Central Peninsula Hospital | Pulse | Summer 2021 | 50th Anniversary Edition

Rick Davis, CEO Central Peninsula Hospital A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO Photo by Ken Graham Central Peninsula Hospital celebrates 50th anniversary This is a special year for Central Peninsula Hospital as we celebrate our 50th anniversary. The hospital opened its doors to patients on June 21, 1971, after nearly 10 years of financial problems, contract disputes and arguments between Kenai and Soldotna about where it should be built. Dr. Paul Isaak was responsible for commencing the discussion and eventually the construction of the hospital. He had many allies and some foes along the way, but he eventually broke ground on the hospital in March 1966. Alaska Gov. William“Bill” Egan, along with Dr. Isaak and many oth- ers, was on hand to set the cornerstone on Sept. 16, 1966. While it was nearly complete by winter 1966, funding issues brought the construction to a grinding halt. In April 1969, residents of a proposed area of the Kenai Peninsula Borough voted in favor of establishing a hospital service area. Following the creation of the service area, a subse- quent vote in October asked if they would assume the existing debt and purchase the hospital to keep it from going into foreclosure. The proposal passed by a 3-1 margin. As the new owner, the Kenai Peninsula Borough hired a new architect and contractor. Con- struction resumed, and the hospital was completed in June 1971. A lease and operating agree- ment for daily operations of the hospital was signed by Lutheran Hospitals and Homes Society and the borough. The hospital had an open house on June 12, 1971, and it opened on June 21. The first patient arrived within minutes of the doors’ opening to have her baby delivered. In 1992, a recently formed local nonprofit took over operations of the hospital, which was named Central Peninsula General Hospital (CPGH) at the time. The CPGH, Inc. Board of Directors continues to oversee operations of the facility today. I am extremely proud of our hospital and its employees. The physicians and employees are providing many more services for patients today than when we opened in 1971. These services have been added on the journey, along with new expansions. They allow many of our patients to stay home instead of having to travel for care. Our community is forever indebted to the resolve of Dr. Isaak for getting this hospital built and providing medical care to many of you during his decades of practice in our community. 2 Central Peninsula Hospital