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Campuses & Affiliates
Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center—South Bend
Our history
Sisters of the Holy Cross
The first institution in South Bend to care for the sick, Saint Joseph’s, was established in 1882 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, a congregation founded in LeMans, France, in 1841 by Father Basil Anthony Moreau. In 1843 the Sisters arrived in this country to assist with the establishment of a boy’s school (now the University of Notre Dame) in South Bend. The motherhouse of the congregation is now located at Saint Mary’s College, in Notre Dame, Ind.
In 1861, 80 of the Sisters responded to the government’s call for Army nurses in the Civil War. Some of the Sisters served in an Army hospital in Washington. Others became the first Navy nurses, serving aboard the ship Red Rover. Following the Civil War, the Sisters responded to the needs and requests of settlers who had moved westward by establishing hospitals at various sites throughout the United States.
On Oct. 20, 1882 the South Bend Evening Register reported that a significant portion of the hospital, sufficient for the accommodation of 30 or 40 patients was completed. It was initially housed in the former Saint Mary of the Assumption Church that was remodeled to accommodate the new medical facility. The facility’s first administrator, or directress as she was called, was Civil War nurse veteran Sister Mary Edward. Two other sisters comprised the only other staff of the hospital. Five volunteer physicians served as the medical staff.
In 1903 an additional 100 beds were added, and in 1907 a training school for nurses was established in the hospital, with nine students composing the first class. In 1922, another wing was added to the hospital, making the total bed count 171. In 1958 a third major expansion added another 156 beds to the hospital. New patient towers were added in the 1970s, and in 1989 a new Outpatient Center was added to the front of the hospital. In recent years many services have been added to those which meet the needs of our community. These include Sister Maura Brannick Health Center on Chapin Street, the physician network, the VNA Home Care, adult day services, mind/body medicine, Our Lady of Peace Hospital, and the virtual heart hospital, to name a few. Sister Maura Brannick Health Center is always on the cutting-edge of technology, always in the forefront of compassion.
The Health Center has continued to grow with the support of donations from many businesses, groups and individuals within the community. In the past 15 years, Sister Maura Brannick Health Center has provided over 63,000 patient visits. During this time physicians and community members have volunteered over 56,000 hours.
Trinity Health
Created by the consolidation of Holy Cross Health System and Mercy Health Services in 2000, Trinity Health blends and carries on two rich traditions of serving persons in need. With corporate offices in Novi, Mich., Trinity Health comprises 47 hospitals and dozens of other healing ministries in seven states. Trinity Health is a community of persons—50,000 strong—who collaborate in the healing mission of the Catholic church.
