Mary Eamon Hamlin* Margaret Louise Hammer* Mary Justin Hawkins* Germaine Heaney* Mary Nativity Hennessy* Beatrice Herb* Seraphine Hoover Mary M. Carlanne Ihnot Andriene St. Andrew Jacobs* Mary Patricia Jansen* Ann Catherine Joyce* Eileen Kempel* Mary Francis Kenny* Marie Hortense Kline Consolata Knechtges* Roselima Koch* Helen Marie Koerner Geraldine Kohl* Ann Francis Kotheimer* Mary Carl Kovacs* Mary Norma Kress* Bertille Kress* Leone Krummert* Anne M. Adelaide Laughrin* Justina Lehman* Mary Helen Lindsley* Florence Mary Herbert Lyons* Mary Cyprian MacDonald* Mary Linus Madden* Maria Berchmans Madden* Cleophas Mahoney* Leonida Maloney* Delphine

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Current Name

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Former Religious Name

Martin Mary Louise M. Thomas McCarthy* Mary Columba McGowan* Elaine McGuire* Margaret Marie M. Gerald McGurk* Brendan McIntee* Josanne McKenna* Mary Paul McLinden* Janice McManamon Ann Mary Patrick McManamon* Thecla McWilliams* Gerard Meehan* Florence Mehler* Gilberta Metzger Celine Miller* Nadine Miltner* Margaret Mary Albert Moore* Francis Borgia Mullaly* Alma Mullin* Mary Rose M. Gregory Murray* Jerome Murtagh* Eileen Nixon* Pauline De Paul Noble Barbara M. Joellen O'Brien* Lorita O'Brien* Aloyse Orsinger* Alberta Orsuto Jean M. Donald Parman Rene' Marie Rene' Pastier* Marie Yvonne Paumier* Ligouri Piccolantonio Linda Pillot Mary Kathryn Philip Neri Quinlan* Mary Timothy Quinn Therese Mary Nicholas Rech* Coletta Reedy* Mary David Richards* Hyacinth Ruegg Marie Ruflin Marilyn Mary Esther Ruhlin* Jeanne Marie Ryan* Mary Lauretta

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176

Last Name

Current Name

Salmon* Sheila Saluga* Felicitas Schaffer* Mary Ida Scheetz* Mary Rose Schirmer Damian Schmid Stella Schorsten Susan Seabold* Benita Seaman* Irene Sebian Mary Ann Siegfried Margaret Mary Skerk Jenni Skruck* Mary Of The Cross Staudt* Elizabeth Sullivan* Ann Michael Sullivan* Pierre Sweeney* Agnes Clare Tighe-Brown Maureen Torma* Mary Stephen Watters* Ancilla Weigand* Petronilla Yash* Mary Olivia Young* Jean Baptiste Zwick Dorothy

Former Religious Name

M. Maureen

Georgeann M. Francis Regis Mary Elizabeth M. Davidica M. Visitation

Peter Claver

Mary Zita

Former Sisters Who Served at St. Elizabeth Beil Mary Sharon Blake Patricia Mary Lucia Calvert Mary Christopher Carr Macrina Connor* M Amadeus De Fiore Phyllis De Leone Mary Mel Distler Kathleen John Leonard Dohnal Jeanette M. Mercia Dowling Charleen M. Jacalyn Dunn Noreen Sarah Marie Dunn Mary Liam Dvorak Elaine Mary Paraclete

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Current Name

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Former Religious Name

Erickson Barbara Ann Mary Brian Evans Mary Elizabeth Mary Joan Gallagher Jean Mary Talbot Gibbons Mary Virginia John Vincent Gordon* Marie Colette Halter Sarah Anne Hnat* Mary Cecelia Irwin Jeannine Jones Patricia Ann Melita Kehoe Brenda Marie Kennelly* M. DeLellis Kondela Paulette Louise Martin Krummert Mary Esther Kurtz Rita Therese Leahy* Virginia M. Amadeus Massie Carol May Kathleen Kathleen Marie McCready Clarice Mary Finbarr O'Donnell* Patricia Ogonek Christine Robert Marie Pinion Regina Ann Canice Ross Kathryn Joseph Ann Roth Norbert Sammon Maryann Angela Marie Schmidt Judy St. Jude Shannon Rachel Uehlein* Mary Clement Weber Dorothy M. Dorothy Wittenauer Jeffrey M. Jeffrey *Deceased

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Chapter

Mission Integration

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hrough the years, many sisters have worked in the Catholic health care ministry. Sisters held positions at every level of St. Elizabeth Health Center. The ministry was the life of the sisters, and in the minds of many lay staff, the sisters embodied the mission, values and philosophy of the organization. From the 1960s through the 1980s, the number of sisters in Catholic health care began to decrease, as did the number of HM sisters at St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph. It was important to establish a new position focusing on the philosophy, mission and values of the founding sponsor. When possible, that position would be filled by a member of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary. The sisters were committed to having a spiritual presence in the hospital as lay persons began to move into roles of leadership and responsibility in the organization. The role of mission and values was created to be that presence and it evolved from a director position into a senior vice president role. When Sister Susan Schorsten was CEO at St. Elizabeth, she created the position of director for values leadership. Sister Betty Kerrigan of the Ursuline order of sisters held that position from January 1990 to mid1992. Sister Betty began a vigorous program to educate St. Elizabeth employees, management and medical staff on the values of the organization. She brought structure to some nebulous terms such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;organizational cultureâ&#x20AC;? and a sense to the whole organization that it is defined by the values demonstrated every day in the way the people lived, dealt with others, and cared for patients. Sister Betty was an energetic, outgoing individual who quickly made an impression on the St. Elizabeth community. In 1993, Andy Allen, who was the first lay person to be CEO, hired Sister Ann McManamon, an HM sister, to be vice president of mission. Sister Annâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role included educating the employees about the mission of St. Elizabeth, but her appointment was also the fulfillment of the promise from the sisters that their presence would always be felt in the organi-

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zation. The role of vice president of mission was one of historical connection. The employees, patients, visitors, management and board would continue to be guided by the values of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary. Sister Ann’s role was not one of overseer, but instead one of presence. Sister Ann was articulate and very well educated. She had been a teacher, planner and an administrator. Her first order of business was to get to know the employees. She worked long hours and would be there early in the mornings to talk with night staff just getting off their shifts, and she stayed late to chat with evening employees. She routinely sat with a different group of employees each day in the cafeteria, mostly listening to their concerns or sharing in their stories. The employees warmed to her immediately and she came to know what their needs were. She challenged the managers and directors to live the mission and be role models for others. She was consistent in her message: How would the decisions made at the top affect the employees? Some were not always able to accept her message, and some were threatened by her role, but as the first vice president of mission, she defined the position. Sister Joyce Soukup, a Sister of St. Joseph, Third Order of St. Francis, followed Sister Ann in the position of vice president of mission from 1996 to early 1999. During this time, Sister Joyce felt the importance of serving on many hospital committees and working groups and, in this way, she helped to integrate mission into all aspects of the hospital. She established a mission committee at St. Elizabeth and planned the 1999 ritual to mark the name change of the organization from HM Health Services to Humility of Mary Health Partners, when it became a region of Catholic Health Partners. For the remainder of 1999, Sister Carole Anne Griswold, an HM sister, assumed the role of vice president of mission integration on an interim basis. She focused on mission education of the hospital’s leadership. One way she did this was through a program at Villa Maria, Pennsylvania, home of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary. The program included the early history of the sisters, pertinent Catholic social teachings and the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. During Sister Carole Anne’s time, the administrative group became known as “senior leadership” and the person dealing with mission held the title of senior vice president of mission integration. She initiated the ritual of “missioning” the president and CEO of HMHP. This formal chapel ceremony included the CEO’s commitment to the mission and values of the organization in the presence of HM sisters, administrators, managers and employees. Sister Carole Anne also coordinated the search for the next senior vice president of mission integration.

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In December 1999, Jean Lambert was appointed senior vice president of mission integration for HMHP. Jean came from Springfield, Massachusetts, where she had served 10 years as senior vice president of mission for the Sisters of Providence Health System. Her history of mission leadership included a short time with the Mercy Health System in Cincinnati, which later came to be known as Catholic Healthcare Partners, of which Humility of Mary Health Partners is a region. One of Jean’s first priorities was to spend time at the Villa, immersing herself in the history of the HM sisters. She then introduced a number of experiences to help employees understand their connection to the founding sisters, to learn their history and to celebrate their legacy. These activities always included rituals—a way of making connection with the sacred. One of the experiences Jean introduced was Heritage Week, which is planned around the feast of Our Lady of Humility, July 17. Jean’s idea was to take stories from the sisters’ history and celebrate them with rituals and themes to help the employees see the connection between the sisters’ past and their present and future. One of the Heritage Week themes was “Remembering Our Roots” in 2002. HM sisters brought soil from the Villa and joined the employees in a tree planting ceremony. A prayer service and mingling of the soils ritualized the employees’ work as rooted and grounded in the HM sisters’ vision and mission, which is the healing ministry of Jesus. Sisters who had served at the hospitals over the years socialized with the staff as a further witness and presence to them and a connection to the past. Another unique theme was the quilt project, which spanned two Heritage Week celebrations. In 2003, departments, nursing units and facilities throughout HMHP were asked to make a quilt square that represented their work. The response was gratifying. The mission team was delighted with the variety and creativity of the squares. During the Heritage Week ritual, each square was pinned to a cloth cut to the size of what would be the finished quilt. During the year, Jean put the squares together and quilted the pieces. In 2004, the finished quilt was used as the focus of the Heritage Week ritual so all employees could see the finished product and sign the back of it. At the end of Heritage Week, the quilt was presented to the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, who were celebrating their 150th anniversary. The quilt still hangs across from the library at the Villa. The annual feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, patron of St. Elizabeth, became more than a special meal for employees. Staff members were invited to bring in a loaf of bread in the spirit of St. Elizabeth, who fed the poor and the hungry. The bread was blessed and given to the St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall and the Rescue Mission. This tradition continues

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and, each November, the St. Elizabeth employees’ donation of bread exceeds that of the previous year. Jean Lambert also saw the need for employees to be involved in mission efforts. She asked each director of mission integration—Sister Celine Metzger and Beth Jacob—to redesign the mission committees of the hospitals and nursing homes. The functions of the mission committees were now uniform and clearly defined: To foster the connection of employees to the HM sisters, to initiate ways to respond to those in need, and to create and use rituals to make connections with the sacred. Jean had a strong mission interest in ethics. Ethics committees were restructured and the materials from the Catholic Health Association were used for education of members of all ethics committees throughout Humility of Mary Health Partners. Members were also given the opportunity to sit in on an ethics consult. The directors of mission integration were members of the hospital ethics committees, and the chaplains rotated membership. Jean also brought the mission integration department and the spiritual care department into a more integrated approach because some responsibilities overlapped. Planning together saved time and energy in providing service to patients and families. In 2003, Jean Lambert left the organization to take a position as vice president of spiritual care and mission in the home office of Catholic Healthcare Partners in Cincinnati. In June 2004, Sister Marie Ruegg, an HM sister, assumed the role of senior vice president of mission integration. Sister Marie had long been known to the St. Elizabeth community, where she worked as director of nutrition services from 1980 to 1985. Prior to that, she was director of nutrition services at St. Joseph Riverside Hospital from 1970-1980. In 1985, she was elected to the general council at the Villa and stayed in a leadership role there until 1993. She completed an administrative residency with Sister Francis Flanigan, president and CEO of the Humility of Mary Health Care System (HMHCS), to fulfill her requirements for a masters in health administration in 1994. She then became the first mission executive at Laurel Lake Retirement Community, Hudson, Ohio, which was purchased by the HMHCS in 1994. After working at Laurel Lake for 10 years and successfully bringing the mission and values of the HM sisters to a population that was 10 to 20 percent Catholic, she was recruited to fill the position vacated by Jean Lambert. Sister Marie describes her position today as a privilege. In an oral history interview in May 2010, she describes the role of mission this way: “I work to help individuals understand what the mission and legacy are. And I remind them that their work is an opportunity to be a healing presence

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to others and to extend the healing ministry of Jesus. If they are bathing a patient or administering medication, it is all about their compassion and presence. The most important aspect of the job is to be present with the patient—to be a listener and to screen everything else out. If they can do that, they will be able to help people in the healing process—whether it is physical healing, psychological healing or spiritual healing. If the employee remains present to the patient, our mission will be lived out.” Sister Marie and the mission team continued the tradition of Heritage Week. One of the most inventive and heartwarming rituals brought a tangible piece of the past to the employees in the form of wooden shoes. The American foundress of the HM sisters, Mother Anna Tabouret, was known to wear wooden shoes when she worked outdoors at the Villa. As a tribute to her tenacity and spirit, and the sisters’ connection with the land, wooden shoes were turned into planters with live philodendrons and given to all departments during Heritage Week in 2005. Great ideas also bring with them quite a lot of planning and hard work. For this particular “great idea,” few employees probably know what actually went into making this special gift a reality. The wooden shoes were ordered, but when they arrived, the wood was unfinished and bore little resemblance to Mother Anna’s actual shoes, which are still on display at the Villa today. The shoes needed to be stained to make them resemble Mother Anna’s shoes. Sister Lucille Spirek, one of the sisters at the Villa, was recruited to stain every single one of them— and there were hundreds. When she was finally finished, philodendron plants were potted, wrapped in foil and placed into the wooden shoes. To emphasize the connection to the sisters, a note card accompanied the planter with a message from the sisters: Let us continue to journey together…We trust that you will carry our spirit and mission into the future. The Sisters of the Humility of Mary. The actual mechanics of bringing an idea to fruition are rarely thought of by its creator. Along the way, creative additions are made by others and the simple idea becomes a huge endeavor with hours of hard work put in by many to make it a reality. With Heritage Week, when there are hundreds of departments, nursing units and facilities, these ideas and rituals become challenging. But the end product and the spirit with which these rituals are embraced by the employees makes the effort worth it for the sisters. While visiting the departments today, one can see that the employees still proudly display their wooden shoe planters and they water their philodendrons faithfully. Mother Anna would be grateful. In 2010, the name Heritage Week was changed to Heritage Celebration. Because of the large number of departments and facilities within HMHP, the mission staff needs more time to make a personal visit to

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every area. Sister Marie is eager to say the Heritage Celebration is still about teachable moments. It now includes both stories about sisters from the past as well as the compassionate work of employees today. The mission integration department is also responsible for the Footprints for the Journey program. Footprints helps the HMHP management staff connect with the heritage of the sisters and understand how they can also live the healing ministry of Jesus. The program began in 2004 and has continued each year since. The two day experience is designed for vice presidents, directors, managers, supervisors and coordinators. The program includes: the meaning of “healing presence,” Catholic social teachings, the story of the HM sisters, ethical and religious directives of the Catholic Church, putting beliefs into action, and the structure of Catholic Health Partners and its co-sponsors. Participants have an opportunity to exchange ideas on the topics presented, and they hear stories of sisters who have gone before them. A closing ritual is held in the beautiful chapel and each participant receives a pair of miniature wooden shoes to remind them of their responsibility to carry on the sisters’ legacy. Many say they enjoy coming to the Villa, which has a serene and tranquil environment, and that they have a sense of peace just driving in. Footprints was expanded in 2007 to include HMHP’s front line staff with an abbreviated program called Mini Footprints. Staff members attend a four-hour program at their facility. It introduces them to the meaning of healing presence, the legacy of the sisters and Catholic social teachings. The program closes with a ritual to reinforce their obligation to carry out the legacy of the sisters. Today, the Sisters of the Humility of Mary look to the staff to partner with them in their health care ministry. Part of the responsibility of being an HMHP employee is commitment to the mission. Sister Marie said, “From all appearances, our employees feel that responsibility. The other sisters and I often remark about how pleased we are that so many employees are able to articulate and to live the mission.”

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Chapter

The Evolution of Humility of Mary Health Partnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Healing Ministry

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Chapter

atholic health care in the Mahoning Valley has evolved from a small infirmary at the Villa in 1875 to a 30-bed hospital in Youngstown in 1911 to an integrated delivery network known as Humility of Mary Health Partners in 1995. This list provides a chronology of how HMHP was developed. 1864: The Sisters of the Humility of Mary arrive in America and, within a year, they are nursing victims of a smallpox outbreak in a nearby village. In 1875, the sisters opened a small hospital on Villa Maria property— St. Joseph Infirmary (also known as “The Sisters Hospital up Lowell Hill”) to take care of sick and injured railroad employees working in the area. 1911: St. Elizabeth Hospital on Belmont Avenue in Youngstown was opened under the management of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary. 1924: The HM sisters were asked to take over Riverside Hospital in Warren after the untimely death of Dr. Chester Waller, founder and administrator. The sisters renamed the hospital St. Joseph Riverside Hospital. 1927: The sisters were asked by the Bishop of Cleveland to operate St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain, Ohio, after the Franciscan sisters of Tiffin, Ohio, withdrew when the Toledo Diocese was formed. 1920 to 1980s: Each of the hospitals was independent. For years, the major superior of the HM sisters and her council, along with the sister administrator of the hospital, made decisions and served as the board of the facility. In the 1960s and 1970s, laymen were appointed first to advisory boards and then to the legal board of the hospitals along with other HM sisters.

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1984: The Humility of Mary Health Care System was formed for the protection of the hospitals and to take advantage of centralized services such as purchasing, insurance and pooling of funds. Sister Frances Flanigan was appointed president and CEO. The offices were in Lorain, then in Middleburg Heights, Ohio. A management team was put together and a board was appointed. Each of the three hospitals retained a board, but final decision-making rested with the HMHCS board. Information technology services were consolidated and incorporated as part of the health care system as Humility of Mary Information Systems (HMIS). 1994: Humility of Mary Health Care System obtained Laurel Lake Retirement Community, a large life care facility in Hudson, Ohio. Also, in 1994, HMHCS acquired The Assumption Village from the Diocese of Youngstown. In 1999, Humility House, the third long-term care facility, was built in Austintown. 1995: Humility of Mary Health Care System announced that St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center and St. Joseph Riverside Hospital would be united in an integrated delivery network (IDN) to offer comprehensive services to the Mahoning Valley. The IDN was known as HM Health Services. Cost saving practices included one CEO over the two hospitals and a director responsible for the same department in both hospitals. There was to be one board, and the two hospitals were to share the same policies, practices and procedures. The hospitalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; names changed to St. Elizabeth Health Center and St. Joseph Health Center. 1996: St. Joseph acquired Warren General Hospital and moved to the Warren General campus on Eastland Avenue in June. 1996: In December, Humility of Mary Health Care System became a part of Mercy Health System in Cincinnati, Ohio. A short time later, in order to more broadly reflect four religious congregations, the name was changed to Catholic Healthcare Partners. A co-sponsorship model was in place, which meant all four congregations were sponsors of all facilities within CHP. Reasons for merging were: fewer sisters available for administration in hospitals and board service; regional and national development of large health systems as a method for safeguarding Catholic health care; for-profit organizations were actively looking to take over not-for-profit hospitals; and models of lay sponsorship of Catholic health ministry were increasing. The organization, now called Catholic Health Partners, is the largest health system in Ohio and one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the United States. It has seven regions, primarily in Ohio.

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1999: In February, the Youngstown/Warren region of CHP became known as Humility of Mary Health Partners. At the same time, the regional office of Humility of Mary Health Care System in Middleburg Heights was closed. The HMHP region has shown much growth over the succeeding years. In 2001, Hospice of the Valley completed the continuum of care offered by Humility of Mary Health Partners. 2005: Laurel Lake Retirement Community became part of Humility of Mary Health Partners. 2007: St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center opened in August. It is the third acute care hospital within HMHP. 2010: CHP established a Senior Health and Housing Services division, which is responsible for the management of all long-term care and housing facilities in the system. HMHP still provides support in several areas to The Assumption Village, Humility House and Laurel Lake.

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Chapter

St. Elizabeth Health Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Centennial Celebration

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Chapter

An Overview

ounded by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary on December 8, 1911, St. Elizabeth Health Center today serves as the Mahoning Valley’s tertiary referral hospital. Humility of Mary Health Partners (HMHP) launched a year of celebration on December 8, 2010. The celebration will conclude the first full week in December 2011 in observation of St. Elizabeth Health Center’s 100th birthday, which is December 8. The Centennial Opening Ceremony began at 1:30 p.m. on December 8 at the south end of the hospital’s main lobby. There was a brief ceremony and a ribbon cutting to mark the opening of an historical display. This was followed at 2 p.m. by a Centennial Christmas Reception in the cafeteria. The video created for the centennial featuring historical pictures and people’s memories of the hospital premiered at this event. The Opening Ceremony also included a Mass at 5:30 p.m. at St. Columba Cathedral with the Most Rev. George V. Murry, S.J., Ph.D., as celebrant and homilist. A reception followed at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Social Hall in Youngtown. A special centennial graphic was created. In early December, the public saw a large centennial banner installed on the front of the hospital’s South Extension building and banners on light poles around the campus on Belmont and Park avenues. “Celebrating 100 Years” was added to the HMHP mail indicia on December 8 and all babies born at St. Elizabeth during the centennial celebration will receive a special gift, and items with the centennial graphic will be available for purchase in the Gift Shoppe at St. Elizabeth. Centennial facts have been identified for publication in HMHP’s weekly employee newsletter, Partners, and began to appear with the December 6 issue. A screensaver of the centennial graphic was added to HMHP computers on December 8 to rotate with other messages for employees.

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Employees have been encouraged to express the centennial in various art forms. These items will be displayed throughout the year. In December of 2010, employees, volunteers and physicians received a commemorative centennial Christmas ornament featuring the centennial graphic, in honor of the evolution of HMHP’s healing ministry. In conjunction with the centennial, Mahoning County secondary school students (grades 10 through 12) were asked to participate in the 2011 Healing Art program. The focus of the project was to create art that expresses joy, peace, calm, beauty and well-being. Each school could submit three pieces and five winning pieces were selected. Winning artists were recognized at a special awards presentation on March 24. All submitted artwork is being displayed at St. Elizabeth throughout the centennial year. A special Centennial Memory Line—330-729-7533—was established for anyone to record their memories or stories of St. Elizabeth Health Center or HMHP. Former patients and visitors, employees, physicians and volunteers are invited to say a few words—a happy memory, a funny story, or any other comments they would like to make. The recordings will be used at several different venues during the centennial celebration. On February 13—World Health Day—Bishop Murry celebrated the annual White Mass at St. Columba Cathedral. The Mass was followed by a brunch in the cathedral hall. On April 2, Sister Carol Keehan, president of Catholic Health Association, was the guest speaker at a luncheon scheduled for Our Lady of Mount Carmel Social Hall. (The venue was later changed to St. Elizabeth Health Center.) Sister Carol addressed the state of health care in America. The lunch and presentation were open to the public, with reservations required. That evening, the HMHP Development Foundation hosted a dinner and celebration at the Butler Institute of American Art. Sister Carol also spoke at this event. In May 2011, the HMHP Development Foundation launched a centennial campaign as a new fundraising initiative with employees. On August 17, Easy Street Productions presented an evening concert at Morley Pavilion to recognize St. Elizabeth Health Center, Holy Trinity Ukranian Catholic Church, St. Patrick Church and SS Peter and Paul Church—all celebrating 100th anniversaries in 2011. The event was free and open to the public. On September 24, an employee picnic was held on-site at St. Elizabeth, and on October 1, the public was invited to an open house at the hospital.

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An update to the history book that was published as part of St. Elizabeth’s 75th anniversary celebration is in development. The full book detailing the past 100 years will be published in 2011. Special observances and activities that happen annually throughout HMHP are encouraged to have a centennial theme throughout the year. HMHP departments are invited to incorporate the centennial into their activities as well. The centennial closing ceremonies will occur the first week of December. Annual Christmas gatherings for the HMHP Board of Directors as well as the HMHP Administrative/Management Team will include a re-missioning ceremony as leaders of the organization prepare to begin the second century of HMHP’s healing ministry. These receptions will incorporate a birthday and holiday theme. On December 7, an interfaith prayer service will be held at 5 p.m. in St. Columba Cathedral, with a reception following in the cathedral hall. The next day, which is St. Elizabeth’s 100th birthday, there will be an interfaith service in the chapel followed by a centennial Christmas reception at the hospital for employees and volunteers. Written by Susan Stewart, director of marketing/public relations for HMHP.

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Year of Celebration Begins This Week

he New Year is almost upon us and it will bring many exciting changes for us at HMHP—including the Valley's first accredited Comprehensive Breast Care Center and the arrival of CarePATH at each acute care hospital. This is also an appropriate time to look back at our past, as we begin our celebration of Humility of Mary Health Partners' first 100 years of service to our community. This week, we begin the Centennial Celebration of the founding of St. Elizabeth Health Center, from which our entire health ministry has grown. We are here today because of the dedicated work and sacrifices of thousands who came before us, establishing hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, residency programs and a nursing school—all to provide whatever care was needed in the community. It is a good time to give thanks for the strong support our community has provided through the years to supplement the selfless work of the Sisters, working alongside doctors and nurses and many staff members who shared their commitment to care for those least able to care for themselves. It is also a good time to pause and thank you all for the great work you do, every day, to continue our century-old commitment to provide the best care possible to our families, neighbors and strangers, too. I invite you to participate in the many activities and events that will mark our Centennial Celebration in the coming weeks and months. This is a momentous occasion in the history of HMHP, and we can all be proud of the role we are playing to ensure that the Valley can celebrate our 200th birthday in the next century. Donald E. Koenig Jr. Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, HMHP

Printed in the December 6, 2010, issue of Partners, HMHP’s weekly newsletter for employees.

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Centennial Kick Off December 8, 2010 Presentation made by Robert Shroder, President and CEO of HMHP

ood afternoon everyone and thank you for coming. As was stated, this celebration today is actually the beginning of a yearlong celebration to mark St. Elizabeth’s 100 years of caring for the community. 1911 is the centennial year for St. Elizabeth. I was curious about what else happened in that year so I did what many of you would do; I Googled it. I found history would show that 1911 was a relatively calm and fairly peaceful year. The major events that year included:

1st old age home established in Prescott, Arizona 1st carrier landing of an airplane and 1st flight from London to Paris 1st Indy 500 race was held 1st public elevator put in service (London) 1st man reached the South Pole 1st Chevy sold 1st electric starter for the car was invented and IBM was incorporated

William Howard Taft was President; he was from Cincinnati, Ohio. The U.S. population was 94 million, Ohio about 5 million and Youngstown was 79,000. Not too different than today. Youngstown is about 70,000 today. Famous people born that year included: Ronald Reagan, Roy Rogers, Lucille Ball, and my grandmother, Marge Delh, who is still alive and will also be celebrating her 100 year birthday in March. (Had to get that one in.) The total Federal budget was $900 million. Today it’s 3.7 trillion, which means we are spending far more in one day now then we spent in an entire year 100 years ago. In a few minutes, we will be cutting a ribbon to open the historical display for St. Elizabeth and you will be able to see actual historical items and pictures over the last 100 years. I have been here for only 14 of those 100 years, but we have done a lot over the past decade and a half. Sister Marie asked me to comment on what I am most proud of or my fondest memories since I have been part of the St. Elizabeth ministry. That was easy in some ways because there

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is a lot to be proud of and many fond memories. But it was also hard because: a. She gave me 3 to 5 minutes totally, and b. How do you separate St. Elizabeth accomplishments from HMHP accomplishments, because to me, we are one big team working together. However, I am going to try, but I am looking at St. Elizabeth as the largest component of HMHP, the battleship as we say, the mother of other HMHP components. So in the last decade and a half, St. Elizabeth has given birth to: a. A whole new hospital in Boardman, and named it after herself b. Other new children include: 1. An Emergency and Diagnostic Center in Austintown 2. Imaging Centers in Boardman and Poland 3. A surgery center in Canfield c. She adopted or acquired: 1. Hospice of the Valley 2. Humility House, and 3. Laurel Lake We have also put a lot of effort into keeping her looking young at the Youngstown main campus by renovating many units and areas, building new surgical suites, adding a new cardiac cath lab, and constantly updating equipment. St. Elizabeth has also continued to win many awards and honors for caring for our patients. Among these are: a. 1st Magnet facility in Ohio (1st re-certified hospital, too) b. NRC Preferred Hospital in a 5-county area many, many times (7 years in a row now) c. Multiple winner of the top 100 hospital award d. Premier Platinum Award for Quality e. Midas Quality Award, and there are others. One other thing I am especially proud of is the way we continue to provide care for the poor and underserved. In 1997, we provided $17 million in gross revenue in charity care; that number exceeded 95 million last year, a 450% increase! And we did it while we remained financially strong!

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It seems the more care to the poor we provide the better our financial performance is. They don’t teach that in business school; it doesn’t make logical sense. So I believe that there is some divine intervention here. I always relate this item back to the Sisters at Villa Maria. When they arrived here, they were given, literally, swamp land in western Pennsylvania. They struggled, went up to Cleveland to ask the Bishop to move them back to France because of their difficulties. They were advised to go back to the Villa and rely on Divine Providence to help them. One of the order’s co-founders, Father John Joseph Begel, told them, “Take one more orphan and God will provide.” They did. Not only did they take more orphans but they also continued to treat the sick and injured—which then led to a need to develop a hospital 100 years ago. That hospital, St. Elizabeth, has thrived for a hundred years and will continue to thrive for another 100 years. Thank you

Bob Shroder presented the official centennial proclamation: This is the challenge that Jesus proclaimed in that synagogue in Nazareth when he unrolled the scroll and defined his mission on earth and the mission of every Christian, especially in an anniversary year. (Luke 4: 18-19) “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

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At the heart of a centennial is the Scriptural call to begin anew and to right the injustices of our times. “The spirit of the Lord is upon us because God has sent us to proclaim good news to the poor,” where 44,000 people are without health insurance in the Mahoning Valley. “To proclaim liberty to captives” in an age where so many people are enslaved by discrimination, addiction, dependency and violence. “To bring sight to the blind” in a culture where so many are blinded by prejudice, materialism and the search for excessive power. “To set the oppressed free” in a world where the lives and dignity of millions are threatened by hunger, violence, denial of human rights and religious liberty. “To proclaim a year of favor from the Lord,” a year of God’s grace and presence with us, as we strive to be a transforming presence turning hurt into hope for the people we serve. This is how we strive to proclaim the healing ministry of Jesus during this centennial year at St. Elizabeth Health Center.

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St. Elizabeth Centennial Celebration Committees Centennial Steering Committee

The steering committee will implement the overall centennial celebration plan. Members are: Don Koenig, Co-chair Sister Marie Ruegg, H.M., Co-chair Adrian Anderson Jim Schultis Molly Seals Susan Stewart Wayne Tennant

Centennial Advisory Committee

The advisory committee held its first meeting on August 5, 2009. The committee helped ensure there was broad representation in the planning of the centennial celebration. Members were:

HMHP Board of Directors Representatives Daryl Cameron Scott Schulick

Community Representatives

Betty Jo Licata, YSU (also HMHP board member) Brian Corbin, Diocese of Youngstown (also HMHP board member) Jamael Tito Brown, Youngstown Councilman Jason Whitehead, City of Youngstown Sister Celine Metzger, H.M. Sister Margaret Ebin, H.M. Sister Barbara Noble, H.M. Sister Mary Pat Leopold, H.M. Maribeth Hernan Rashid Adbu, M.D.

HMHP Representatives

Sister Marie Ruegg, H.M. Jim Schultis Don Koenig Cathy Tolbert Wayne Tennant Susan Stewart Kera Thompson John Finizio Genie Aubel Nick Kreatsoulas, D.O. Molly Seals

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Historical Timeline Administrators

Sister Genevieve Downey, H.H.M.—1911 to 1916 Sister Geraldine Cantillon, H.H.M.—1916 to 1922 Sister Marie Hortense Kenney, H.H.M.—1922 to 1931 Sister M. DeLellis Kennelley, H.H.M.—1931 to 1937 Sister Germaine Hawkins, H.H.M.—1937 to 1949 Sister Adelaide Krummert, H.H.M.—1949 to 1956 Sister Baptista Frutkin, H.H.M.—1956 to 1962 Sister Consolata Kline, H.M.—1962 to 1981 Sister Susan Schorsten, H.M.—1981 to 1993 Andrew Allen—1993 to 1995 Kevin Nolan—1995 to 1999 Michael Rowan—1999 to 2002

Robert Shroder—2002 to Present

Year Date

Event/Activity

1911

December 8

St. Elizabeth Hospital, Youngstown, opens under management of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary; ownership was assumed in 1926.

1914

December 8

First class from St. Elizabeth School of Nursing graduates.

1915

January 14

St. Elizabeth Hospital permanent structure (now the North Building) opens with 200 beds.

1924

The Sisters of the Humility of Mary are asked to assume ownership of Riverside Hospital, Warren, and rename the hospital St. Joseph Riverside Hospital.

1926

St. Elizabeth purchases Henry Stambaugh mansion for its school of nursing.

November 20

1927

The Sisters of the Humility of Mary are asked to assume ownership of St. Joseph Hospital, Lorain.

1929

Second addition to St. Elizabeth (now the South Building) opens, bringing bed capacity to 309 beds and 50 bassinets.

February 3

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1933

May 12

St. Elizabeth Auxiliary is formed.

1936

March

The American Medical Association approves two residency programs at St. Elizabeth— one in surgery and the other in medicine.

August 20

St. Elizabeth celebrates its Silver Jubilee (25 years).

1941

September 2

St. Elizabeth’s School of Nursing enrolls 39 students in its new chapter of the Cadet Nurses Corps, which provides accelerated training to support the war effort.

1944

October

St. Elizabeth opens a communicable disease unit for the treatment of meningitis, scarlet fever and polio.

1947

St. Elizabeth School for Nurse Anesthetists is opened.

1954

March 24

St. Elizabeth opens the first nuclear medicine department in Youngstown.

1956

June 30

West Building is dedicated, making St. Elizabeth the city’s largest hospital with 500 beds and 63 bassinets.

1957

September 20

Building inspector approves a 280-foot tunnel under Belmont Avenue between St. Elizabeth and the school of nursing.

1961

January 21

Psychiatric unit opens at St. Elizabeth.

May 11

St. Elizabeth celebrates its Golden Anniversary (50 years) with a Golden Jubilee that lasts eight months.

July

Region’s first corneal transplant is performed at St. Elizabeth.

September

Cardiovascular department opens for surgical and medical procedures for adults and children.

1962

June 11

Area’s first open heart surgery is performed at St. Elizabeth—a valve repair by Drs. Angelo Riberi and Edmund Massullo.

1964

August 16

First pacemaker insertion in Youngstown is done at St. Elizabeth.

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1966

July 1

Medicare becomes effective.

1966

October

Plans are announced to establish the area’s first intensive coronary care unit.

1967

January

St. Elizabeth begins to pay hospitalization insurance as a benefit for its full-time employees.

July

The Junior Guild of St. Elizabeth Hospital is formed.

November

Dr. Elias Saadi works closely with Westinghouse Electric Corp. to develop a piece of computerized heart catheterization equipment—the first of its kind in the country.

1968

September

Dr. Salvatore Squicquero is named to the new administrative position of medical director of St. Elizabeth.

1969

March 26

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing accepts its first male student.

1970

December 20

Youngstown’s first coronary bypass surgery is performed at St. Elizabeth.

May 4

For the first time, laymen are elected to the St. Elizabeth Board of Trustees; Charles B. Cushwa Jr. is elected chair.

1972

March

West Extension building opens, including a 32-bed intensive care unit and 63 bassinets.

June 12

Same-day outpatient surgery begins at St. Elizabeth.

1974

October 11

St. Elizabeth signs affiliation papers with the Northeast Ohio Universities College of Medicine.

1976

September 26

South Extension Building opens; includes a neonatology unit for premature newborns and a neurology unit. A week-long celebration to dedicate both the West Extension and South Extension buildings was held. At that time, the name of the hospital was changed to St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center.

1977

July 5

First CAT scanner becomes operational at St. Elizabeth, the first in the area.

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St. Elizabeth Health Center’s Centennial Celebration 1979

January

207

St. Elizabeth becomes an affiliate of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

1982

Diagnostic related groups (DRGs) are introduced by the federal government, significantly impacting reimbursement for Medicare patients.

1984

All health care facilities sponsored by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary are joined under the Humility of Mary Health Care System.

1985

St. Elizabeth Mobile Intensive Care Unit is put into service.

1986

St. Elizabeth celebrates its Diamond Jubilee (75 years).

St. Elizabeth is verified as a Level I trauma center by the Ohio Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons—the only one between Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

1987

Area’s first heart valvuloplasty procedure performed.

January 30

Energy efficient boiler plant and bulk distribution center opened.

November

New neonatal facility opens.

1988

October 19

First kidney transplant in the Mahoning Valley performed at St. Elizabeth in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic.

1989

McDonald’s restaurant opens on hospital property.

St. Elizabeth School for Nurse Anesthetists offers a master’s in health sciences degree.

Community health outreach program begins.

HM Guest House opens.

1990

St. Elizabeth collaborates with YMCA for area’s first Community Cup.

1991

Project Earthstar begins; new program to start recycling with greenbar paper; 55,410 lbs. by April.

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1991

February 7

First automated implantable cardiac defibrillator in the area is performed at St. Elizabeth.

July

St. Elizabeth is area’s first hospital to provide laser treatments for benign vascular lesions (port wine stains).

September

St. Elizabeth is one of only two training sites in the U.S. for holmium laser technology for obstructed leg arteries.

1993

January

St. Elizabeth launches a home care service.

June

Stambaugh Mansion, home of St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, is demolished.

100th kidney transplant performed.

August

St. Elizabeth opens a new Outpatient Surgery Center building, adjacent to the main hospital.

November

St. Elizabeth opens a new state-of-the-art, 16,000 square foot cardiac catheterization lab on 3-South Ext.

1994

Humility of Mary Health Care System purchases The Assumption Village from the Diocese of Youngstown. It later became part of CHP and then the HMHP region.

1995

HM Health Services—an integrated delivery network (IDN)—was formed under the leadership of the Humility of Mary Health Care System. It joined St. Elizabeth, St. Joseph and home care services into one organization.

St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph change names to St. Elizabeth Health Center and St. Joseph Health Center.

1996

Ortho/neuro care center and Family Birthplace at St. Elizabeth open with new concept of care based on redesign projects.

St. Elizabeth opens the area’s first chest pain unit.

St. Joseph Health Center and Warren General Hospital merge. St. Joseph moves to the Warren General Hospital campus.

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St. Elizabeth Health Center’s Centennial Celebration 1996

St. Elizabeth opens acute rehabilitation and sub-acute care units.

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing closes.

July

Humility of Mary Health Care System becomes a region of Mercy Health System in Cincinnati, which was later renamed Catholic Health Partners.

1997

A mobile clinic is launched to assist the medically underserved.

1998

Corporate responsibility program begins at HMHP.

February

1999

The Youngstown/Warren region is renamed Humility of Mary Health Partners.

The Assumption Village joins Humility of Mary Health Partners and Humility House opens.

Wound Care Centers open at St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph.

April

209

2000

A Boardman campus is announced. The first building to open was the St. Elizabeth Cancer Care Center.

Hospice of the Valley joins Humility of Mary Health Partners.

HMHP celebrates its first Heritage Week to focus on the connection between the staff today and its founding sponsors, the Sisters of the Humility of Mary.

2001

A 24-hour full service emergency opens on the Boardman campus in a temporary, modular construction building.

March

St. Elizabeth introduces robotic surgery (AESOP—later replaced with the da Vinci Robotic Surgery System).

2002

August 21

St. Elizabeth and St. Joseph are recognized for nursing excellence with designation as Magnet hospitals—the first in Ohio and the 56 and 57 in the U.S.

2003

January

Mercy College of Northwest Ohio, St. Elizabeth Campus, welcomes the first students to its associate degree in nursing program.

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2003

HM Home Care, HM Home Medical Equipment and HM Home Pharmacy are identified under the umbrella name of HM Home Health Services.

St. Elizabeth Wellness Center opens in a partnership with the Boardman YMCA.

September

St. Elizabeth Emergency & Diagnostic Center opens on Boardman campus.

November

The Heart Lab at St. Elizabeth for low-risk diagnostic catheterizations opens in the new South Pavilion Building.

2004

June

The Sisters of the Humility of Mary mark their 150 anniversary.

August

Mercy College of Northwest Ohio, St. Elizabeth Campus, graduates its first class of 26 students.

November

St. Elizabeth Emergency & Diagnostic Center opens in Austintown.

December

St. Elizabeth becomes the area’s first Joint Commission accredited primary stroke center.

2005

April

New state-of-the-art surgery rooms open on the third floor of St. Elizabeth’s new South Pavilion building.

October

A new surgical lobby, gift shop and Expresso Café open on the second floor of the South Pavilion building.

November

An employee fitness center and a public fitness trail on the St. Elizabeth campus and a smoke free campus for all HMHP facilities is announced.

2006

Hospice House, the area’s first inpatient hospice facility, opens.

Laurel Lake Retirement Community, Hudson, joins Humility of Mary Health Partners.

2007

St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center opens with 108 beds.

August

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2007

September

The da Vinci Surgical System is introduced at St. Elizabeth, advancing robotic surgery capabilities with state-of-the-art equipment.

2008

March

Birth by Design and Orthopedics by Design are initiated at St. Elizabeth.

September

Patient room service for meals is introduced at St. Elizabeth.

HMHP begins a journey to provide culturally competent care to patients with diverse values, beliefs and behaviors according to national standards of Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in health care.

2009

September

Family-centered visiting program introduces more flexible visiting hours at St. Elizabeth.

February

Lean and Six Sigma business improvement methodologies introduced at HMHP.

St. Elizabeth Auxiliary celebrates its 75th Anniversary.

HM Guest House celebrates its 20th Anniversary.

August 5

The Centennial Celebration Advisory Committee holds its first meeting.

2010

May 6

Partners for Urology Health opens in Austintown.

St. E’s Dental Clinic named as one of just three dental programs in the nation to receive the Best Practice award from Safety Net Solutions.

HMHP begins to implement an electronic health record throughout its hospitals and physician practices.

October 28

Ceremonial groundbreaking for the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center at St. Elizabeth is held.

December 8

The Centennial Opening Celebration is held to launch the observation of St. Elizabeth’s 100 years of service to the community and the evolution of Humility of Mary Health Partners’ healing ministry.

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Mission Humility of Mary Health Partners extends the healing ministry of Jesus by improving the health of our communities with emphasis on people who are poor and under-served.

Values Humility of Mary Health Partners demonstrates behaviors reflecting our core values of compassion, excellence, human dignity, justice, sacredness of life and service.

Together We Commit To: Compassion: Our commitment to serve with mercy and tenderness. Excellence: Our commitment to be the best in the quality of our services and the stewardship of our resources. Human Dignity: Our commitment to value the diversity of all persons and to be respectful and inclusive of everyone. Justice: Our commitment to act with integrity, honesty and truthfulness. Sacredness of Life: Our commitment to reverence all life and creation. Service: Our commitment to respond to those in need.

ďżź Humility of Mary Health Partners is a member of Catholic Health Partners

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