Little Falls Hospital, Growing with the Community it Serves for 130 Years

Little Falls, NY – For 130 years, Little Falls Hospital has been integral to the health and wellbeing of the Little Falls area, surrounding communities in Herkimer County, and throughout the Mohawk Valley.

The hospital first opened its doors on November 15, 1893, guided by an all-female board of trustees. The new hospital operated out of a rented house, with four beds, one matron, and one nurse. In the first three months of operation, the hospital cared for 12 patients, growing to 26 patients in its first year, and jumping to 170 patients in 1896. To help care for the increasing number of patients, Little Falls Hospital soon established a training school for nurses, which operated for 30 years.

Today, Little Falls Hospital continues to grow with the community it serves, providing care to 16,000 patients annually. As a Critical Access Hospital within Bassett Healthcare Network, the hospital provides care to its rural communities, with 25 acute, swing, and special care beds. It is the only acute care hospital in Herkimer County.

Dr. Tommy Ibrahim, President and CEO of Bassett Healthcare Network, said,

“For 130 years, Little Falls Hospital has been part of the fabric of the Mohawk Valley. As the hospital has grown, the community has responded generously, a robust tradition which has endured and strengthened throughout the hospital’s history. We are proud to continue serving Little Falls and its surrounding communities and are deeply grateful for the support our community has shown Little Falls Hospital.”

“I am proud to be the chair of the board of trustees for this long-standing icon in our community as we work to overcome the significant challenges facing rural communities like ours. Together with the rest of our board, the administration, staff, and all the wonderful people that serve our patients throughout the network, we are committed to continuing to be here serving our community’s healthcare needs for another 130 years,” said David Casullo, Chair of the Little Falls Hospital Board of Trustees.

“Since its founding, Little Falls Hospital has played an essential role in the health and wellbeing of the community, both in Little Falls and throughout the Mohawk Valley,” said Susan Oakes Ferrucci, DNP, MSN, RN, CNS, Chief Hospital Executive of Bassett’s Critical Access Hospitals Division. “Our deeply committed caregivers and staff are honored to continue providing exceptional, compassionate care to our patients.”

Little Falls Hospital recently received a three-year re-accreditation by The Joint Commission, whose mission is to continuously improve healthcare for the public by setting quality standards, evaluating an organization’s performance, and supporting continuous improvement.

A recent gift from the Samuel S. Dale Trust also purchased a new EKG unit (or electrocardiogram, which records electrical signals from the heart to check for different conditions) for Little Falls Hospital’s Emergency Department. EKGs are performed on approximately 10,000 of Little Falls Hospital patients annually.

Little Falls Hospital provides:

To learn more about how you can make a gift in support of Little Falls Hospital, please contact Sheila LeMaster, Vice President of Philanthropy, Friends of Bassett Healthcare Network, at (607) 547-4779 or sheila.lemaster@bassett.org.

About Bassett Healthcare Network

Bassett Healthcare Network is an integrated health system that provides care and services to people living in a 5,600 square mile region in central New York. The organization includes five corporately affiliated hospitals, over two dozen community-based health centers, more than 20 school-based health centers, two skilled nursing facilities, and other health partners in related fields. To learn more about services available throughout the Bassett Healthcare Network, visit www.bassett.org. Follow Bassett on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Bassett Healthcare Network is an equal opportunity provider and employer.