Heart of America Medical Center

Heart of America Medical Center

Rugby, ND

This past weekend I have been at HAMC in Rugby, ND. When I work at this facility, I cover the ER, a 20 bed Acute unit, and an attached 80 bed skilled nursing facility. I have worked here in a locum’s status since 2012. To get here, I fly to Minot, ND from Memphis on Friday morning and “usually” fly home from Minot on Monday afternoon.

This weekend is a little different, due to the “severe winter storm” last night and this morning, my relief could not get here. Besides that, the 80 miles of road between Rugby and Minot were iced over. Needless to say I am still in Rugby. I have cancelled today’s flight and hopefully will be able to get home tomorrow (Tuesday).

Since many of you ask about the facilities I work in, I will tell you about the facility and a little about Rugby which just happened to be the geographical center of North America.

Heart of America Medical Center

History

Good Samaritan Hospital Association was founded by farsighted, pioneer Lutheran pastors dedicated to community service. This sense of loyalty has been a landmark for the organization since its inception in 1904. The association, which has sustained Rugby's hospital and medical services since 1904, is supported by 27 area churches of several denominations.

Today the Good Samaritan Hospital Association, doing business as Heart of America Medical Center, includes a 20-bed critical access hospital, surgical suite and a nursing facility facility.

Haaland Estates, the association's 80-bed basic care facility and assisted living apartments, first opened as an intermediate care nursing home in 1962.

Johnson Clinic, founded in 1933 by Dr. Olafur W. Johnson, merged with Heart of America Medical Center to form Heart of America Johnson Clinics in 2010.

The Hospital

Heart of America Medical Center is a Level V Trauma Center. Lab, X-ray, respiratory therapy, anesthesia and surgical staff are on call 24 hours a day.

In our 18-bed medical/post-surgical unit we provide acute inpatient care and observation. Our state-of-the-art intensive care unit is staffed by registered nurses and physicians certified in advanced cardiac life support.

We also provide swing bed services for people with chronic illnesses or who are recovering from recent

illnesses or injuries who need additional therapy before going home or to another care setting. We also provide chemotherapy, infusions or other treatments on an outpatient basis.

Rugby, ND

Rugby is a city in Pierce County, North Dakota, in the United States. It is the county seat of Pierce County. The population was 2,876 at the 2010 census. Rugby was founded in 1886. (Wikipedia)

Rugby was founded in 1886 at a junction on the Great Northern Railway, where a spur to Bottineau met the main line.  The railroad promoters initially named it the "Rugby Junction" for the famous railroad junction in Rugby in Warwickshire, England, in the hope of attracting English settlers.  About 80% of the population is of North Germanic and Scandinavian ancestry.  When the community became a city, the "Junction" was dropped from the name.  Wikipedia

According to the 1931 U.S. Geological Survey, the geographic center of the North American continent is located approximately 6 miles west of Balta, Pierce County, North Dakota.  The approximate coordinates are given as latitude 48* 10' North, 100* 10' West.  In 1932, a field stone cairn recognizing this was erected in Rugby at the intersections of US Highway 2 and ND State Highway 3.

Rugby has a museum, library, golf course, Movie Theater, swimming pool, parks, playgrounds, hockey arena, ball diamonds, and excellent hunting grounds for waterfowl, upland game, and big game.