1946
In 1946, the Hill Burton Act provided funds for the construction of new community hospitals. As a result, the Lincoln County Commissioners began to dream of a new hospital. That same year, the hospital’s first board of trustees was appointed, and plans were submitted for a one-story building. Six acres of land were purchased four years later for the sum of $5,000.
1953
Lincoln County Memorial Hospital accepted its first patient in the spring of 1953. Construction had begun the year prior and a 50-bed hospital was scheduled to open at 7 a.m. on April 16, 1953.
However, Mr. And Mrs. Roy McCormack, of Ethlyn, presented to the hospital in the early hours of that morning, becoming the parents of the first baby born in the Lincoln County Memorial Hospital.
Their daughter, Brenda Kay, was born at 5:09 that morning. Dr. Joe C. Creech of Troy was the attending physician. Brenda Kay, the twelfth child of her parents, received a $50 Defense Bond from the Bank of Troy for being the first baby born at the new hospital.
1960s
By 1959 it was apparent that an expansion was necessary to better serve the community. In 1960, an addition to the hospital provided 14 brand new beds.
In 1968, a second addition gave the hospital enough room to relocate the Laboratory and Radiology Departments, administration offices and the Emergency Room. This restructuring provided ample space to build a chapel, classroom, larger linen room and other specialty rooms. Twelve patient rooms were added, providing 24 more beds. A third floor shell was also constructed to provide for 24 additional beds as needed in the future, bringing the total capacity to 82 beds.
1970s
In 1972, an Inhalation Therapy Department was added. An ambulance district building was added in 1976 behind the hospital. In 1978, the third floor was finally unveiled for a total capacity of 106 beds.
1980s
In November of 1983, Two South was opened for patient occupancy. This construction added a new Surgery and Sterile Supply area and relocated the Business Office, Purchasing and Medical Records. This construction also provided space for a larger and newly improved Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Laboratory Department, Radiology Department and Emergency Room. The Lincoln County Medical Center Hospital Home Care Agency was established in September 1984.
1990s
Lincoln County Medical Center has been JCAHO accredited since 1993.
In November of 1994, the OB department was closed to better accommodate the changing community and its need for more specialized services. Troy Surgical Clinic opened in April of 1995 and Troy Family Practice opened in June of 1997.
2000s
In August of 2000, voters of Lincoln County approved a bond issue for renovating the hospital. The 2001 project provided expansion and renovation of the existing Lincoln County Medical Center. One story at the front of the hospital replaced the Emergency and ICU areas. This allowed for a new main entry and chapel to be built and provided new facilities for Outpatient, Surgery, Prep and Recovery.
The Radiology Department was expanded and reconfigured in renovated space. The Rehab department was relocated and enlarged. Other areas affected by the project were the Cardio-Pulmonary and Laboratory Departments.
Backed by the Friends of the Lincoln County Medical Center, Dietary received a cosmetic upgrade as did several other support areas for the hospital. As part of the project, space that formerly housed the OB department was demolished, and Medical Records expanded into that area. Bricks from the old building were wrapped in onesies and sold to patients who wanted to keep a memento of their birth. A license capacity was then reduced from 72 to 61 beds.
In April of 2001 Lincoln County Memorial Hospital changed its name to Lincoln County Medical Center.
In January of 2002, the Doctors Professional Clinic opened.
On September 1, 2004, Lincoln County Medical Center was classified as a Critical Access Hospital by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. The classification certified the hospital as a licensed health care provider offering services to residents locally.
2015
On March 1, 2015, Lincoln County Medical Center officially joined Mercy and changed its name to Mercy Hospital Lincoln.
