Fifth of a series of articles leading up to Monadnock Community Hospital’s 100th anniversary celebration June 3. See Part 1, Part 2,  Part 3 and Part 4.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, there were many advances for the hospital. In March 1992, the Medical Arts Building opened, and the heliport became functional that same month.

The 1994 campaign for the Women’s Health Center raised $70,000, and they used these funds to purchase ultrasound and mammography equipment. More than 300 individuals contributed to this effort, with a focus on early detection of breast cancer.

In 1997, there was a waiting list for all rehabilitation programs in the Monadnock region, and to aid in this need, the Bond Wellness Center opened in 2000. With 45,000 square feet, it integrated formal rehabilitation with medically based exercise programs in the space. It also offered a safe and affordable space for community members to exercise through a membership program.

From 2001 to 2006 the Rehabilitation Services Department, located in the Bond Wellness Center, treated over 10,000 patients.

In 2003, another community need was met when the Monadnock Healthy Teeth program began. This free dental care program was offered to children in kindergarten through third grade. The program’s “tooth fairy” would visit the schools to educate the students on oral health, and in the first three years, this program visited 2,800 children.

In April 2006, President and CEO Peter Gosline was named “Grassroots Champion” by the American Hospital Association for bringing the needs to rural hospitals to the forefront through this program.

In 2006, Monadnock Orthopaedic Associates (MOA) performed 33 percent of all surgery in the hospital. In October 2006, MCH installed one of the world’s most-advanced and powerful computerized tomography (CT) systems.

In 2006, Gosline said: “MCH was built by people who genuinely cared about the community. The hospital has survived since 1923 because that commitment remains unchanged. Our community embraced the institution and repeatedly through the years provided the resources we needed to endure and grow.”

In 1994, Child magazine named MCH’s maternity department one of the nation’s top 10 maternity units in the country. In 1995, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations awarded MCH a grid score of 96 of 100, ranking MCH among the top 5 percent of hospitals across the country. In 1998, this score rose to a 99.

In 2005, the Wellness Center was recognized nationally as a Distinguished Achievement Winner by the Medical Fitness Association, an affiliate of the American Hospital Association. Later that year, MCH was designated as a Critical Access Hospital, after passing a stringent audit that typically lasts five days.

In 2006, MCH was ranked among the top 10 percent of hospitals in New Hampshire.

That year, Gosline said: “It is our dedicated employees in our clinical areas and members of our medical staff who have helped us achieve such impressive results, directly benefitting the patients who rely on Monadnock Community Hospital for their care”

Community support for the hospital continued throughout this period. In 1998, the inaugural Fall Foliage Golf Classic benefit tournament was held. This is the only fundraising event that is still held to this day. In the early days, it raised an average of $40,000, with nearly 50 companies and individuals sponsoring it each year.

In 2000, the hospital kicked off a $10 million capital campaign thanks to a dedicated committee and generous community supporters. On July 25, 2005, Herbert T. Nilson, the owner of Bass Farm, made a $1 million charitable bequest, naming the main campus road Bass Farm Way. On April 29, 2006, Edward L. Bond, Jr made a $1 million bequest, and subsequently the Wellness Center was renamed the Bond Wellness Center. Community support has always been the foundation of the hospital.

If you have enjoyed this history, then you may enjoy “A Century of Caring, the Chronicle of Monadnock Community Hospital,” written by Barbara Miller. The book has been updated for the 100th anniversary and will be available at the centennial celebration on June 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Monadnock Community Hospital is a 25-bed critical access hospital offering primary care, medical and surgical care, obstetrics, pediatrics and behavioral health services. In addition, outpatient services are available, including a primary care network, orthopaedics, cardiology, cardiac and physical rehabilitation services, 24-hour emergency care, oncology, occupational health, a fully equipped laboratory and a radiology department. 

Melissa French is the marketing specialist for Monadnock Community Hospital in Peterborough.

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