By 1949, Physicians Memorial Hospital had already undergone significant development since its opening, just 10 years earlier. But as the 1950s rolled in, it became clear that the institution was outgrowing its original space.

Here’s what was said about Physicians Memorial Hospital at the time in a report developed by a special Charles County-appointed committee:

“There is a small general hospital performing medically with the fullest accreditation and remarkable efficiency in a facility seriously, almost critically, overcrowded.”

Thus began the next chapter of growth and change for the hospital.

The Hospital Grows

Between the years of 1951 and 1953, an annex building was constructed to expand upon the existing hospital facilities. Yet, even then, it would be difficult to accommodate everyone needing medical assistance across a growing Charles County.

Many hospital employees worked tirelessly, spending long hours at the hospital for little pay. Eleanor Parrott, the hospital’s first administrative employee, worked for less than $400 a month until the hospital’s board of trustees voted to raise her salary in 1952.

By February 1957, the board decided that a new site within the corporate limits of La Plata would be needed if Physicians Memorial Hospital was going to continue to provide exceptional care to its patrons.

This new site would lay the foundations for the hospital we know today. It provided a blueprint that would allow the hospital to expand with increasing demand and set the stage for it to provide effective, convenient care to the entire region.

Stay tuned to our blog for upcoming stories about our hospital over the decades. And be sure to follow us on Facebook — we’ll be sharing facts and photos from over the past eight decades throughout 2019.