A Proud Legacy of Service: Trinity Health Grand Haven
In 1919 William Hatton, president of the Eagle Ottawa Leather Company, recognized the need for a hospital in Grand Haven. The Elizabeth Hatton Memorial Hospital was dedicated in June 1919. This facility was a gift to the city from Mr. Hatton in memory of his wife. The hospital was the former William Loutit residence in the 100 block of South Fifth Street.
The Elizabeth Hatton Memorial Hospital served the community until the opening of the Grand Haven Municipal Hospital on Sheldon Road in July 1939. At that time, quoted The Grand Haven Tribune (July 27, 1939), architects specified "everything to be the very best and the most modern equipment throughout the structure."
In 1967, the residents of North Ottawa County approved the building of a new hospital to be added to the existing structure on Sheldon Road. The hospital would be called North Ottawa Community Hospital (NOCH). Each governing authority district elected a representative to serve on the Board of Trustees. These representatives selected seven at-large members to make up the new North Ottawa Community Hospital Authority (NOCHA) which was formed to manage the hospital.
NOCH Delivery Room, 1954
In June of 1996, the residents of North Ottawa County voted and approved to lease the hospital to the newly formed non-profit corporation that would manage the hospital, effective July 1997. The Board of this corporation continued to have representatives elected from the six authority districts. These six representatives continued to be responsible for selecting at-large members. Only five at-large members were chosen to make up the Board of this new corporation. The new governing body structure allowed NOCH to move forward in the health care arena and continue to meet its commitment to the citizens of the community.
In 2000, NOCH and its affiliate organizations "systematized" the local health care delivery system to make it more efficient and better reflect the full scope of patient care services available – thus officially becoming North Ottawa Community Health System (NOCHS).
Notable Milestones
2003
NOCHS entered its second joint venture with Hackley Health System (now Trinity Health Muskegon) to deliver comprehensive occupational medicine services to area employers. The venture resulted from NOCHS' decision to sell the property to develop and transition occupational medicine and urgent care patients to separate facilities. The new occupational venture, named Workplace Health of Grand Haven, is located at 923 S. Beechtree Street.
NOCH Pharmacy, 1954
2004
NOCHS opened an Urgent Care Center in the South Shore Shopping Plaza. Unlike an emergency room, the Urgent Care Center is specifically staffed and equipped to provide fast, expert medical treatment for minor illnesses and injuries. Urgent Care is recommended for patients with non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries such as sore throats, earaches, fevers, minor lacerations and bleeding, or muscle strains and sprains. Walk-in sports and camp physicals are also available.
2009
NOCHS announced a new partnership for physical therapy services with Generation Care. Some of the services available through the Physical Therapy umbrella are regaining the ability to perform activities of daily living, posture and body mechanics, range of motion, strengthening, electrical stimulation, heat/cold pack treatment, traction, and ultrasound therapy.
NOCHS collaborated with Mercy Health (now Trinity Health) to bring new services to Mill Point Health Center in Spring Lake. NOCHS placed X-ray, rehabilitation and laboratory services next door to Mercy Health’s primary care offices to conveniently serve patients in one location.
2010
NOCHS extended its ancillary services to better meet the needs of the Spring Lake community with the opening of a lab draw site, x-ray and physical therapy services at the Mill Point Health Center. Also, in 2010 another lab draw site opened at Stanton Crossings in West Olive. There are several Laboratory Draw Sites throughout the community. Anyone is welcome to use these patient service centers and results are sent directly to the ordering physician.
2011
A da Vinci™ robotic-assisted surgical system was purchased for nearly $2M to expand minimally invasive surgery options for patients needing gynecological, urological or general surgery.
2016
The new Emergency Department, a culmination of a three-year planning process designed to address emergency care and upgrade services to meet the needs of a growing community, was opened This $10M project doubled overall emergency and trauma services capacity. It also added specially designed rooms for mental health, women’s health, ENT and isolation/decontamination, as well as collaborative space for mental health and social services partners.
2018
NOCHS acquired a Mako Robotic Arm-Assisted Technology for its orthopedics service line. NOCHS’ was the first program in West Michigan to perform all three joint replacements (partial knee, total knee and total hip) using the system, which allows surgeons exact alignment of the implant leading to improved outcomes.
2019
NOCHS celebrates its 100th anniversary.
2020
In January 2020, the world experienced the beginning of a global pandemic. The disease was known as COVID-19. Not since the Spanish Flu Pandemic in 1918 has the medical world been challenged to that degree. Our nationwide Trinity Health system quickly adapted to changing circumstances, flexed to meet the needs of patients as COVID-19 mutated, and saved untold lives.
Becoming Part of Trinity Health Michigan
In 2022, North Ottawa Community Health System officially joined Trinity Health Michigan, becoming the health care organization’s ninth hospital in the state.
“Today, we are Trinity Health Grand Haven!” said then hospital president Shelleye Yaklin to a crowd of about 200 people during a celebration event on Oct. 5, 2022. While our name has changed, our commitment to serving the Grand Haven area community is as strong as it ever was. We are incredibly grateful for the community’s support throughout our 103-year history,”
Trinity Health Michigan President and CEO Rob Casalou (left) and Trinity Health Grand Haven President Shelleye Yaklin stand next to a new sign
“I am thrilled to be here to welcome all of you to the Trinity Health family,” said Trinity Health Michigan President Rob Casalou. “After years of collaboration, today is a natural next step in the evolution of a great relationship between our organizations. I am really looking forward to working more closely together in serving the northern Ottawa County region,” added Casalou. “Together, we are stronger as one. Welcome to the Trinity Health family!”
During this event, Trinity Health Michigan welcomed more than 650 new colleagues to our health care family.
While many changes have occurred since our beginning in 1919, Trinity Health Grand Haven’s tradition of excellence continues today. The colleagues, physicians and volunteers of Trinity Health Grand Haven are a testament to our commitment to delivering the best in accessible and high-quality health care to our community.