History
In the late 1940s the idea of a new modern hospital for Clarion and the surrounding communities took root. After a tortuous and deeply emotional debate – according to the Wright County Monitor, the idea became a reality when “sufficient funds were present” to hire an architect. Plans were designed, a site was donated and the hospital then, the Community Memorial Hospital was built. An editorial in the Monitor at the time stated this about the original building: “To say that Clarion’s hospital is one of the finest structures we have ever seen is a gross understatement.” The people of Clarion were obviously impressed with the new structure. Since that time, the hospital has had several more major additions and renovations that were completed in 1962, 1966, 1972, 1982, 1992 and more recently in 1997 when Project Healthcare was completed and the new 9 bed wing became a reality. Community Memorial Hospital admitted its first patient on November 29, 1951.
Ten years ago the Meadows were built and celebrated their 10 year anniversary on July 2, 2003. The Meadows independent retirement community was developed to meet the needs of the elderly residents of the community. Bob and Jane Davison donated the land where the Meadows is built and played an instrumental role in the kick-off of the idea. There were 4 “Bobs” who played a large role in the success of the Meadows. Bob Davison, who donated the land with his wife, Jane; Bob Kay, who brought the idea of an independent retirement facility to Clarion and then did much of the research on the project and Bob Eaton, who contributed many excellent design ideas and Bob Orcutt. After all this planning, the Meadows became a reality in 1993.
In 2006 a major renovation and expansion project took place. An addition was built at the south-east corner of the complex and the entire building was remodeled at a cost of $4.5 million. Also at that time an addition was built to the Meadows which houses an 18-unit assisted living facility. In 2007 the new Wright Medical Wellness Center was built in Eagle Grove.
In 2007, Wright Medical Center and Belmond Medical Center began collaboration by sharing administration, physicians and other ways to minimize the number of patients leaving Wright County for healthcare.
Read more about this topic: Wright Medical Center
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“... the history of the race, from infancy through its stages of barbarism, heathenism, civilization, and Christianity, is a process of suffering, as the lower principles of humanity are gradually subjected to the higher.”
—Catherine E. Beecher (1800–1878)