Mease Dunedin Hospital
In 1923 Dr. Jack Mease was a young physician fresh out of medical school. He interned at his alma mater of the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. After his internship he opened up a medical practice in Richmond, however, competition was still in the area especially since there were many well-established physicians there. Dr. Mease decided that for the good of his career and his family a relocation was necessary. Dr. Mease decided Florida was the ideal place to move and when he arrived he set about studying for the state board medical exams, he passed them in 1925. One year later in 1926 Dr. Jack Mease, his wife Gladys and their daughter Nancy moved to Dunedin, an attractive little town with only one other physician. Initially Dr. Mease's practice flourished. He converted a former inn into a 10-bed "sanatorium" where patients could be cared for while their diagnostic tests were being completed in Dr. Mease's laboratory.
During the great depression many people sought medical treatment from Dr. Mease and often they paid their bills with fruits and vegetables. Although this was all the payment these patients could afford, it began to paint a very bleak picture for Dr. Mease and his wife and two daughters. Just as the Mease family began to consider moving on, a group of Dunedin citizens formally requested that Dr. Mease remain in Dunedin and build his very own hospital. As a means of inducement the citizens promised to work on the hospital's construction for as little as 25 cents an hour, and to take only partial cash payment and the rest in medical care.
Dr. Mease was so moved by the appeal from the community to build the hospital that he agreed to raise the necessary capital, he even borrowed money against his own life insurance policy. The city commission sold Dr. Mease 10 acres of land on very favorable terms and Clearwater architect, Theodore Skinner agreed to design a 60 by 150 foot structure that would be large enough for 15 beds. August 1933 saw the beginning of the work on the hospital. In September 1934 Dr. Mease moved his office and the sanitorium equipment into the partially completed hospital. He also moved his family into quarters on the second floor and his wife Gladys laundered the hospital linens and cooked meals for the patients.
At last the project was complete and on April 18, 1937 the 19 bed Dunedin Hospital finally opened its doors. In the beginning there were only seven people on staff and two nurses who worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week for $65 a month. The following January, the holding corporation turned the assets of the hospital over to a non-profit corporation and Dunedin Hospital was renamed Mease Hospital and Dr. Mease was named President of the Board.
In 1951 a second story was added to the hospital and in 1957 a two story air conditioned medical clinic containing offices and support space for 23 physicians and two dentists adjoined to the hospital opened its doors. The clinic closed in 1991 after 30 years, but gave way to the eight story Medical Arts building that now stands in its place.
Thanks to a generous $100,000 gift from Bernard Kilgore in 1961 the "new" hospital was built adding 28 more beds to the facility plus a new emergency suite, a dietary department and a cafeteria, a second floor was added to this building in 1966. During the 1970's the health care needs of the Dunedin community began to boom, and a ten year $27 million growth plan was unveiled, an annual black tie fundraiser, the Toast to Life was created and a third and fourth floor were built increasing capacity to 300 beds and a one story maternity center was added.
Donald Schroder oversaw Mease Hospital for 35 years beginning in 1954 and staying until 1989. Mr. Schroder was only 24 when he accepted the position of CEO of Mease. During his tenure the medical staff grew from eight physicians to more than 300. The hospital also grew from 42 beds to 310 beds with a campus in Dunedin and another in Countryside.
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