From Our Beginning to The Present

The original Huber Memorial Hospital was created as the dream of Dr. Jacob Huber, a physician in Pana for fifty years.  Dr. Jacob's last will provided that money from his estate be used to build a modern hospital in the city of Pana, Illinois.  After his death, a Catholic order of nuns was contacted to own and operate the hospital.  Ground breaking was held on May 12, 1913, and at the ceremony more than 2000 people were in attendance.  The hospital construction was completed and the building readied for occupancy on May 10, 1914.

The Sisters of Misericorde of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, continued ownership and operation of Huber Memorial Hospital until January 20, 1966.  With great surprise to the citizens of Pana, they made an announcement that they would be selling the six acre hospital complex.  This immediately set the community into action to attempt a purchase of the facility.

Through an entire community effort, the hospital was purchased and the final sale documents were signed on June 20, 1967.  The community had worked together and successfully raised over $500,000.  The hospital was then re-named and since has been known as PANA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL.

In the year 1975 it became necessary to institute a fund drive for the renovation of the internal structure of our hospital to make it compliant with state standards.  The price tag was $1.3 million.  Once again the community rallied and successfully raised over $800,000 for the renovation.

A new addition to the hospital campus of Pana Community Hospital was completed in May, 1990, with the opening of the Medical Mall.  This expansion houses physician offices as well as those of consulting physicians.  This addition of the Medical Mall enables Pana Community Hospital to be more accessible to the people we serve.

Throughout its history, Pana Community Hospital has been blessed with people in our community and the surrounding areas willing to support our hospital efforts.  We have also been blessed with physicians and employees dedicated to working over the years to maintain our hospital.

The Pana Community Hospital Emergency Department Capital Campaign began in December, 1998.  The groundbreaking ceremony for the Emergency Department was held on May 3, 1999, being exactly 86 years and 9 days after the original hospital groundbreaking ceremony.  

Pana Community Hospital sought and was granted classification as a "critical access hospital"  as of 11/1/2001.  This reclassification allows the hospital to be reimbursed under the federal Medicare program based upon the hospital's cost of operations.  This reclassification insured its cost for caring for Medicare patients would be covered.  

In January of 2005, fifteen years after its original opening, the hospital doubled the size of its Medical Mall opening additional physician office suites to accommodate the expanding Community Medical Clinic practice and visiting specialists and sub-specialists from Springfield and Decatur.  

We are proud to share that our goals have been and shall remain, to be a leading partner in assuring community-based quality healthcare.  Pana Community Hospital is truly the "heartbeat" of the community and our future looks very bright.