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1000 Medical Center Drive • Monticello IL 61856
Kirby Medical Center
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                About / Our History / Look Back at Our History

                75 Years of Healthcare Excellence, Close to Home

                Take a Step Back in Time

                1842

                On December 8, 1942 - John Kirby is born in County Limerick, Ireland.

                1850

                After the death of his mother, John Kirby, along with his father and two brothers, moves to Springfield, OH.

                1851

                Kirby moves in with a neighboring farm family, the McCoys.

                1856

                The McCoys move to Illinois to settle near Decatur, and Kirby joins them.

                1860-1866

                Kirby enlists in Company F of the 2nd Illinois Cavalry Regiment at the beginning of the Civil War. He serves with Grant at the Siege of Vicksburg and in Louisiana before being discharged at the end of the war.

                Post War - 1873

                Kirby marries Mary E. Marquiss, the granddaughter of the founder of Monticello, IL. The couple has two children, but one dies in infancy.

                1899

                John and Mary Kirby and their daughter Nell retire from agricultural labors and move to Monticello, where they reside in a stately family mansion.

                1919

                John Kirby dies in Monticello. His will states that the City of Monticello will receive the Kirby mansion and $100,000 upon the death of his wife, Mary. The money and residence are to be used to establish the John and Mary E. Kirby Hospital.

                1938

                On December 7, 1938 Mary Kirby dies.

                1939

                On September 22, 1939, Nell M. England (daughter of John and Mary Kirby), W.H. England, Maxwell R. Hott, Bela M. Stoddard and Herbert Mohler are appointed directors for the hospital.

                On September 25, 1939, Certificate of Incorporation No. 8903 is issued by Illinois Secretary of State Edward J. Hughes to the John and Mary Kirby Hospital as a corporation not for pecuniary profit.

                On September 26, 1939, Madora B. Moore and Allen F. Moore convey their home and estate surrounding it to the John and Mary Kirby Hospital.

                1939

                Contract let to Hagerman & Harshman of Sullivan, IL, for the remodeling of the Moore residence into a hospital facility.

                Welcome to 1941

                Welcome to 1941

                Thousands crowded the halls to tour the new John and Mary E. Kirby Hospital when it officially opened its doors in January 1941 with a staff of 15 doctors, four nurses and eight service employees. There were undoubtedly many “oohs” and “aahs” as Piatt County residents viewed the luxurious and modern amenities, including tilting mattresses, six fireplaces, decoratively carved ceilings and “un-hospital” rooms filled with Chippendale furniture. The landscaped grounds featured a courtyard and fish pool surrounded by pathways for roaming patients, employees and guests.

                Kirby offered the latest medical technology and highest standards of care with stainless-steel operating equipment, repositionable operating tables, one of only two electric dishwashers in town and an array of electric lights (bed lights, door lights, hall lights, infra-red rays, ultra-violet rays and even floor lights).

                Not many of us remember 1941, and the details might sound quaint now in 2016. What was life like when the hospital first opened? Take a step back in time...

                Average Prices

                • A New House: $4,075
                • Annual Wages: $1,750
                • A Gallon of Gas: $0.12
                • A New Car: $850
                • A Postage Stamp: $0.03

                U.S. Culture

                • World Series Champions: New York Yankees
                • Popular Songs: “Chattanooga Choo Choo” by Glenn Miller and “Green Eyes” by Jimmy Dorsey
                • Popular Movies: “Dumbo” and “The Maltese Falcon”
                • Although television is not yet a household staple, drive-in movie theaters are all the rage, and fast food restaurants are increasing in popularity. The frugalness of the Great Depression is renewed in the face of World War II, but modern conveniences such as refrigerators and indoor plumbing are changing the American lifestyle forever.

                U.S. Politics

                • President: Franklin D. Roosevelt
                • Hourly minimum wage: $0.30
                • Population: 133.4 million
                • World War II is escalating in Europe, and by the end of the year, the United States is in the thick of it after the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941. The passing of bills to support allied countries and veterans reflects the nation’s collective consciousness towards impending military action.

                Fun Facts

                • Thanksgiving is officially celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month to allow more time for holiday shopping.
                • Paul Simon, Martha Stewart, Bob Dylan, Jesse Jackson and Otis Redding are all born in 1941.
                • “Citizen Kane” is a flop at theatres, but goes on to be regarded as one of the best films of all time.
                • Franklin D. Roosevelt is Time’s Man of the Year for the third time.
                • The first television commercial airs - a 10-second ad costing around $7.00 for Bulova watches.
                • Medicine
                • Scientists develop a means of mass producing penicillin, which leads to a less than 1% death rate from bacterial pneumonia among soldiers (compared to 18% during WWI).
                • Fear of serious health complications and death from polio, tuberculosis and syphilis are still very real and prevalent.
                • Smoking is allowed (and sometimes even encouraged) in hospitals but frowned upon around new babies and oxygen tanks.
                • It is common for hospitals to be segregated by race, religion and gender.
                • Long hospital stays are the norm, with new mothers spending a week or more in the maternity ward, although around half of births still happen at home.
                • Plastics are not yet used, and glass syringes and IV bottles and must be sterilized for reuse.

                1941

                The first patient is admitted to the John and Mary E. Kirby Hospital. Medical staff includes 15 doctors, four registered nurses and eight employees in the service departments.

                WWII

                Dr. Abe D. Furry becomes the only physician left at the hospital during most of the war.

                1950

                Nell M. England dies and leaves her entire estate to the hospital.

                1969

                Over the years, the Kirby Auxiliary has gradually ceased activity until hospital administrator Tom Dixon approaches Lois Crouse with the idea of reactivating the Auxiliary.

                1970

                Because of an acute shortage of nursing home beds in the county, a 63-bed nursing home is built next to the hospital. Auxiliary members assist with the opening of the nursing home.

                1974

                Kirby Ambulance Service begins.

                1986

                On January 1, 1986, Due to changes in the insurance industry, Kirby closes its obstetrics department. Over the years, Kirby’s obstetrics staff delivered 4,635 babies, the first being John Kirby Chaney in 1941 and the last being Matthew Walters on December 31, 1985.

                1989

                Kirby celebrates the 50th anniversary of the founding of their not-for-profit corporation in 1939. Over the last 50 years there have been 39,389 admissions, a total of 307,184 days spent in the hospital and 302,204 outpatient visits.

                2000

                A renovation of the hospital is complete with the addition of two private rooms and a renovation of the Laboratory and Emergency Departments.

                2004

                Kirby receives the Press Ganey Compass Award - Inpatient Services: Recognizing Outstanding Performance Improvement in Patient Satisfaction.

                2006

                Kirby receives the Press Ganey Summit Award - Emergency Department, which is awarded to hospitals achieving 95 percent or higher patient satisfaction for three or more consecutive years. Kirby goes on to receive the award again for the Emergency Department in 2007, 2008 and 2012.

                2011

                On September 29, 2011, The new Kirby Medical Center begins providing care at its current location at 1000 Medical Center Drive in Monticello after receiving over $3 million in donated gifts and pledges and acquiring 108 acres of property along Interstate 72.

                2012

                The Volunteer Corp is established, which is a subset of Kirby’s 200 plus member strong Auxiliary.

                2013

                Becker’s Infection Control & Clinical Quality names Kirby Medical Center in the top 52 hospitals with the cleanest patient rooms, with the national average at 74 percent and Kirby achieving 93 percent.

                2014

                The Kirby Auxiliary donates $16,000 toward the hospital’s purchase of a new ambulance.

                2015

                The first phase of the Wellness Trail, a one-mile stretch of pathways, opens to the public with the support of over $500,000 in private, tax-deductible gifts.

                2016

                • Kirby Medical Center celebrated its 75th Anniversary.
                • Our Surgery department has again won the Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award for sustained patient satisfaction.
                • Our new Kirby Medical Group at Cerro Gordo opened on December 19th, CrossFit KMC and our GetFit programs opened in June.
                • Steve Tenhouse, CEO, was presented an award from ICAHN for his dedicated service and outstanding leadership to the statewide hospital organization.

                2017

                • Kirby Medical Center was named a 2017 Guardian of Excellence Award winner by Press Ganey.
                • Kirby was named one of the Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals for Best Practice Recipient for Patient Satisfaction in the country.
                • KMC was awarded the Studer Group’s Excellence in Patient Care Award for Emergency Department Performance.
                • Dr. James Manint was awarded 2017 Rural Physician of Excellence Award by the Illinois Rural Health Association.
                • KMC began expanding the Therapy Department, Parking and Accessibility, and the new Outreach Conference room.
                • Kirby Auxiliary donated $21,000 to Kirby Medical Center, with funds going toward the purchase of a new power cot for Kirby Ambulance.

                2018

                • Kirby Medical Center once again received Guardian of Excellence awards from Press Ganey for sustained excellence in patient satisfaction and employee engagement.
                • Kirby Medical Center was honored to be recognized as a Top 20 Critical Access Hospital in the U.S. for Patient Satisfaction by the National Rural Health Association for the second year in a row.
                • Kirby Medical Group received the 2018 Excellence in Patient Care award in the Employee Engagement category.
                • In August, KMC’s new Therapy Garden officially opened for all to enjoy, support for the Pergola by Kirby Auxiliary. The Lab Department relocated and doubled in size, as well as Kirby Medical Group adding 11 new rooms to its facilities and one new procedure room. KMC Active opened up to the community to give members of Piatt County and surrounding areas more options to better their health. These programs include KMC 30, KMC Endurance, and KMC Yoga.
                • Kirby Auxiliary raised $22,000 to support the purchase of a power patient cot for our Ambulance Service, as well as the construction of the new Therapy Garden pergola.

                2019

                • KMC was named one of the Top 20 Critical Access Hospitals for Patient Satisfaction from the National Rural Health Association.
                • Kirby Medical Center received a Guardian of Excellence award for Employee Engagement.
                • Kirby Medical Center began construction on relocating the gift shop.
                • Kirby Auxiliary donated $29,000 to KMC to support the purchase of a Vein Viewer for the Emergency Department and the Smartcuve Breast Paddle Curve System for the Imaging Department.
                • Kirby Medical Center CEO, Steve Tenhouse was inducted into the Fire Starter Hall of Fame by Huron/Studer Group, the highest honor the organization awards to healthcare leaders for organizations across the United States and Canada.
                • KMC added a new Fluoroscopy room and their own retail pharmacy, Kirby Rx.
                • Future plans for 2020 consist of opening a medical office building and adding Senior Life Solutions, an outpatient group therapy program designed to meet the needs of adults struggling with symptoms of depression and anxiety

                2020

                • Senior Life Solutions, an outpatient group therapy program designed to meet the needs of adults struggling with symptoms of depression and anxiety, opened up in the new medical office building.
                • Kirby Wound Care started accepting patients in the new medical office building.
                • Kirby Rx opened up for business in their second location on Market Street in Monticello.
                • Kirby Auxiliary celebrated their 50th anniversary.
                • Kirby Medical Center was named Top 20 Critical Hospital for Best Practice - Patient Satisfaction in the County by National Rural Health Association!

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