The History of DeSoto Memorial Hospital
DeSoto County has had a healthcare facility
since 1913 when Dr. J.A. Simmons opened his small sanitarium just south of
Arcadia. In July 1920, the sanitarium was sold to a group of local investors and
the name was changed to Arcadia General Hospital. This facility served the needs
of DeSoto County residents, as well as neighboring counties, for over forty
years. Although some additions and repairs were done, time and wear were taking
their toll on the old frame structure. In the early 1960's, a group of local
business people felt that it was time to build a new, modern hospital for their
growing community.
These local business leaders wrote a special legislative act creating the DeSoto
County Hospital District, which was approved in 1965 by the Florida Legislature
and approved by the voters of DeSoto County. A local family donated twelve acres
of land in Northeast Arcadia that would become the site for DeSoto Memorial
Hospital. The Legislative Act permitted Florida taxes from racetrack revenues to
make the payments for the Bond Issue, which paid for one-half of the building
project. A Federal Hill-Burton Grant and a local fund drive made the other
one-half possible. DeSoto Memorial Hospital opened its doors on November 11,
1968.
The next major change occurred in the early 1980's. The hospital's Governing
Board and administrative directors could see the need for some improvements in
the hospital's physical plant. From a long-range plan, it became clear that an
expansion of the hospital and renovation of the original areas would be
necessary for the facility to continue to provide adequate health care for its
citizens. Months of planning and preparation came to a climax on November 6,
1983, when groundbreaking ceremonies started the multi-million dollar expansion
and renovation. Now completed, DeSoto Memorial Hospital is among the most modern
and efficient small hospitals to be found anywhere. It is important to note that
members of the community, medical staff, and hospital employees pledged over one
million dollars to this project and many spent hundreds of hours working to
ensure the success of the fund-raising campaign.
On December 20, 1985, the Hospital District transferred the assets and
management of the hospital to DeSoto Memorial Hospital, Inc., a not-for-profit
corporation. This conversion was done to improve the hospital's ability to
develop outpatient and related medical services in order to better compete in
today's changing healthcare environment. The seven members of the Board of
Directors are appointed for four-year terms by the corporation membership, which
is made up of DeSoto County residents.
On January 1994, the DeSoto Memorial Hospital Board of Directors entered into a
full-service management agreement with Quorum Health Resources.
DeSoto Memorial Hospital has a full three-year accreditation by Joint Commission
on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; is licensed by the State of
Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services; is a member of the
Florida Hospital Association and American Hospital Association.