Dr. Munson's Legacy
Dr. Munson was considered a great man in his time, and still is today. In 1915 Dr. Munson donated a cottage to be the community hospital. Little did he know that the little cottage would become the gigantic Munson Medical Center I know today. Dr. Munson's legacy benefits today's patients in two ways. The first benefit comes from Dr. Munson's idea that beauty is therapy. Today, Munson Medical Center is beautiful inside and out. When you walk into the lobby, you see a small garden and a gift shop with fresh flowers and other items for patients. The grounds, however, are a whole different story. On the way to the lobby, there is garden with sculptures of native animals. Surrounding the hospital are many trails winding through forests and parkland. A small creek with an adjoining trail passes close to the new cancer center, giving patients a beautiful view of nature while they are being treated.
The second part of his legacy is the quality care patients are given while at Munson Medical Center. Dr. Munson cared greatly about how patients at his hospital were treated, so much that he spent money on getting an award-winning cow so his patients could benefit from high-quality dairy products. That care is still followed today in Munson's facilities. An example of this quality being carried out is shown in the hospital rankings provided by US News and World Reports, where Munson is tied for #8 in the state of Michigan. Munson Medical Center states in it's mission and vision statement that, " As a vital part of Munson Healthcare, Munson Medical Center exists to deliver comprehensive quality care to patients in partnership with physicians." Another example is the cafeteria. The cafeteria staff work very hard to improve the menu so that the food is always healthy, delicious, filling and economical. My last example of quality health care I have experienced myself. When I was little I needed surgery to get my tonsils out. The day of my surgery, the staff at Munson who took care of me tried very hard to make it not scary and even fun for me. I remember being carried to the operating room on the back of one of the doctors. By taking all these steps they made my time at Munson very enjoyable and I almost didn't want to leave. I know for a fact there are whole teams of people who are dedicated to studying ways to make your time at Munson a better experience for you and those with you. "My mom is one of them!" - Anna Joseph
The second part of his legacy is the quality care patients are given while at Munson Medical Center. Dr. Munson cared greatly about how patients at his hospital were treated, so much that he spent money on getting an award-winning cow so his patients could benefit from high-quality dairy products. That care is still followed today in Munson's facilities. An example of this quality being carried out is shown in the hospital rankings provided by US News and World Reports, where Munson is tied for #8 in the state of Michigan. Munson Medical Center states in it's mission and vision statement that, " As a vital part of Munson Healthcare, Munson Medical Center exists to deliver comprehensive quality care to patients in partnership with physicians." Another example is the cafeteria. The cafeteria staff work very hard to improve the menu so that the food is always healthy, delicious, filling and economical. My last example of quality health care I have experienced myself. When I was little I needed surgery to get my tonsils out. The day of my surgery, the staff at Munson who took care of me tried very hard to make it not scary and even fun for me. I remember being carried to the operating room on the back of one of the doctors. By taking all these steps they made my time at Munson very enjoyable and I almost didn't want to leave. I know for a fact there are whole teams of people who are dedicated to studying ways to make your time at Munson a better experience for you and those with you. "My mom is one of them!" - Anna Joseph