General Facts
 General FactsThe story of Passavant Hospital really began in 1868 when Mrs. Eliza Ayers, a widow from Jacksonville, wrote to Reverend William Passavant, a Lutheran minister that had a national reputation for creating hospitals and orphanages, about donating a most valuable block of five acres on the city’s leading street. Although it took seven years of searching to find the right solution, Eliza gave the property to Reverend Passavant in 1875, and Jacksonville Hospital (now known as Passavant Hospital) was built on East State Street. It was the 149th hospital in the United States.
The transformation of Passavant from a small-town hospital to a modern state-of-the-art medical facility happened slowly at first, then three major decisions took place that insured the future success of the hospital. First was the formation of the Ladies Aid Society (now called Passavant Auxiliary) in January 1896. The organization’s role proved to be ever-changing as Passavant grew and it worked to accommodate the trends of medicine and hospital care. Whenever money was needed—whether it be for an expansion, equipment, services, or patient care—the Auxiliary responded. Second was the establishment of the Nursing School in 1902. Its bright, young faces did much to tell the community that Passavant was here for the long run and working for the future. And the third major decision that insured Passavant’s success was when local sources obtained complete control and it became truly a locally owned facility in 1916.
In 1953, Passavant opened the doors to its new 140-bed facility at its current location on West Walnut Street. Over the years, Passavant has continued to grow and, thanks to the support of many in the local community, has expanded their technology and services to become a modern state-of-the-art medical facility.
Today, Passavant serves the residents of Morgan, Cass, Greene, Scott, and Macoupin counties in West Central Illinois, is staffed by 600 full and part-time employees, and is equipped to handle 93 patient beds. Passavant is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JACHO), and in 2006, was named one of the top two hospitals in the State and one of the top 10 percent in the nation to administer antibiotics 60 minutes prior to surgery by the Illinois Hospital Association (IHS). Passavant also received the 2006 Distinguished Hospital Award for Patient Safety from HealthGrades, the nation’s leading independent healthcare ratings company.
To view the complete historical timeline of Passavant Area Hospital, please click here.
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