The Pottsville Hospital and Warne Clinic is a 200-bed, full service, acute care, not profit, community owned hospital meeting the healthcare needs of the residents of Schuylkill County.

Founded in 1895 under the mission of providing general healthcare and educating nurses, The Pottsville Hospital and Warne Clinic has grown to become a leader of local healthcare, offering a wide variety of general and specialty services.
Governed by a local Board of Directors, The Pottsville Hospital is an integral part of the Schuylkill County Community by working to address both present and future health needs.

More than 100 years ago, community leaders and concerned citizens joined together to address this area’s need for a hospital. At the same time, the hospital was established, a school of nursing was created to educate nurses to serve at the hospital.

Additionally, an Auxiliary was created to support the many activities of the hospital.
Pottsville Hospital’s founding actually began in 1893 when Samuel and Elizabeth Shippen, a brother and sister from Philadelphia, began to plan and organize a hospital that would be created in memory of their father and mother.

Their parents lived in Pottsville for more than 50 years. John Shippen, their father, had been a prominent citizen and president of the Miners National Bank. They therefore selected Pottsville as the most suitable place for the proposed hospital.

They knew further that there was a great need for such an institution in this area, for there were many railroads, mining, and industrial establishments in and near Pottsville with many people who required the kind of medical attention that could be received only in a hospital.

Through local attorney Guy E. Farquhar and a group of community leaders and concerned citizens, The Pottsville Hospital was founded, chartered on March 5, 1895 in the Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas as a 50-bed general hospital and accepted its first patient on July 23, 1895.

The Shippens contributed $30,000 to help finance the hospital’s creation and continued to support the facility thereafter. Additionally, local churches and other organizations and individuals made contributions in support of the new hospital.

The property known as the Laurer Mansion and 2 1/2 acres of adjoining ground were purchased so that the hospital would have at least three acres of land.

The first patient was a 12 year old girl. Within the first week, five patients were received. During the first year, 135 patients were cared for in the hospital. The following year, 411 patients were admitted and each year, thereafter, services became increasingly in demand.

In 1898, Miss Shippen established a $20,000 endowment for the hospital and continued to support the efforts of the institution. After her death, she willed a generous contribution to the hospital.

The average cost per patient during that time was $1.31.

Over the ensuing years, the hospital continued to grow, advance and develop new services and offer the latest technology, attracting medical and other professionals from all fields and helping the county in its efforts to attract business and industry to the area.

Many expansions and additions were completed over the years, new services were offered and new technology introduced. Expansion included the merging with the Lemos B. Warne Clinic and Hospital of Pottsville in the mid 1960’s