Xavier Hospital

Xavier Hospital

Location	Dubuque, Dubuque County, Iowa, US
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Coordinates	42°31 46°N
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Website	[ Official website]

Xavier Hospital was a private community hospital located in Dubuque, Iowa. It was operated by the Sisters of St. Francis and had 132 beds. Xavier Hospital, along with Finley Hospital and Mercy Hospital, was one of three hospital facilities in the city of Dubuque.

History

Xavier Hospital opened in 1949 and was known for its advanced medical services. It was the first hospital in Dubuque to have an intensive-care unit and a recovery room. During the polio epidemic, Xavier Hospital played a crucial role in caring for polio victims. In 1974, the hospital was honored for its twenty-five year membership in the Catholic Hospital Association.

Xavier Hospital faced challenges with overcrowding, often exceeding its capacity. Patients were sometimes doubled up in rooms, and beds were even placed in corridors during the polio outbreak in 1953-54. In 1957, the hospital installed a radio receiving station called W-E-L-L, which provided day-long programming for patients.

The hospital's usage began to decline in 1965, and by 1981, the obstetrics department was closed. In 1980, Xavier Hospital merged with Mercy Hospital under the management of the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of St. Francis. However, the decline in occupancy continued, and in November 1981, the hospital delivered its last baby.

Xavier Hospital was closed in 1982, one year after being purchased by Mercy Medical Center. In 1986, Mercy entered into a partnership with developer Alan Israel to renovate the building into a retirement center. The renovation cost $8.5 million and included the creation of 16 apartments.