The History of Story County Medical Center

The Iowa Sanitarium of the Seventh Day Adventists predated Story County Medical Center (SCMC) as the first hospital in Nevada, IA. “Old San” served residents from 1909 until it was destroyed by fire in 1943. In 1944, local citizens passed a $100,000 bond issue to build a new, non-profit facility. However, because of a shortage of raw materials and the post-war economy, construction was delayed until August 1950, when the cornerstone for the Story County Hospital was laid. On September 10, 1951, the hospital officially opened.

Activity within the new hospital flourished during the first ten years of its existence. Drs. W.B. Sparrow, J.D. Connor, M.A. Johnson, R.H. Mordant, John Bacon, C.A. Denser and J.C. Alyea were the physicians that treated numerous patients. Also, in the early years, a total of\263 babies were delivered, a practice that is no longer performed at today’s hospital.

The hospital added its first Long Term Care addition in 1969, made possible through a $154,000 donation from Reine Wells. In 1977, a $400,000 gift from Edith Robison made a second floor Long Term Care addition and chapel possible. With the Long Term Care additions, the hospital’s main entrance moved from the east to the south side. In 1970, the hospital added its own ambulance service which previously had been provided by area funeral homes.

Through the 1970s the hospital experienced growth, but like most rural facilities, faced uncertain times in the 1980s. Changes in the Medicare reimbursement system reduced funding, and budgets were tight. Also, there was a shortage of physicians throughout the entire country. In 1988 the hospital entered into a management agreement with Mercy Medical Center of Des Moines which helped ensure that health care would continue to be  accessible and convenient for all of Story County.

In the summer of 2001, Story County Hospital applied to the state of Iowa to become a “necessary provider,” the first step in becoming a Critical Access Hospital. The Board of Trustees carefully weighed the risks and benefits of Critical Access Hospital conversion. Although the hospital would experience increased reimbursement, it had to agree to reduce the number of acute care beds it offered and the type of patients it could treat. In the end, the projected financial benefits outweighed the risks. Following a busy summer bringing the hospital into compliance with Critical Access Hospital standards, the hospital was inspected by the Department of Inspection and Appeals and was awarded Critical Access Hospital status on December 1, 2001.

New Clinics

The Zearing Medical Clinic opened as the first outlying clinic of the hospital in 1995. This was followed by the opening of the Maxwell Medical Clinic in August 1996. In late 1999, ground was broken for a new 8,000 square foot addition to the hospital that would house the new Nevada Medical Clinic (which had previously been partnering with the hospital) and Therapy Services Department. In 2000 the hospital officially changed its name to Story County Medical Center (SCMC) to encompass all of its new clinics and services.

New clinics meant new staff members: Nicole Singer, PA-C, joined Maxwell Clinic, Alison Carleton, M.D., Adrian Palar, M.D., and Aaron Trone, D.O., relocated with the Nevada Medical Clinic from its location on G Avenue to its current location adjacent to the hospital. Although Trone left in 2001, the Nevada Medical Clinic has grown to house three additional physicians since the move: Christine Jensen, M.D., Art Check, D.O., and Kelly Check, D.P.M.

In January 2005, the Slater Medical Clinic opened in the office space formally occupied by McFarland Clinic. The space, which is shared with Dr. Robert Davis, D.D.S., was completely renovated by the Slater Community Club. Mary Carr Peterson, P.A.-C, was hired by SCMC as the medical providers for the clinic. In addition to the new providers in Slater, Dorothy Reynolds, M.D., was hired in October 2004 to work part-time at the continually growing Zearing Medical Clinic.

More Upgrades

During this period of growth in the early part of the 2000s, SCMC initiated a $230,000 renovation program for the acute and outpatient surgery areas of the hospital. With the help of the SCMC Endowment Foundation, SCMC also bought a new handicapped accessible van for transportation of Long Term Care residents. The Foundation also made donations for the Long Term Care Unit to receive new flooring, signage, paint, cabinetry and nurse’s stations.

In addition, SCMC began to investigate new technologies and upgrades to its facilities. A new piece of radiology equipment used for surgical procedures, a C-Arm, and more advanced surgical instruments resulted in increased surgical capabilities such as total knee replacements, ACL repair, hip pinnings and more. 

Not only did SCMC steadily improved physically, but it embarked on a new employee relationship plan. In 2004, SCMC implemented an employee recruitment and retention plan. The plan, called Kailo, focuses on an employee’s mental, emotional and spiritual health in addition to his/her physical well being. Kailo, the Indo-European word for good omen, is a workplace assistance program that encourages employees to have fun at work, supports stress reduction, and provides free counseling services for all employees and their families.

Today, SCMC and its outlying clinics employ nine medical providers throughout the county. SCMC as a whole employs over 200 people. Salaries in 2006 totaled over $6 million and over $1 million in benefits were paid to SCMC employees.  In addition, over $380,000 in community benefits were provided to Story County last year. Community benefits are activities designed to improve health status and increase access to health care.  Along with uncompensated care, community benefits provided to Story County through SCMC include such services and programs as health screenings, immunization clinics, educational services and transportation programs.

In addition, a complete range of surgical services are available by appointment at the Medical Center’s Outpatient Specialty Clinic. Specialty services include: orthopedic surgery, ears, nose & throat surgery, podiatry & podiatric surgery, hematology, oncology & chemotherapy, acupuncture & oriental medicine, general surgery, cardiology, and dermatology.

Emergency room and paramedic-level ambulance service are also part of SCMC. Twenty-four hours a day, experts are on hand to respond to the emergency needs of the county.

Story County Medical Center has gone through many changes in its 56 year history, all the while providing quality healthcare to the residents of Story County.  With plans for a replacement facility due to open in 2008, SCMC will be able to continue to provide the same quality care for many years to come.