Riverside Community Hospital history

In December 1958, a Chamber of Commerce subcommittee, chaired by James G. Schneider recommended that a private non-profit foundation known as the Stewards Foundation be invited to build a 150-bed hospital in Kankakee.

And in 1961, before the groundbreaking, 20 people attended the first organizational meeting of the Hospital Auxiliary.

Riverside Foundation was established in 1967 with Vernon Butz as President “to generate philanthropic support to enhance the availability and quality of the healthcare services provided by” the hospital.

A new Pediatric Unit, designed exclusively for children, opened in 1968.

It was completed in 1971 with the opening of a new surgery suite and central sterile supply area and relocation of the Emergency Room.

In 1974, a continuing education area was completed on the lower level and the OB delivery-maternity wing was remodeled.

The intensive care unit opened in 1978, along with a new outpatient clinic.

Riverside opened its first community center – Pembroke Community Health Center in Hopkins Park – with a focus on patient satisfaction in 1981.

One of her first responsibilities was to facilitate the transfer from retiring long-time CEO Robert G.Miller to a new CEO. The search committee selected Dennis C.Millirons, who assumed the responsibilities of President and CEO of all Riverside affiliates on January 1, 1994.

The first procedure was performed in October 1999 and today, the program continues to grow with over 2,500 procedures annually in the Heart Catheterization Laboratory, and over 250 open-heart surgeries each year.

Cardiac drug-eluting stents (2003) slowly release a drug over a long period of time that prevents cleared blood vessels from closing up after angioplasty due to scar tissue.