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HISTORY
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| 1918 |
The Ellen Fitzgerald Hospital, the first hospital in Union County and predecessor of Union Regional
Medical Center opens. Construction of the 18-room hospital, located on Hayne Street, began in July of
1918. |
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| 1925 |
As the Ellen Fitzgerald Hospital neared maximum capacity, an annex is added to the original building to accommodate additional patients. |
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| 1934 |
Dr. Mahoney, administrator of the hospital, passes away. The City of Monroe assumes operation of the hospital. |
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| 1935 |
The Ellen Fitzgerald Hospital is incorporated and leased to the Union County Board of Commissioners. |
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| 1953 |
After many years of significant growth in patient volumes, Union Memorial Hospital, a new 100-bed facility, opens. This hospital was located on the hospital's current campus at 600 Hospital Drive. The Ellen Fitzgerald Hospital remains open for chronically-ill patients, thus becoming the first long-term care hospital in either North or South Carolina. |
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| 1956 |
A 25-bed addition is added to the existing hospital, bringing the total number of beds to 125. |
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| 1965 |
The George M. Smith Building, currently the Smith Nursing Center, opens on the campus of Union Memorial Hospital. This new building serves as a long-term care facility for patients of the recently closed Ellen Fitzgerald Hospital. |
| 1968 |
Union Memorial Hospital is reorganized to change its status to a non-profit operating company. It is incorporated under the name Union Memorial Hospital, Inc.
The 100,000th patient is admitted to Union Memorial Hospital on Christmas Day. |
| 1979 |
Union County residents vote to build a new hospital facility adjacent to the existing hospital building. |
| 1985 |
Union Memorial Hospital opens its new acute care facility, boasting modern technologies and 160 beds. 69 patients were moved into the hospital when it first opened. |
| 1992 |
Union Memorial Hospital added Behavioral Health Center First Step, a chemical dependency treatment center, and Franklin Street Ambulatory Clinic, a physicians' practice designed to provide care for the medically underserved. |
| 1995 |
Union Memorial Hospital is leased by the Union County Board of Commissioners to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Hospital Authority, now operating as Carolinas HealthCare System. Provisions are made for new boards of representation and the hospital name is changed to Union Regional Medical Center, as to better reflect the range of services the hospital offered to a three-county region. |
| 1995 -1999 |
Many renovations and upgrades will take place at Union Regional Medical Center during the next four years. This includes a new Emergency Room, a new Surgery Reception area and an expansion of the Day Surgery Center, including an Endoscopy Unit. A number of renovations and upgrades are made to existing areas in the facility.
During this time, Union Regional Medical Center also adds several centers of care that focuses on the specific needs of these patients. These include the Diabetes Center, the Lactation Center, the Women and Children's Center, the Cardiac Rehabilitation Center and the Sleep Center. |
| 1999 |
Union Regional Medical Center extends its lease with Carolinas HealthCare System for 20 years, allowing the hospital to proceed with expansion and renovation plans to total $47 million. Plans include expansion of surgical suites, construction of a new Outpatient Treatment Pavilion, a 15-bed Clinical Decision Unit, a new headquarters for Union Emergency Medical Services (Union EMS), the relocation of Behavioral Health Center First Step and renovations to a number of areas throughout the facility. |
| Aug. 2000 |
Behavioral Health Center First Step relocates to a newly renovated facility on the hospital campus. |
| 2001 |
Construction begins on the new Outpatient Treatment Pavilion, an 85,000 square foot facility dedicated to the needs of outpatients. The Pavilion will feature a comprehensive cancer center including chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Radiation treatment, never before offered in Union County, is made possible due to the addition of a state-of-the-art linear accelerator.
Also included in the Pavilion are an outpatient laboratory and a high-tech Imaging Center, which includes the most advanced MRI and CT equipment available. Rehabilitative Services, Cardiopulmonary & Neurology Services, The Sleep Center, The Diabetes Center and The Lactation Center will relocate to the Pavilion as well. |
| Feb. 2002 |
The Clinical Decision Unit and Chest Pain Center open for patient care. This unit services post-procedural patients and patients requiring a short-term stay. Located adjacent to the hospital's Emergency Department, the 6,500 square foot Clinical Decision Unit includes fifteen patient rooms, nurses' station and a family reception area. |
| Oct. 2002 |
The 85,000 square foot Outpatient Treatment Pavilion opens for patient care. Patients are now able to receive radiation treatment, a crucial element for the treatment of cancer, close to home. In addition, the Pavilion allows better service to the thousands of people treated on an outpatient basis each year. In 2002, Union Regional totaled over 55,000 outpatient visits. |
| 2003 |
Union Regional Medical Center is celebrates its 50th birthday during 2003.
In addition, renovations and expansion of the hospital's acute care facility are complete. Renovations include a new Surgical Reception area, a new Medical Records Department, a redesigned inpatient Imaging department, an upgraded Emergency Department and a new physicians' lounge. All facets of the $47 million expansion and renovation project, known as Project 2000, were completed by late summer 2003. |
| September-2005 |
Union West Medical Plaza opened in Indian Trail, NC.
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| November-2005 |
The hospital's name is changed to Carolinas Medical Center-Union.
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