The name of Jasper, Indiana’s largest medical facility has changed, but its commitment to quality, faith-centered health care remains steadfast under its new affiliation with Evansville-based Deaconess Health System, officials said Aug. 1 during a ribbon cutting ceremony in Dubois County.
Known for nearly 75 years as Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center, the facility now is rebranded as Deaconess Memorial Medical Center. Deaconess officials say the collaboration, which began two years ago, brings patients a broader spectrum of medical specialties and services.
The new name reflects the partnership, in effect since Feb. 1, 2024, and honors the Jasper facility’s longstanding traditions, according to Deaconess CEO Shawn McCoy. He noted the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary supported the hospital’s opening in 1951 as a 75-bed acute care facility.
“The Memorial name is extremely important to this community,” McCoy says. “It represents the Little Company of Mary (Sisters) coming in to run this, it represents the people who put their money toward this hospital to get it built, and it’s in honor of war veterans. It’s amazing to me how many people in the community knew that history.”
The phrase “medical center” was chosen over the word “hospital” because it better reflects the range of care that is available, according to Deaconess officials. The Deaconess Memorial Medical Center name was shaped with input from more than 800 employees of the facility and Jasper community members. While rooted in Evansville, Deaconess has expanded its footprint to include 20 hospitals and many other medical facilities in Southwestern Indiana, Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois.
Because of Memorial Hospital’s Catholic history and affiliation, approval from The Vatican was required for the facility to join Deaconess Health System. That occurred under the late Pope Francis, who died April 21. The agreement allows the Jasper facility to maintain its Catholic identity, and it will continue to adhere to the church’s ethical and religious directives. “We take that seriously and it’s at the core of what we do, ” says Keith Miller, who in July 2024 was named the facility’s chief administrative officer.
The relationship’s framework is dynamic but not unusual, Miller adds. “With mergers and acquisitions being very popular in health care, it’s becoming more common. We’re certainly not the first ones to have this type of relationship.”
Since joining forces with Deaconess in 2023, the facility has expanded its services to include inpatient nephrology, pain management, more surgical offerings, and advanced technologies like the ROSA robotic surgical system and OrthoGrid.
Bishop Joseph Siegel of the Catholic Diocese of Evansville offered a blessing at the Aug. 1 ceremony. “I’m looking forward to walking with and working with the Medical Center … to ensure that the Catholic identity and mission continue to endure and deepen in the years to come,” Siegel says. “The name may change, but the Catholic healing ministry here will remain deeply rooted and, with the help of God’s grace, will touch the lives of countless people.”
