Milestones Icon: Longmont United Hospital
Longmont has had a hospital since 1906 – and, in fact, it had two hospitals for several decades in the early 1900s.
A stone building at Fourth Avenue and Coffman Street was home to the city’s first dedicated hospital starting in 1906. The building was expanded to the west in 1916, giving it a capacity of 40 beds.
The Saint Vrain Hospital opened at 320 Bross St. in 1912, later moving to a brick building at Third Avenue and Coffman Street at a date that has been lost to history.
When the two hospitals were deemed inadequate for the growing city by the Colorado Department of Health in 1954, a group of residents rallied to raise money to build a new hospital.
The new, nonprofit Longmont Community Hospital opened in 1954.
The group was able to raise the money to build the hospital without bond issues or tax money.
When it opened on March 21, 1959, the Longmont Community Hospital had 50 beds, 13 doctors and 87 other employees and served a community of 11,000 residents.
In 1971, Longmont Community Hospital merged with Longs Peak Osteopathic Hospital to become Longmont United Hospital. The hospital currently is licensed for 201 beds and offers a variety of specialty services, from its women’s and children’s department, its cardiac department and its emergency center, to the Hope Cancer Center, which opened in 1996.
The Hope Cancer Center offers radiation treatment to cancer patients along with massage therapy and nutritional consultation. Its construction was funded through donations from the Ken and Susan Pratt family and others in the community.
In January 2000, the hospital opened the five-story patient tower with private rooms through the help of private donations.
The revamped 8,927-square-foot Emergency Department opened in March 2008, expanding to 24 treatment rooms, which include four private trauma rooms.
To streamline operations at the entrance, there are three triage rooms where patients can be taken. In addition, the emergency department has its own X-ray machine, a CT Scanner and its own laboratory area.
In addition, the hospital has its own MRI diagnostic machine, which is used to scan patients. The 3,660-square-foot cardiopulmonary department offers diagnostic services as well, from echocardiograms and cardiac stress tests to pulmonary function studies and sleep studies.
In recent years, the hospital has partnered with Fort-Collins-based Poudre Valley Health System with plans to build the new Indian Peaks Medical Center in Frederick. The new urgent care center is expected to be built in 2012.
Longmont has had a hospital since 1906 – and, in fact, it had two hospitals for several decades in the early 1900s.
A stone building at Fourth Avenue and Coffman Street was home to the city’s first dedicated hospital starting in 1906. The building was expanded to the west in 1916, giving it a capacity of 40 beds.
The Saint Vrain Hospital opened at 320 Bross St. in 1912, later moving to a brick building at Third Avenue and Coffman Street at a date that has been lost to history.
When the two hospitals were deemed inadequate for the growing city by the…
THIS ARTICLE IS FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Continue reading for less than $3 per week!
Get a month of award-winning local business news, trends and insights
Access award-winning content today!
