Marquette, Michigan, is the kind of community that has always embraced change. And that's equally true of the medical community. The roots of hospital care go back to the mid-1800s, and there have been many challenges resulting from the community's relatively remote location and the severity of winter weather. Creative problem solving was essential in dealing with a smallpox epidemic in the early 1900s and the polio epidemic in late 1940s and early 1950s.

This portion of Marquette General Health System's history begins in the early 1970s, and chronicles some of the high points as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the formation of Marquette General in 2003-2004.

In the early 1970s, Marquette had two competing community hospitals: St. Luke's and
St. Mary's. St. Mary's (now the Jacobetti Veterans Facility) was owned by the Third Order of the Sisters of St. Francis (now OSF Healthcare) in Peoria, Illinois, and St. Luke's was a private, non-profit hospital, located on the present site of Marquette General Hospital.

Both hospitals were struggling to survive in a community of about 20,000 people, and the 43 physicians in town were stretched thin covering two emergency rooms on an on-call basis. Lengthy negotiations resulted in the merger of the two hospitals into Marquette General Hospital, Inc., effective July 1, 1973.

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Visionary leadership at that time came from community leaders including Ellwood Mattson, Lincoln Frazier (of the Frazier family involved with the creation of makeshift iron lungs during the polio epidemic of the 1950s), Harlan J. Larson, L. Wallace Bruce, Monsignor Louis Cappo, former Northern Michigan University President John X. Jamrich, and former NMU science professor Luther S. West.

With the completion of the merger, Marquette General Hospital, Inc. received designation as Upper Michigan's Regional Medical Center. For the first eight years after the merger, Marquette General continued operations out of both the St. Mary's facility (renamed Marquette General South), and St. Lukes (renamed Marquette General North), with a total of 660 employees, an annual operating budget of $6.7 million, and a medical staff of 43, offering 17 specialties and subspecialties.

During the early 1970s, the late Dr. Henry J. Barsch was among the physicians who pioneered the concept of physician outreach clinics in cooperation with physicians and Hospitals throughout Upper Michigan. The idea of making specialty care available close to home for patients has grown significantly since that time, and today there are physicians in 24 specialties visiting 16 communities on a regular basis to see patients.

Prior to the merger, the Marquette medical community had already begun recruiting more specialists, including cardiologists and a cardiovascular-thoracic surgeon. In 1978, the first open heart surgery was performed. Cardiovascular-thoracic surgeon Dr. Alan F. Hunter slept in the room next to the patient the night of that first surgery, and the tradition of providing exemplary cardiac care continues today.

According to an article in the Milwaukee Journal dated December 10, 1978, there had been 83 heart surgeries and 320 heart catheterizations between February and December of that year. In 2003, those numbers have mushroomed to 500 heart surgeries and 5000 cardiac catheterizations. The fourth cardiac cath lab went into service at the Upper Michigan Heart Institute in September of 2003. Cardiologists at Marquette General were among the first in the state to perform pacemaker implantation in the cath lab instead of the operating room, and Marquette General was the eighth hospital in Michigan to perform coronary artery brachytherapy. Drug eluting stents, "off pump" heart surgery, and other advances in cardiac care are continuously being implemented at the Upper Michigan Heart Institute.

Development of the Heart Program, coupled with the need to consolidate all services into one site, led to the need for expansion of the former St. Luke's campus. In 1979, ground was broken for the $22 million Patient Tower, which was completed and dedicated in 1981.

The tower contained most of the medical-surgical inpatient units, the Laboratory, the Emergency Department, EMS, and eight (now 10) Operating Rooms. With the occupancy of the Patient Tower, all services were consolidated at the present hospital campus, and St. Mary's Hospital was sold to the State of Michigan. The structure is now the Jacobetti Veterans Facility, visible from the U.S. 41 bypass.

At the time of the dedication of the Patient Tower in 1981, Marquette General employed 1,000 people, and its medical staff had grown to 120, offering 30 specialties and subspecialties.

The Upper Michigan Cancer Center was the focus of the next construction project. By the early 1980s, with state approval for the acquisition of a linear accelerator for radiation treatment of cancer, it became necessary to construct a facility with lead-lined walls to accommodate the accelerator. To prepare for construction, the Upper Michigan Children's Clinic building was demolished, and the $10 million East Building was erected in its place. With the completion of the East Building in 1984, and the installation of the linear accelerator, it became possible for cancer patients to remain in the Upper Peninsula for state-of-the-art cancer treatment. That same year, the Upper Michigan Cancer Center attained accreditation from the American College of Surgeons as a Community Cancer Center, offering all current cancer treatment modalities including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and investigational therapies.

Cancer treatment at Marquette General had begun with the arrival of the first medical oncologist in 1975. A dedicated medical oncology unit opened at Marquette General South in 1976. The location of the unit made it necessary for patients needing x-rays to travel by ambulance across town to Marquette General North, and the ultimate movement of the medical oncology unit resulted in a significant improvement in patient comfort. The Upper Michigan Cancer Center has continued to provide state-of-the-art cancer diagnosis and treatment, along with the opportunity for many patients to participate in clinical trials.

At present, there are about 700 new cancer cases diagnosed in the Upper Peninsula each year, and the Upper Michigan Cancer Center has diligently remained abreast of the newest treatment modalities including hormone therapies. It also continues its long-standing practice of providing outreach clinics throughout the region. As of 2003, there are full-time medical oncologists in Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, Iron Mountain, Ironwood, and the Copper Country (serving Hancock, Laurium, and Baraga), and a satellite radiation therapy site at Dickinson Memorial Hospital in Iron Mountain.

In 1986-87, expansion of a network of services outside of Marquette began with the acquisition of the Marquette Medical Clinic-Kingsford. In 2003, Marquette General Health System owns or operates clinics in 15 communities throughout Upper Michigan.

Since the 1970s, our outreach services have sprouted in 29 Upper Peninsula communities. Coupled with the development of hub sites in five key areas of the Upper Peninsula, Marquette General collaborates with numerous community hospitals throughout the region to make specialty services more accessible to patients close to home. Full-time specialists in cardiology and medical oncology now serve the Ironwood area; full-time specialists in neurology, cardiology , and medical oncology serve the Eastern Upper Peninsula; a full-time medical oncologist serves the Delta County area; a full-time cardiologist, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist serve the Dickinson County area; and a full-time medical oncologist serves the Copper Country. For information on visiting specialists in communities throughout the U.P. check the Visiting Specialists Calendar, which is updated monthly. The Physician Directory also contains information on physician outreach sites for physicians on active staff at Marquette General Hospital.

In 1978, MGH introduced the first CT (Computerized tomography) scanner in the Upper Peninsula, and in 1987, Marquette General became the fourth hospital in the State of Michigan to acquire Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The MRI building was constructed at a cost of $3.7 million. The use of a powerful magnetic field, radio waves, and computers makes it possible for MRI to virtually "erase" bone, and allow physicians to view the brain, spinal cord, and other key soft tissue structures of the body. The introduction of MRI eliminated the need for exploratory surgeries of the brain and spinal cord. MRI is one of many modalities provided by Imaging Services at Marquette General Health System.

In 1987, the MGH campus looked like this at about the midway point in its 30-year development.

In the late 1980s, the need for more space for patient services resulted in construction of the Robert C. Neldberg Building, the parking deck, and the Skywalk over College Avenue.

While construction was in progress, Marquette General acquired home health services in 1992. At that time, Marquette General determined that providing a hospital-based home care program, interlinked with specialized hospital services, would improve the overall level of health care for patients. Today, Marquette General Home Health and Hospice serves most of the central, eastern and southern Upper Peninsula, and northeastern Wisconsin, with offices in Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, Menominee, and Kingsford. The home care staff in each office, though employed by Marquette General Health System, live and work in the areas served by each office and are local friends and neighbors.

In 1992, the 200,000 square foot, $40 million Robert C. Neldberg Building was opened. Today, the building houses the Upper Michigan Heart Institite, the Upper Michigan Rehabilitation Center, the Family Birthing Center and Level III NICU, and the Upper Michigan Behavioral Health Service.

During the 1990s, Marquette General made a major expansion of the Upper Michigan Neuroscience Center. The number of neurosurgeons and neurologists was increased, neuroradiologists were added to the medical staff, and collaboration continued with specialties such as orthopaedic surgery in providing spine surgeries. Marquette General is among a limited number of hospitals in Michigan to provide deep brain stimulation for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease. As part of its commitment to make state-of-the-art technologies available close to home for patients, MGHS has created a digital EEG Network serving many Upper Michigan hospitals. The network makes rapid interpretation of EEG testing possible for patients throughout most of the Upper Peninsula.

In 1999, Marquette General added assisted living to its complement of health care services with the opening of Brookridge Heights assisted living facility. In 2003, Brookridge Heights earned three-year accreditation, with a score of 96, from the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Health Care Organizations. In order to qualify for this certification, Brookridge voluntarily met the rigorous standards for Level II Accreditation, applicable to assisted living facilities that use a medical model for delivery of care.

Throughout its history, change has always been embraced by Marquette General Health System. The year 2000 brought significant change with a $15.6 million construction and renovation project that included construction of the Bridge Building spanning College Avenue. The centerpiece of the project was the state-of-the-art ICU that mirrored the excellent intensive care that Marquette General has provided for generations. The 16 bed ICU is one of the finest facilities in the region, and is an integral part of Marquette General's ability to receive trauma from throughout the region, with categorization as a Level II Facility by the State of Michigan.

In 2002, the remaining level of the Bridge Building was completed and occupied by three physician practices that collaborate closely on providing care for patients with neurological conditions. The practices include Neurology Associates, Marquette General Neurosurgery PC, and U. P. Rehabilitation Medicine PC. Convenience for patients was significantly improved by setting up the office suite with a common reception area, and providing easy access to neurological testing services such as MRI that are provided at Marquette General.

During most of its history, and going back to its roots in the 19th Century, Marquette General has been a destination for health care. We've also sought creative ways to bring care to patients, and one of the newest ways to accomplish that is with the use of video conferencing. Many patients throughout the region use the Upper Peninsula Telehealth Network to connect with doctors and other health providers using real-time videoconferencing technology. Many patients can take advantage of the system for post-surgical exams, or for in-home diabetes monitoring with the use of tabletop video conferencing units that allow patients to take their own blood pressure and talk with their home care nurses.

The Upper Peninsula Telehealth Network is a recognized leader in the field of telehealth. The network connects hospitals, physician offices, and other sites throughout the Upper Peninsula.

Telehealth is one example of a tool that can shorten distances between patients and their healthcare providers. Another way of shortening distance involves the use of computer networking among Upper Michigan's hospitals and physician offices. Marquette General's use of computer technology, which dates back to 1973, has garnered recognition for the fourth time in five years as one of the nations 100 Most Wired Hospitals and Health Networks of 2003 by Hospitals and Health Networks magazine. MGHS is the primary provider of information technology at the hospitals noted on this map. In addition to the ones shown, computer networking services are provided to numerous other healthcare providers throughout the region.

Computer technologies are also an integral part of the MGHS Reference Lab service, which provides laboratory testing for clients in several states. The Reference Lab outreach service was established in 1988 to improve access to specialized testing for community hospitals, doctors' offices, and other health providers in the region. Currently, the Reference Lab serves clients throughout Michigan, as well as Florida, Texas, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

A new clinic will open in Janurary in Gladstone, Michigan; Vascular Services are seeing significant growth, and the Specialty Clinic has moved into larger quarters. We're writing a new history as each day passes.

St. Luke's

As Marquette General Health System has grown toward the future, the appearance of the hospital campus has evolved significantly from that single building standing in an empty field (see image above). The original building is still in use today, and it's now dwarfed by the rest of the hospital campus. These three photos, dating from approximately 1969, 1987, and 2002, illustrate the changes.

In 2003, there are 2,900 employees, a medical staff of more than 200 providing care in 54 specialties, and an annual operating budget of more than $300 million.
Compared to 30 years ago, the number of employees and the size of the medical staff have grown by almost fivefold; the number of specialties has tripled, and the annual operating budget has grown 111 times larger. In fact, by today's standards, the annual operating budget from 1973 would carry Marquette General Health System through about 13 days of operations.

There's one fundamental focus for our growth: our patients. A commitment was made many years ago by visionary board members, administrators, and physicians, to insist that all physicians on active staff be board certified or board eligible in their fields of specialty. Built on that foundation, the other standard set by our founders is that the care provided by Marquette General Health System would be the standard of care that we would expect for our own families. And our team of caregivers is known . . . and frequently complimented for . . .the countless ways in which they go beyond what's expected in caring for our patients. We're very serious about our Many Caring Hands ™. We're all neighbors here in the Upper Peninsula, and on the many occasions, when our patients have been visitors to the region, they invariably say that the neighborly and professional care we provide is second to none.

As we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the formation of Marquette General Health System, we're keenly aware of the legacy left to us by those who fought the polio epidemic, operating the valves by hand on homemade versions of the iron lung to keep the children alive. That legacy of caring hands . . .of figuring out creative ways to solve problems . . . of embracing change . . . is a legacy that we are proud to claim. It's a legacy that we intend to pass on to the next generation of health care providers. Patients have placed their care into our hands as Marquette County's most respected community hospital for more than a century . . .and as Upper Michigan's trusted regional medical center for three decades.

If you haven't already done so, we hope you'll spend a few minutes checking out our website. New information is added almost every day, and every day our caring hands continue to reach out to the people of our region.

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