In 1947, the Hanover people found themselves faced with a serious situation – no doctor! The town’s only practicing physician collapsed with a heart attack a few minutes after completing a surgical operation in a hospital in Beatrice, Nebraska. He was Dr. H.G. Hurtig, who came to Hanover in June of 1914 to establish his practice.

A year went by as the Hanover people vainly attempted to get a young doctor to locate here to take care of the health of the people of the community. In December 1948, the town’s commercial organization, the Hanover Business Men’s Club, called a series of public meetings to see what could be done. At these meetings, it was decided Hanover would have to provide hospital facilities in order to attract a doctor. Therefore, they also decided to establish a hospital district rather than raise funds for building modern medical facilities through voluntary investment.

A committee of three men, Max H. Seeberger, A.C. Wurtz, and Fredrick Mueller, was named to investigate all legal and other problems involved in establishing a district. An area extending four miles in each direction from Hanover was laid out. Sub-committees were named to contact all eligible voters in order to get the necessary signatures on a petition for the establishment of a hospital district. More than 80 percent of the eligible voters signed the petition. The petition was approved by the County Commissioners of Washington County on March 14, 1949, thus creating the hospital district, to be known as Washington County Hospital District No. 1. An election of a temporary board of directors was held. The following men were elected in May 1949, to serve as the first permanent board: Max H. Seeberger, Edward Knedlik, Charles T. Schwartz, Cecil A. Jones, and Wes Nespor.

The board of directors was successful in persuading a young doctor to come to town. He was Dr. Daniel S. Roccaforte, age 27, a graduate of the medical school of Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, who had practiced for about two years in the Cornazzo Surgical Clinic in Omaha. He opened his office here on March 1, 1949, and consulted with the board on plans for a clinic.

The Murphy Plan

By 1948 and 1949, World War II had resulted in a widespread “doctor shortage,” really the realization that with the need for added doctors there was the opportunity for improved medical care overall.

In Kansas, there was also the realization that not only had we sent a field hospital to the European war effort but that they had returned with valuable new ways to improve medical education at home. Medical doctors in the Kansas City area had recognized the need for leadership help—a good mind to advance medical care knowledge and teaching in that area.

One respected area doctor had a brilliant son—a physician currently ready medically but, more importantly, mentally ready to lead the medical school.

Enter Franklin Murphy, MD. He assessed the problem and the possibilities—and the politics. He needed a bunch of new doctors, almost a universal need—lots of towns needed a new doctor. They needed a place to practice so he asked for:
• An improved medical school
• a medical office – improved
• a hospital – improved.

The Murphy Plan provided increased training for doctors in Kansas at KU Med in the latest medical theories, practices, and techniques. The purpose of the plan was to get the new medical information to rural Kanas so that rural Kansans had access to modern medical care and doctors with modern medical training. This required the building of new hospitals in rural Kansas.

The needs of the citizens of Hanover dovetailed neatly

with the purpose of the Murphy Plan. Then the Korean war intervened making all of the Murphy Plan history doubly applicable. At this time Dr. Roccaforte went to serve in the military along with Doctors White and Haley. Roccaforte returned and served at the hospital, as did other Korean veterans: Doctors White, Haley, Gerald Mowry, Roger Warren, and Berkley.

During the ensuing months, with Dr. Roccaforte heading for military service, numerous meetings were held, the first of which was for the purpose of selecting a suitable location. The lots owned by Ollie Turk were selected, west across the street from the northwest corner of the City Park. Mr. Turk offered these lots free of charge to the board. Architects and engineers were contacted to determine the type, size, and cost of a suitable building.

On May 14, 1949, a Special Election was held to vote on a bond issue of $35,000.00. This carried by a vote of 448 to 176. Bids for construction of the building were received in August 1949, and they ranged from $34,513 to $47,600. The low bidder was C.W. Strand of Marysville, Kansas, who was awarded the contract. Open House was held on March 13, 1950, and nearly 2,000 people inspected the new building. That day over $800 was donated to the hospital fund. The building was 38 feet by 59 feet, with a 10-bed hospital unit on the main floor. This included an operating room, two 3 bed surgical and medical wards, one 3 bed obstetrical ward, and a single-bed isolation ward. Additionally, a reception room, business office, nurse station, medical laboratory, nurses’ dressing room, public restroom, and surgeon’s dressing room were provided.

On the lower floor were the kitchen, heating plant, offices, examination rooms, X-ray department, reception room for patients, and two dentist operating rooms with an office.

An Addition is Needed

In August 1958, it was proposed to construct an ‘Addition to Hanover Hospital’. This was to be 36 ½ feet long by 38 feet wide. In addition, a 16 ½ wide ambulance driveway at the south end would be provided. The estimated cost of $50,000 would provide all the facilities which the State Board of Health then required. The tax levy would be 1.75 to 1.8 mills.

On November 14, 1958 voters approved the $50,000 Bond Issue by a vote of 321 to 115, and in April 1959, it was announced that the Hospital Addition was scheduled to be completed by August 25, 1959, at the cost of $46,636.36 plus architects’ fees of 6%.

More Facilities Added to the Hospital

The next phase in the development and expansion of the Hanover Hospital’s facility occurred in May 1965, when voters gave approval, by a vote of 211 to 103, to authorize the issuance of Hospital District bonds in the amount of $29,850. This money was to be used to add more facilities in the lower floor clinic department, including an accident emergency treatment room and the enlargement and improvement of the present spaces. Effective July 1, 1966, the Hanover Hospital was approved for the care of patients under the Federal Medicare Program.

With Growth Come Another Addition

On April 18, 1967, the voters approved a Bond Issue of $198,500 to help finance a 33-bed long-term care addition to the present 12-bed hospital by a vote of 357 to 332. The total cost to be $360,000, of which Federal funds in the amount of $160,000 would be approved under the Hill-Burton Act and $20,000 in voluntary donations. The new addition, constructed at the present site, increased the capacity of the hospital to a total of 49 beds for acute and long-term care of patients.

Doctors who have practiced at the hospital and their length of service are Roccaforte, 1949-52; White, 1952-53; Haley, 1953-54; Roccaforte, 1954-55; Mowry, 1955-60; Roger Warren 60-present, Berkley 63-64, and Linda Warren 70-present.

The First Eighteen Years

The following statistics indicate invaluable service rendered to the people of this community during the period from 1950 through 1968: Deliveries 918; Surgery Patients 3,782; Medical In-Patients, 5,351; Medical Clinic Patients 73,900 and Hospital-Out-Patients, 4,372.

Hanover is proud of its Hospital, and of the many people who donated so generously of their time, labor, and financial assistance over the years. The result of these efforts truly exemplifies man’s love and consideration for his neighbors.

The years from August 6, 1960, to August 6, 2016, are those during which Dr. Roger Warren served as Hanover Hospital Administrator, while Dr. Linda Warren has served as a Hanover Hospital employee, medical staff member, administerial spouse, etc., etc.

From 2016 to Today

Since 2016, Hanover Hospital has continued to grow and improve its facilities, equipment, and services. The year 2018 was a busy one. On March 1st Warren Clinic was converted to a Provider-Based Rural Health Clinic while keeping its name. May 1 saw the switch from paper charting to electronic records using Athenahealth to provide electronic medical records. General Obligation bonds for $2,200,000.00 were passed on May 15th, allowing construction to start for the new 64-slice CT scanner in the same month. In August, the construction and installation were complete, and the new CT scanner was in use. This project brought together improvements in facilities, equipment, and services. In 2019 patient beds, bedside stands, and overbid tables were updated, and the rooms and hallways painted. New flooring was installed in 2020.

On August 6, 1960, Hanover Hospital employed eight people. Today it has about eighty on its payroll—from consulting surgeons to registered nurses, nurse anesthetists, office accountants, anesthesiologists, etc. Neighbors helping neighbors. We know our agribusiness friends and help them with respect, love, and confidence.