History

Established in 1982, the St. Francis Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Bon Secours St. Francis Health System. St. Francis Health System itself has been in Greenville since 1921, when it originally opened as Emma Booth Memorial Hospital and entrusted to the Salvation Army. Since then, we have moved, expanded and continued to grow in our capacity to support the Greenville community.

The History of Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, Inc.


1921
Emma Booth Memorial Hospital built and entrusted to the Salvation Army

1931
Dr. Charles Wyatt asks the Catholic Church to manage the hospital

1932
The Franciscan Sisters of the Poor acquired the hospital for $55,000. 6,000 People attended the dedication on July 14. First patient admitted July 18.

1956
St. Francis is the first hospital in Greenville to have an ambulance. Received first accreditation by Joint Commission

1957
Twenty-fifth anniversary of the hospital celebrated

1964
Sister Bernadine Kirchhoff came to Greenville with plans for a new hospital. Lay Advisory Board created; some of its members were Jamile Francis, Sam Francis, Max Heller and Louis Batson, Jr.

1968
Groundbreaking for the new St. Francis Hospital. First lay administrator hired.
 

1971
New St. Francis Hospital dedicated on October 24. It was one of the first all-private room hospitals in the Southeast. Opened for patients December 3rd.

1982
St. Francis celebrated its Golden Anniversary

1983
Franciscan Sisters of the Poor Health System is incorporated

1984
$30 million expansion program added a cardiac catheterization lab, CT scanner and 72 new private rooms. The operating rooms, laboratory, respiratory therapy, radiology, emergency and outpatient services were also expanded

1988
Sister Clarita arrives in Greenville
 

1990
St. Francis Women’s Hospital opens

1991
St. Francis Hospital Home Care is established

1992
Louis P. Batson, Jr. Cancer Care Center opened in December

1997
St. Francis Women’s expands and is renamed Women’s and Family

1998
First open heart surgery performed at St. Francis Hospital

1999
William L. Carpenter Heart Center opened in May

2000
In January, St. Francis Health System transferred sponsorship from the Franciscan Health Partnership, Inc. to Bon Secours Health System, Inc.

Louis P. Batson, Jr. Cancer Care Bone Marrow Transplant Unit opened

Sister Dorothy Brogan, CBS began her mission at St. Francis Home Care

2001
Contract with Blue Cross-Blue Shield

Team Health began providing Hospitalists and Emergency Room Physicians

Bone Marrow Transplant Program receives Level 11 FACHT Accreditation

CON approved to add radiology and diagnostics/therapy services in the new St. Francis Outpatient Center

2002
St. Francis Outpatient Center opened

Performed first lap band surgery in South Carolina

Contracts with Cigna and Companion

PRC, new patient satisfaction tool, put into place

Implemented Diversity Quality Plan

Sister Clarita Frericks, FSP retires from St. Francis

2003
Richard Neugent announces resignation as CEO effective May 2003 after 22 years of service

CON approved for the addition of 51 beds at St. Francis Hospital and transfer of 31 beds to St. Francis Women’s & Family Hospital resulting in 226 acute care beds, 32 hospital based nursing home beds, and 19 rehabilitation beds at St. Francis Hospital and 93 acute care beds at St. Francis Women’s & Family Hospital. Also approved replacement of existing mobile MRI services with a fixed MRI unit and the replacement of an existing CT Scanner at St. Francis Women’s & Family Hospital.

Valinda Rutledge joins St. Francis as CEO effective August 25, 2003

2004
St. Francis receives 24 National PRC patient satisfaction awards, including a record 10 top performer awards

Successfully launched Columbia/Presbyterian affiliation with two new CV Surgeons

Radiology expansion CON approved and new radiology group, Spartanburg
Radiology Associates, began providing radiologist services

St. Francis Physician’s Lounge remodeled and wireless technology installed

Transitional Care Unit closed and 32 beds leased to Regency Hospital, which opened in November, for Long Term Acute Care Hospital

St. Francis Physician Services subsidiary created for employment/affiliation of physicians with a total of 31.5 physicians as of July 2006. Those physicians represent 4 subspecialties: OB/GYN-17.5; CV-2.0; Pulmonary-5.0; and General Surgery-7.0.

Health Grades recognizes St. Francis orthopedic program as number one in the state and in top 5% in the nation

2005
Louis P. Batson, JR. Cancer Care Center rededicated

Orthopedics earns Health Grades #1 in SC for orthopedic services Top 5% nationwide

Cardiovascular Surgery earns Health Grades #1 in Upstate for services

St. Francis is first in Upstate for Digital Mammography

Expansion of Women’s and Family Hospital celebrates new Expansion Project through “Topping Off” ceremony

St. Francis Hospice named Hospice of Record for first residential hospice in Greenville County

2006
First CT-64 in the Upstate of SC in operations

Valinda Rutledge received Women Making History Award

St. Francis heads up the first Great Expectations Pregnancy Fair held at Haywood Mall

St. Francis Women’s and Family Hospital receives Premier, Inc 2006 Award for Quality