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Drastic changes have been seen in medicine over past 125 yearsA lot has changed over the past 125 years. From women’s rights to landing on the moon, society has evolved and changed extensively. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the vast advancements and achievements that have been realized in the medical field. In 1883 when Father Alexander Berghold, organizer of the Catholic Church, first founded the St. Alexander Hospital, New Ulm Medical Center’s (NUMC) oldest ancestor, the landscape of health care was vastly different.  Sister M. Baptist, nursing supervisor, sits witha patient awaiting a radiology procedure at Loretto Hospital, circa 1959.
The Hospital Setting In the hospital’s early days, it was common for patients to stay in the hospital for several weeks, sometimes even months. In 1905, the average hospital stay length was 25 days. Today, many medical procedures don’t require a hospital stay. In fact, many minor surgeries or illnesses can be treated in the clinical setting. In the early 1900s hospitals were small, usually employing no more than 15 physicians. Today, New Ulm Medical Center has more than 500 employees and 35 staffed hospital beds. Nursing The history of nursing has also evolved vastly. Up until the 1950s nurses were expected to work seven days a week. They lived in the hospital and seldom left. They were expected to devote their undivided attention to their patients sometimes working for up to 12 hours per day. In the 1950s the Minnesota State Nurses Association campaigned to give nurses better pay better training and better hours. Today, nursing professionals are a critical force in health care. The advancements in nursing have led to a higher standard of care for patients at NUMC, and throughout the United States. Surgery When St. Alexander Hospital first began treating patients in 1883, surgery was performed with little anesthesia and the risk for infection was very high. Doctors first began successfully executing blood transfusions at the turn of the century. Up until the early 1940s patients would receive blood directly from the blood donor through a three-way syringe. Medicine In the late 1800s there were about 150 medicinal compounds being used by American physicians. They were mostly herbal and plant based and doctors were expected to compound and dispense these drugs without the aid of a pharmacist. By 1920, modern pharmacies were commonplace and the index of pharmaceutical drugs began to rapidly expand. Today, there are more than 13,000 FDA approved medications. The medical field’s advancement in recognizing and diagnosing ailments along with advancement in treatment strategies have lead to more complex and successful treatment. Today, NUMC is an industry leader in providing state-or-the-art treatment to patients from throughout central Minnesota. Each year they treat more than 2,000 patients and are well known for their commitment to providing compassionate, patient centered care. NUMC provides a vast range of advanced services. With specialty services like oncology, advanced diabetes care, orthopedics, radiology and a sophisticated emergency medicine department, NUMC is at the forefront of regional medical care facilities. The technology advancements that NUMC achieved over the last 12 decades have solidified its reputation to provide advanced medical care to the community of New Ulm and the surrounding areas.  Back to Health Edition |
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New Ulm Medical Center
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