News Release: June 4, 2008

Española Hospital celebrates 60 years of service to New Mexico as it opens its new Presbyterian Medical Group facility at Española Hospital on Monday, June 16.

It was about this time, 60 years ago that Arthur and Phoebe Pack were planning what to do with a valuable stamp collection they inherited from Arthur Pack's father, valued at over half of million dollars. During that time, they knew that the residents of Española Valley and Rio Arriba County needed a medical facility.

The dream of a hospital became a reality for the Packs. After a partnership with Dr. Sam Ziegler, Española Hospital's first chief of staff, and many consultations with medical facilities, building contractors and local community members, the hospital began to take shape. The Packs contributed $370,000 toward the building. It contained 30 Beds, an operating room, a lab, food facility, offices and home for nurses.

Today, Española Hospital has 70 beds and has been managed and owned by not-for-profit Presbyterian Healthcare Services since 1979. Since 2004, Presbyterian has invested more than $2 million in state-of-the-art health care for Northern New Mexico by providing new Labor and Delivery Rooms, new Emergency Department, new CT scanner and remodeled Urgent Care. As Española Hospital marks its 60 year anniversary, Presbyterian will celebrate its 100 year of service to New Mexico this year in October.

“Today we find ourselves, like the Packs and Dr. Ziegler, making plans to open a new healthcare facility,” said Derrick Yu, administrator of Española Hospital. “It is what the community of Española and Rio Arriba County needs today – just as it was what patients needed 60 years ago.”

Presbyterian serves to improve the health of individuals, families and communities. Presbyterian Healthcare Services was founded in New Mexico in 1908, and is the state's only private, not-for-profit healthcare system. Presbyterian offers eight hospitals, a statewide health plan, and a growing multi-specialty medical group. Presbyterian employs more than 9,500 people throughout New Mexico.