A CENTURY OF CARING
From Hospital to
Health System, 1918–2018
One hundred years ago, the 30-bed Henry W. Putnam Memorial Hospital
opened its doors in Bennington and ushered in a new era of healthcare in
Southern Vermont. In the century that followed, the humble hospital on the
hill has evolved into a preeminent, integrated, state-of-the-art health system
staffed with 100 percent board-certified physicians.
Renamed Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) in 1984, the
facility has undergone numerous changes to keep up with the rapid
advancements in medicine and to serve a community of more than 75,000
residents. Now boasting 99 beds, SVMC is part of Southwestern Vermont
Health Care, an expansive health system that includes the hospital,
Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the Centers for Living
and Rehabilitation, and seven additional campuses
located in Vermont, eastern New York, and
The humble
northern Berkshire County Massachusetts.
Among the many honors SVMC has earned,
perhaps the most prestigious is the 2017 Magnet
Prize ™ from the American Nurses Credentialing
Center. Awarded to only one organization
worldwide each year, the prize recognized SVMC’s
Transitional Care Nursing Program which helps
high-risk, chronically ill patients, behavioral health
patients, and patients dealing with substance abuse.
Henry W. Putnam Memorial Hospital
front entrance viewed from Dewey Street,
postcard c. 1918
hospital on
the hill has
evolved into
a preeminent,
integrated,
state-of-the-
art health
system.
SVMC is also proud to be have earned four
®
consecutive Magnet designations, the highest
honor bestowed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Considered
the gold standard for nursing excellence, a Magnet ® designation provides
consumers with the ultimate benchmark for measuring quality of care.
SVMC is one of only 43 institutions worldwide to have earned Magnet ®
status four times.
In 2017, SVMC also earned a 5-Star Rating from the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services for overall hospital quality based on patient-
experience scores. The only 5-Star hospital in Vermont, SVMC is among
just 6 percent of hospitals nationwide to earn the federal government’s
highest and most prestigious rating.
special Southwestern Vermont Health Care supplement
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