William Newton Hospital history

1933 - The WNH Auxiliary was organized.

1945 - Due to overcrowding and nursing shortages at WNH and St Mary's Hospital, the City of Winfield began to plan for expanding healthcare facilities.

1952 - The west wing was completed, including four floors and units for pediatrics and obstetrics.

The school closed in in the late 1960's and St John's College began a nursing program.

1965 - The two-story east wing was completed, including a new emergency room, surgery suite, and 21 additional beds bringing the total to 165.

The WNH Nursing School was closed in 1969.

1974 - The city-owned ambulance service came under the management of WNH and was moved to the hospital campus.

1981 - A two-story addition to the north end of the east wing included a 6-bed intensive care unit, EMS bunk room and an expanded stock room.

1982 - The establishment of WNH Home Health and Healthways marked the beginning of local and national trends toward alternatives to inpatient care that continue today.

1992 - The Winfield Healthcare Center opened across the street from the hospital.

1995 - William Newton Hospital was asked to help Chautauqua, Elk and parts of Cowley counties address the possible loss of healthcare access.

2004 - Following the closing of Snyder Clinic, the community's largest physician clinic, and facing the potential loss of needed physicians in the area, WNH began construction of the three story, 30,000 square foot Physicians Pavilion on the WNH campus.

2005 - To ensure that WNH will be able to serve citizens well into the future, a successful capital fundraising campaign was launched with a goal of two million dollars over five years and led to the formation of the William Newton Healthcare Foundation.

2006 - Hospital leaders actively sought and received certification as a Critical Access Hospital which opened up cost reimbursement from Medicare.

2014 - The effort to expand surgical services through the creation of the Surgical Center of Excellence included medical equipment upgrades and physician recruitment for the $1.5 million project.

2016 - Major upgrades from the Central Plant Project totaling $1.5 million addressed needs for electrical, water, air conditioning and parking, while preparing for future large-scale renovations.

2018 - The hospital broke ground on Phase 1 of its 10-year master facility plan starting with the surgical department expansion.