Mercy Health – Willard Hospital is proud to be celebrating 35 years of providing high quality and compassionate care to the community as part of the Mercy Health ministry.
In 1987, the then-president of Mercy Health – Tiffin Hospital was given a news article that noted a community hospital, known as Willard Area Hospital, was looking to find a buyer, or be merged with another entity. Sister Marie Catherine Wise, RSM, took this article and made some phone calls that ultimately resulted in welcoming Willard Area Hospital into the Mercy Health system in 1988.
“The roots of Mercy Health – Willard Hospital date back in this community to 1915 when Dr. Harry Blaine built a private hospital in our community that later became Willard Area Hospital,” said Andrew Morgan, president of Mercy Health – Willard Hospital and Mercy Health – Tiffin Hospital. “Although we are celebrating 35 years with the Mercy Health ministry this year, the legacy of providing expert care to the residents of Willard and our surrounding communities dates back 108 years.”
Willard Hospital’s expansive history includes several buildings, including the current location on Neal Zick Road. In July 2010, Mercy Health – Willard broke ground on the new $40.5 million, 101,000-square-foot hospital. The two-story hospital officially opened its doors on May 6, 2012, and serves the community with a state-of-the-art surgery center, private inpatient rooms and much more. Today, Mercy Health – Willard Hospital has a strong network of primary care and specialty physicians as well as outpatient services to care for patient’s close to home.
As we celebrate this milestone, Mercy Health wants to thank our providers, nurses and entire hospital staff for the high-quality, compassionate care that they give every day to those in the Willard community and beyond. In particular, Mercy Health is proud that for the fifth consecutive year, Mercy Health – Willard Hospital has earned a ranking among health care providers and insurers in Modern Healthcare’s 2023 Best Places to Work award program. Additionally, Mercy Health – Willard Hospital consistently receives national recognition for the high-quality care and top decile patient experience scores.
“Mercy Health – Willard Hospital has a long history of mission-based work in our communities, not only through providing nationally recognized care but also through the many partnerships we have with community organizations,” said Julie Landoll, director of Mission for Mercy Health – Willard Hospital and Mercy Health – Tiffin Hospital. “The number on the anniversary says 35, but really, we are celebrating more than a century of commitment to those we serve.”
On July 19, Mercy Health – Willard Hospital will host an internal celebration featuring a 10:30 a.m. mass with Fr. Ron Schock, followed by a campus-wide picnic and a silent auction benefiting the Mercy Willard Care Fund.