(Greensburg, IN) – Decatur County Memorial Hospital (DCMH) hosted a time capsule celebration Monday to honor contributions by its healthcare professionals over the past 100 years and create a lasting legacy for future generations.
The hospital opened on February 4, 1922 and has grown from its original 16,000-square-foot building to a comprehensive healthcare facility.
President and CEO Rex McKinney says, despite significant changes in healthcare – especially when it comes to technology – one constant is DCMH’s caring spirit.
“For future generations to open up a time capsule like this, that has a variety of things in it about our history as well as our current state, it will give them something to reflect on and know that the caring spirit existed years prior,” McKinney said. “So we’re very pleased to be able to do this today for the community.”
Hospital Operations Coordinator Taylor Gramman says a mix of new and old items were placed in the time capsule.
“Everything is physical items with pictures. This paper we put in is supposed to be good for archiving documents, so in between each picture there’s that paper, then they’re in plastic boxes in a bigger zipped up case,” Gramman said. “We tried to tuck everything in and wrap it is much as we could to hopefully make sure it preserves for the next 50 or 100 years till they open it up.”
Dr. Mary McCullough says a number of strides have been made in her 38 years on the hospital staff – especially when it comes to technology.
“The advances in radiology, particularly in the Radiology Department, are excellent, with the ability to give the scans that we can and that helps us do the diagnosis,” Dr. McCullough said. “The medicines that the hospital keeps up with and the providers are using.”
Dr. McCullough says a lot of progress has also been made when it comes to diabetes, cancer and pulmonary care.
The time capsule was sealed during the ceremony held at the DCMH Walking Trail.