** About Avera St. Anthony's Hospital **
Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital celebrated “50 years of caring” in 2002. Since l952 Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital has provided quality healthcare to the people living in North Central and North Eastern Nebraska. Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital opened in l952 under the sponsorship of the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity, Denver. The Franciscan Sisters were well established in the O’Neill area having opened the first Catholic school in 1877. In l950 the Sisters were asked to expand the existing Brown and French Hospital and on September 25, l952, they opened St. Anthony’s Hospital in O’Neill.
** Mission Statement **
Avera is a health ministry rooted in the Gospel. Our mission is to make a positive impact in the lives and health of persons and communities by providing quality services guided by Christian values.
** Core Values **
* Compassion
The compassion of Jesus, especially for the poor and the sick of body and spirit, shapes the manner in which health care is delivered by Avera’s employees, physicians, administrators, volunteers and sponsors. Compassionate caring is expressed through sensitive listening and responding, understanding, support, patience, and healing touch.
* Hospitality
The encounters of Jesus with each person were typified by openness and mutuality. A welcoming presence, an attentiveness to needs, a gracious manner, seasoned with a sense of humor, are expressions of hospitality in / by the Avera Health community.
* Stewardship
Threaded through the mission of Jesus was the restoration of all the world to right relationship with its Creator. In that same spirit and mission, the members of Avera Health treat persons, organizational power and earth’s resources with justice and responsibility. Respect, truth and integrity are foundational to right relationships among those who serve, and those who are served.
History Of Avera St. Anthony's Hospital
Historically, St. Anthony’s Hospital began with the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity, Denver, who opened a school for the O’Neill area in the early 1900’s. In 1950, the O’Neill community requested the Sisters of St. Francis to expand the existing Doctors Brown and French Hospital. The Sisters undertook the project and with a local fund drive, the first building was completed. On September 25, 1952, they opened St. Anthony’s Hospital.
With Hill-Burton federal funds and a second fund drive, an addition was completed in 1975 to accommodate expanding health services. In 1989, the Hospital Board was restructured and committees in finance and strategic planning were established in order to expand community involvement and the management of the hospital. Also, in 1989, a foundation was established to generate funds solely for the benefit of St. Anthony’s Hospital.
In February 1998, the sponsorship of St. Anthony’s Hospital was transferred to the Benedictine Sisters of Yankton, South Dakota. The Benedictine Sisters are blessed with a rich health-care tradition that spans more than 100 years. With this tradition comes the responsibility for vigilance and innovation in caring for the sick as if he or she were Christ.
The Benedictine Sisters of Yankton and Presentation of Sisters of Aberdeen, South Dakota are Co-Sponsors of Avera Health. The name change to Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital on September 9, 1998 was a result of this association.
