Our History
A Rich History of Compassionate Health Care
It's 2023, and the team at Edgerton Hospital is overjoyed to be celebrating its 100th birthday! That's 100 years of bringing the very best healthcare to our local communities, and while we are growing and evolving, we will never forget the journey to where we are today:
1920
Health care in Edgerton got its start in a small, two-story home owned by Edith Lockwood, a registered nurse. The personal hometown care provider by Lockwood became the hallmark of health care in Edgerton, Milton and the surrounding areas. She believed it was important to give of herself and her resources to provide personal health care for others. (To learn more about Edith Lockwood click here.)
1921
Volunteers from the Service Star Legion created a community-owned, non-stock, tax-exempt corporation and raised funds for the construction of the original red brick hospital on a hill west of downtown.
1923
Memorial Hospital opens. The name was in honor of the World War I servicemen and women. From the very start, the intention was to make the hospital a place where patients could obtain personalized health care and also feel at home.
Late 1950s
Memorial Community Hospital had its first major expansion, which was funded by the contributions of many individuals. The facility was expanded to included new emergency and operating rooms, radiology and a laboratory.
1970
A new building expanded the number of beds and added the rehabilitation and dietary departments as well as provided space for a long-term care nursing home.
1980s
Home health care and a swing bed program were added, and a two-story addition was built. This increased the size of the emergency department and intensive care unit.
2005
In December, the hospital’s official name was changed to Edgerton Hospital and Health Services to better reflect the services offered to area communities.
2008
The hospital and Care Center agreed to part ways, allowing the Care Center to have a 501(c)(3) non-profit status of its own.
2011
The new 18-bed, environmentally-friendly critical access hospital opened with its Healthy Village mission.
2014
The Studer Group awards Edgerton Hospital the “Excellence in Patient Care” Award for their exemplary “discharge information” results on the HCAHPS patient surveys.
Edgerton Hospital also accepts a “Special Citation” from the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance in recognition of the hospital’s outstanding design, sustainability and leadership in the area of green building.
2015
Edgerton Hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for accreditation by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in hospitals. The accreditation award recognizes Edgerton Hospital’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards.
2017
The hospital is recognized with a Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award for outstanding performance in patient experience.
2019
After completing a successful fundraising campaign (including a $100,000 grant from the Wisconsin Public Service Commission Telecommunications Medical Equipment Grant Program), the hospital adds 3D mammography to its diagnostic services.
2020
Edgerton Hospital, along with the rest of world, navigates through a global pandemic (COVID-19). Some elective/non-urgent services are temporarily suspended and safely precautions throughout the hospital are initiated.
2021
The hospital sees a change in leadership, as Marc Augsburger, MBA, BSN, accepts the position of CEO. The hospital aligns its mission statement with the new direction of the organization: Improving health and wellness for longer, healthier lives. An updated vision statement follows: We will serve our communities with exceptional quality, innovative health services and wellness promotion.
Access to care is expanded in the emergency department as the hospital joins UW Health’s telestroke network.
The hospital transitions from The Joint Commission to CMS survey certification.
2022
In March, Edgerton Hospital received a $3.8 million grant from Governor Evers through the state’s Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Investment Grant Program. Part of this grant was used to purchase a building in Fulton Square in downtown Edgerton, where the hospital plans to move its ENT, Pulmonary, Cardiology, Podiatry, Surgery, and Mental Health clinics. By adding this extra space to the clinics, the hospital will be able to increase both the capacity and level of care that they are able to offer to their patients.
2023
Edgerton Hospital's 100th anniversary celebration was held August 26, 2023.