Community Hosp At Dobbs Ferry

History

The history of the Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry is a proud story of how concerned citizens worked together to provide modern health and lifesaving services for their families neighbors and friends

Its a story that began in 1893 when thanks to the personal efforts and monetary support of Anne Langdon the first Hospital at Dobbs Ferry was built It had only four bedsshy three for adults and one for a child There was one doctor one nurse and a small stable for the horsedrawn emergency carriage It wasnt long before the communitys needs outgrew the small Hospital

In 1899 a Hospital Association was formed comprised of outstanding local citizens with such familiar names as Villard Masters Brown McComb Judson and Gould who sought donations to support expansion of the Hospital

By 1903 the Hospital had a new home with 20 medical surgical and obstetrical beds an operating room a sizable medical staff and a Governing Board to look out for its future Over the years donations by friends and neighbors continually supported the upkeep renovation and expansion of the Hospital New wings were built in 1922 and 1952 Before long the Hospital had grown to 50 patient beds an emergency room laboratory and radiology departments an active operating room pharmacy and all the necessary support services To keep pace with the latest in medical advances the Hospital expanded adding space equipment doctors and technical personnel The 1960s were a challenging time for the Hospital as health care needs began to change and the Hospitals buildings grew older Obstetrical service ceased and patient services were moved from a 1902 woodframe building into the new wings of the Hospital

In the early 1970s Hospital Trustees Medical Staff Administration Employees and Volunteers worked long and hard with a large group of committed citizens and a succession of dedicated specialists to plan a Community Hospital

Those many years of planning came to fruition in 1984 when financing was approved for construction of a new 15 million stateoftheart Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry Construction was completed in early 1987 and the new Community Hospital officially opened its doors in June of that year

The new building featured 50 inpatient beds three operating rooms sevenbay emergency center ambulatory surgery unit computerized diagnostic library radiology services and an intensive care unit containing the most advanced cardiac monitoring and lifesupport systems

But theres more to building a great community hospital than just bricks and mortar The new Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry conducted a hospitalwide quality enhancement review that resulted in significant changes in personnel policies and practices Attracted by the Hospitals commitment to a new era of quality health care more than 100 physicians many of them associated with major medical institutions applied to join the Hospitals medical staff

It was truly the start of a new era for the Hospital shy new building new equipment new services new doctors new professional staff new Quality Assurance programs and a new commitment to providing the community with the finest in health care services

And now with the new partnership with St Johns Riverside Hospital the Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry is assured of a strong and viable future as it begins another century of caring for the community