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HISTORY
of SID PETERSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Fifty Years of Caring for the Hill Country |
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Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital (SPMH) has a long and proud history of serving the people of the Texas Hill Country. This tradition of service can be traced directly to the founders, whose vision was influenced by their remarkable father. Sid Peterson was a successful businessman who knew the virtue of hard work and honesty.
Sid Peterson came to Kerrville with his parents in 1882 when he was only 14, but even then he knew that he was cut out to be a rancher. He broke horses for the Schreiner Ranch, drove cattle on the Chisolm Trail and cleared land for the railroad. He went on to become one of |
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the legendary pioneer ranchers in the Texas Hill Country, acquiring thousands of acres of ranch land in Kerr and surrounding counties. Equally legendary are the number of friends and neighbors Sid Peterson helped to survive the Great Depression -- although you would not have heard it from him.
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Sid Peterson had three sons, Joe Sid, Hal and Charlie. They grew up helping their father on his ranches and later became involved in a variety of successful businesses; including ranching, real estate, an automobile agency and a small intrastate bus operation, the Kerrville Bus Company.
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As it happened, however, the three sons, like their father, had heart conditions. As a result, the family knew first-hand the immense difficulty of having to travel 60 miles to San Antonio or even 250 miles to Houston to get anything more than the most rudimentary medical attention. When Sid Peterson died in a San Antonio hospital in 1939, Hal and Charlie vowed that their friends and neighbors in Kerrville and the surrounding areas would have a modern, fully equipped hospital of their own.
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An endowment was started in 1944 when the two sons established the Hal and Charlie Peterson Foundation. Over time, they contributed close to five million dollars to the endowment, with the intent to support the construction and on-going operation of a hospital in Kerrville as a memorial to their father. Construction began in 1947, and on July 3, 1949, the Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital opened its doors, a fitting legacy for a man who had a deep and abiding affection for his fellow man. |
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Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital Opens ~ July 3, 1949
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| Even at the time of its dedication, Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital was a unique facility. Unlike many hospitals in Texas at the time, the hospital was built solely through the Foundation’s private funds and donations. No tax was ever imposed on the residents of the Hill Country to support the construction or operation of the hospital. |
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Operating a hospital was an expensive business, however, even in 1949. The Peterson brothers believed the new 55-bed hospital needed some source of income other than from its patients. An eleven-pump gasoline station was installed under a canopy on one corner of the property’s ground floor and space on three of the original six floors of the building was rented out to commercial businesses. Tenants included the Kerrville Bus Company, doctors on the hospital’s medical staff, a beauty parlor, an attorney and a Good Year tire and appliance store.
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The retail activity was to provide a "built-in" hedge against deficits in the operation of the hospital. This innovative concept fascinated the media, and drew attention from all over the United States, including an article in Time magazine.
Besides the unusual combination of retail and medical services, the hospital was noted for other innovations. At the time it was constructed, white was the predominant color for hospital patient rooms and equipment. E.E.
Martin |
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the first Administrator, believed that recovering patients would find soft colors more restful and appealing. He chose a color palette that was muted terra-cotta, silver mist, dove gray and pale green. The hospital also had three suites which were tastefully decorated with a western theme and wood furniture. Mr. Martin was also responsible for supervising the construction, selecting and purchasing all the equipment and hiring all the staff. SPMH was the first hospital in the country to have a nurse call system that was set up as an intercom, so patients and nurses could converse. In addition, there was a roof garden, with vistas of the Guadalupe River and the hills beyond. Besides being a lovely spot for patients to enjoy the sunshine, community dances were held on the roof garden.
It was also the first hospital to have central air conditioning. "At that time, it was very difficult to find a contractor to bid on A/C for an 88,000 square foot hospital," wrote Mr. Martin. |
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The air conditioning was enjoyed by more than hospital patients, too. In the service station on the first floor, there were large hoses suspended from the roof, off the air conditioning system. As folks had their cars filled with gas, one of the hoses was inserted into the car window to cool off the vehicle. "There are larger hospitals, of course, but there is no finer one in any other Texas city," stated Hal Peterson, in a Houston Chronicle article on June 18, 1950.
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He added, "That’s not bragging. It’s just stating facts." The article went on to note that while his interests were vast and varied, nothing Hal Peterson had ever done in his busy life had brought him so much inner satisfaction as building a $1,000,000 hospital and giving it to his home town of Kerrville as a memorial to his father.
This positive, progressive attitude has been a sustaining force at SPMH, and has resulted in a health care center with equipment and services that far exceed those expected in a facility its size in a rural Texas community.
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| Growth and Expansion |
| In 1963, the gas station was displaced in order to make room for expanded x-ray, laboratory and other ancillary services. In 1964, a one-million dollar construction project was undertaken which expanded the sixth floor nursing unit and added the seventh floor. When the hospital celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1969, bed capacity had increased to 86. |
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In 1978, building began again, with construction of the seven story professional building adjacent to the hospital. This was to house offices for the hospital’s growing medical staff. When Mr. Guy Griggs, one of the talented men who had managed the hospital since it’s beginning, died suddenly in November of 1980, the building’s name was changed to the Guy Griggs Professional Building. |
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This tribute was made to memorialize Mr. Griggs’ 31-year dedication to the development and operation of the hospital, as well as to other Peterson Foundation interests.
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In 1985, the L. D. Brinkman Surgical Annex was opened, which provided expanded surgical services and increased patient beds to 148. This was the first project completed in a long-range, six million dollar expansion plan, half of which was supported by the Peterson Foundation, with the other half contributed by the community.
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In 1986, a state-of-the-art ICU/CCU was completed, along with a Women’s Health Center. In 1987, a four story parking complex was opened across the street from the hospital. The final phase of the expansion plan was completed in 1988, with the opening of a Special Procedures Unit designed for out-patient surgeries and specialized diagnostic and therapeutic treatments.
On January 1, 1990, Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital separated from the Hal and Charlie Peterson Foundation, with each organization forming its own Board of Trustees. Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital became an independent, non-profit, 148-bed community hospital, supported solely through patient revenues and private donations.
Peterson Regional Health Care Center
In July of 1991, the hospital took another progressive step forward when it became part of the Peterson Regional Health Care Center. This new name was selected to communicate the comprehensive range of medical services provided by the health care complex.
The Peterson Regional Health Care Center is anchored by Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital, and
includes three other facilities that are owned or operated by the hospital:
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Guy Griggs Professional Building |
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The Rehabilitation Unit at SPMH |
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Town House Residential Center
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| Off Campus Locations |
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Peterson Home Care |
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Peterson Hospice |
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The Friends of Hospice Thrift Shop |
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Peterson Diagnostic Services |
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Best in the West
In 1993, Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital once again received national recognition. This time, it was designated as one of the top 10 hospitals in the western United States in a federal study based on Medicare data. The region reviewed included the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Oklahoma. The study put SPMH in the company of such famous facilities as the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.
In February of 1997, the hospital embarked on another major construction and renovation project. This $9 million project included the construction of a new Emergency Department and renovation of the hospital’s first floor and exterior, and was completed in February 2000.
Off-Campus Land Purchased, Ambulatory Care Center Developed
In the summer of 1997, the hospital’s Board of Directors approved the purchase of a 35-acre plot of land about a mile from the hospital’s main campus, bordered by Cully and Hill Country Drive. This land was purchased to allow for the future expansion of hospital and health care services, should the existing downtown campus prove inadequate.
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A year later, in 1998, due to an increasing outpatient load and projected community growth, the hospital broke ground for construction of an outpatient services center on the 35-acre site. The Peterson Regional Ambulatory Care Center opened in June 2000, and is a 52,000 square foot facility that provides outpatient imaging, laboratory, rehabilitation, infusion therapy and same-day surgical services. Keeping in touch with
community needs has been important to the hospital since it’s beginning.
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| Services and buildings have expanded to meet the demands of the thriving Hill Country communities surrounding the medical center. The hospital’s primary service area consists of Kerr, Kimble, Bandera and Real Counties, with a combined population base of over 80,000. The hospital’s secondary service area includes Gillespie and Kendall counties. |
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Excellence in Community Service
In 1998, Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital was named recipient of the 1998 Excellence in Community Service Award from the Texas Hospital Association, the highest institutional honor presented by the THA. This award annually recognizes a single hospital or health system in the state that has distinguished itself through contributions to its community. SPMH was honored for its assistance with the development and on-going support of the Raphael Community Free Clinic in Kerrville. This free clinic operates on a voluntary basis, with physicians and medical personnel donating their time to provide services to uninsured and indigent patients. The hospital donates all laboratory and radiology services for clinic patients, as well supplies and volunteer support.
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The hospital celebrated its 50th birthday with the ribbon-cutting for the brand new Emergency Department on July 2, 1999. This 22,000 square foot facility includes a spacious waiting area, 18 treatment rooms, two large nursing stations, a separate ambulance entrance and doctor’s dictation area. In February of 2000, the hospital completed its main campus renovation, and initiated a medical air transport service. Operated by a national firm, |
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Critical Air Medicine, this service utilizes a hospital-based helicopter and 24-hour crew to fly critically ill or injured patients to medical facilities in San Antonio or Austin.
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The addition of helicopter availability on-site enables immediate transport for patients to other facilities, as well as swift pick-up and transport of critically ill or injured patients in outlying communities surrounding Kerrville to SPMH, or the nearest appropriate health care facility. Today, the combined services and capabilities of Peterson Regional Health Care Center are equivalent to those available in San Antonio or Austin.
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In December 2000, SPMH again received national recognition when it was named one of the Top 100 Hospitals in the nation for Orthopedic services. The study, “100 Top Hospitals: Orthopedic Benchmarks for Success” used national Medicare data and compared performance of several surgical procedures, including total knee replacement, total hip replacement and partial hip replacement. Patients in the top 100 hospitals had lower orthopedic-related complications and mortality rates, and spent fewer days in the hospital. These hospitals also showed a lower cost per patient.
In August 2001, the hospital unveiled its downtown campus renovation, the $2.2 million Women’s Health Center. This beautiful 4th floor area features four spacious labor/delivery/recovery/post partum suites, which are designed for mothers to labor, deliver their babies and rest until ready to go home. The suites contain comfortable furniture and fixtures that are designed to resemble a home setting. The center also has a large newborn nursery and a new family waiting room. In addition to OB services, the Women’s Health Center also has three private and three semi-private patient rooms that are available for women recovering from other surgical procedures.
The latest addition to the main hospital campus is the $800,000 Rehabilitation Unit that opened on July 1, 2002. Located on the 7th floor of the main campus, The Rehabilitation Unit at SPMH is the first inpatient rehabilitation care facility created to serve the residents of the Hill Country. Up to that time, physicians had to refer their patients needing inpatient rehab care to San Antonio or Austin facilities. The Rehabilitation Unit is led by the medical director specializing in rehabilitation medicine who heads a team of rehab experts. The Rehabilitation Unit serves those with a variety of diagnoses, such as stroke, total joint replacement (hip/knee), arthritis, amputation, hip or knee fracture, multiple trauma and neurological disorders.
As part of its mission
to meet the healthcare needs of its community, SMPH expanded services
once again in January 2004. The Peterson Wound Care
Center, located in the Peterson Ambulatory Care Center, received two
new hyperbaric oxygen chambers and began offering hyperbaric oxygen
treatment for patients with wounds that don’t respond to traditional
therapies. Response from physicians throughout the Hill Country was
immediate and overwhelming, since eligible patients previously had
been forced to travel to San Antonio for this treatment. That same
month SMPH opened a state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization and
interventional radiology lab, which is located in a specially designed
first-floor facility. The new CCIR lab allows physicians to perform
complex diagnostic and interventional procedures right here in
Kerrville, thus saving Hill Country patients lengthy trips to and from
San Antonio.
Keeping in touch with community needs has been
important to the hospital since its beginning. Services and buildings
have expanded to meet the demands of the thriving Hill Country
communities surrounding the medical center. The hospital’s primary
service area consists of Kerr, Kimble, Bandera and Real Counties, with a
combined population base of more than 80,000. The hospital’s secondary
service area includes Gillespie and Kendall counties.
SECURING THE FUTURE OF HEALTH CARE IN THE HILL COUNTRY
On June 17, 2004, SPMH took a giant step forward in planning for
the future healthcare needs of the communities we serve, when the
administration and board announced plans to build a new hospital. The
new facility will bolster the hospital’s mission of providing
top-quality health care for area residents, and provide needed
flexibility to grow and adapt to new medical technologies as they
develop.
Construction of the new Peterson
Regional Medical Center will he the largest building project in Kerr
County history. The medical center will be located west of the Peterson Ambulatory Care
Center on a 35-acre campus at the end of Wesley Drive. Groundbreaking
ceremonies took place on Dec. 8, 2005, and the first few weeks of
construction focused on creating an extension of Hill Country Dr
and laying pipes for water and sewage. After completion of the roads and
pipelines, work will start on the actual
structure.
On January 31, 2006, Hospital Board President Tom
Murray and Granger MacDonald of MacDonald and Associates announced that
a contract for the sale of the downtown hospital properties had been
finalized. MacDonald and Associates' exciting plan calls for converting
the current seven-story hospital into an upscale, multi-use facility
that combines retail, office and residential space.
The plan will provide significant economic benefits to
the historic downtown district and greater Kerrville for decades to
come. Parties will close on the contract when the new Peterson Regional
Medical Center is complete.
With the exception of open heart surgery and neurosurgery, most other
medical treatments or procedures are available right here in the Hill
Country, right where Hal and Charlie Peterson believed medical services
should be; close to home, friends and family. While much growth and
innovation has occurred since 1949, the commitment to excellence
established at that time has remained constant. Peterson Regional Health
Care Center is the embodiment of a philosophy and mission that is
dedicated to providing high quality health care to the residents of the
Hill Country.
SPMH Dedication
The Official Dedication From the Opening Day Program of Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital
Presented by Hal & Charlie Peterson, on July 3, 1949"We have built this hospital as a memorial to our father. He grew up in the Hill Country, he loved it and he counted his friends on Hill Country farms and ranches by the score. We think he would want us to erect this sort of memorial to him; a hospital that fills a need of long standing; dedicated without profit to the service of the community he loved.
And so, here it is. It’s yours to use. If it will ease a little the sufferings of the sick and injured; if it will help a little to mend their broken bodies; if it will provide a place where the next generation – and the next – can enter this world with the best of care and attention; and if it can do these things at a minimum of expense to those who must be patients, then our purpose in building it and giving it to the Hill Country community has been well served."
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SPMH Values
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The Customer (internal & external) defines Quality. We value the "Voice of the Customer." |
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Cooperation, not competition, is key. We value teamwork to optimize the quality of our services. |
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Quality is our #1 Priority. We seek to build Quality into the process. We value excellence. |
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We seek to reduce undesirable variation in our work and outcomes. We value continuous improvement in the quality of our services. |
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Leadership is responsible for establishing a culture which focuses on learning and improving. We value knowledge. |
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Each employee works hard and brings knowledge to the job and how it can be improved. We value people. |
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SPMH Vision
Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital will strive to become the premier rural hospital in the Southwest and will take the leadership role in making the greater Hill Country the healthiest place to live in the country.
SPMH Mission
To provide quality health care to all who seek our services.
To attain patient and family satisfaction.
To hire and retain a qualified and caring staff.
To foster teamwork through continuous quality improvement.
To insure the financial stability of the Hospital through cost effective operations.
To maintain all facilities at the proper level of cleanliness and serviceability.
To assure that all equipment and services reflect the appropriate and best technology available.
To improve the wellness of the communities we serve.
To seek outside financial support for under funded services and development.
To support related organizations in the communities we serve.
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