DANVILLE – To find out how Geisinger Health System became successful, you may have to look back through its 100 years. That is something Dr. Donald Housley of Selinsgrove did. Housley wrote, “Make it the Best – A History of Geisinger Health System 1912-2001.” It was published in 2011.
Not a medical history, Housley says his book is an institutional history, which starts with Abigail Geisinger, “Of course it starts in 1912, that is when the action really begins for planning this hospital. I carried it through Dr. Steele’s time when he started in 2001. It asks questions about why the institution developed as it did and where it got its influence.”
Housley’s book showcases what uniqueness of Geisinger Health System, starting from its beginning. The book goes on to overview each of the CEOs of Geisinger, which in its 100 years has had only had five, “That’s the kind of thing I was interested in; how it was organized and what it meant to have surgeons in charge. Dr. Feinberg will be the first non-surgeon, as far as I know. Dr. Steele was a surgeon, Dr. Heydt was a was a surgeon, Dr. Hood was a surgeon, Dr. Bush was a surgeon, and Dr. Foss, who really set up the institution, was a surgeon. So, what does that mean to have surgeons running it?”
Dr. Donald Housley
Hear Housley’s full interview here:
Another person very invested in Geisinger’s history is Kathy Heilman. She is a collections specialist at Geisinger, and has been with the health system for over 30 years. She is also their archivist, and is the go-to person for Geisinger history and facts.
There are thousands of archived items from Geisinger’s past, Heilman says there are now over 12,000 records in the database, and at least two-thirds of them are individual photographs, “I found most of the items to start with in a closet. It was a treasure trove, you never would have thought you would find anything in a closet filled with dust and dirt, but I found a lot of really special item, including antique instruments that are part of the archives.”
Kathy Heilman
Hear Heilman’s full interview here:
She says those medical instruments from the past are one of her favorite things to discover, “It shows how our medical expertise has changed over the years from the very early years. We have things going back to the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. They are a little primitive, but there is always a story.”
Heilman has put together historical displays in the Abigail Entrance Lobby of Geisinger Medical Center, and continues to work on additional displays, “Abigail wanted a hospital that was special for the people of Danville. I really think she would be pleased to know that, not just Danville, but the region and beyond the region, sometimes around the world, there are people who are aware that her legacy lives on and that she gave something special to medicine. I know she would be pleased.”
Heilman also has a hand in the many upcoming events that Geisinger is planning for their 100th anniversary, which includes the opening of a time capsule, a documentary and a symposium. (Sara Bartlett)
