Our History
With 98 beds, Northern Hospital of Surry County opened its doors to patients in 1957. John K. Lockhart served as the hospital’s first administrator, a position he held until 1991.
The Martin Memorial School of Nursing was re-established next to the hospital in a facility later known as the Martin Memorial Building. However, in the early 1970s, the school closed and a new nursing program was established at Surry Community College.
An intensive/coronary unit, which was one of the first such facilities in a rural community hospital, was added in 1969 along with a 24-hour emergency department and a physical therapy service.
The construction of a 14,000 square foot ambulatory care addition, which included pathology, radiology, outpatient/emergency and office space added on to the hospital’s north wing, was completed in 1974.
Because the service area of the hospital was medically underserved with about half of the citizens leaving the area for admission to other hospitals, a long-term plan was implemented to increase the number of physicians and services offered by Northern Regional Hospital. These new services included cardiology, internal medicine, orthopedic surgery, urology, pediatrics, and anesthesiology.
In 1985, the hospital increased its bed capacity to 160 beds to eliminate the use of four-bed wards. Nearly 80% of patient rooms became single occupancy. At this time, virtually the entire building was refurbished and modernized to provide state-of-the-art services. More services were added during the late 1980s, including a short-term in-patient psychiatric unit, an adult care service, and a skilled nursing facility. All rooms were converted to private rooms bringing the total bed capacity to 133 licensed beds.
Additions to the emergency department and day surgery area were completed in 1993.
As part of its commitment to excellence, the hospital completed an extensive $18.6 million expansion and renovation project that has enhanced access to quality care in a safe environment. Patients benefit from a host of new technologies, expanded services, and streamlined patient care.
Renovations continued within the hospital as the Nuclear Medicine department expanded. The Martin Memorial Building and former Martin Memorial School of Nursing was demolished to make way for expansion. Ground was broken for the new 58,000 sq. ft. Surgical Services expansion.
In June 2009, the 58,000 square foot expansion of Surgical Services was completed and The Surgery Center was opened. This state-of-the-art facility includes integrated digital operating rooms, pre-admission testing, patient prep and holding areas, day surgery, endoscopy, family and visitor waiting, family consultation areas, post anesthesia care, and sterile processing.
Northern Hospital of Surry County becomes Northern Regional Hospital and unveils a new logo.
Northern opens its first urgent care clinic located at 119 Welch Road in Mount Airy.
Northern Regional Hospital broke ground for the new medical office building on S. South Street beside the Hospital. The facility will house Northern Family Medicine, Gastroenterology, Urology, and General Surgery and is projected to open in Spring 2023.
The Garden is located at Entrance C of the Hospital and features many flowers, plants, and red maple trees, with several benches for visitors to sit and enjoy the flora and sounds of the rock and boulder fountain.
Northern Regional Hospital’s Medical Office Building was opened in September, 2023.The new Medical Office Building is home to four of Northern’s Physician practices: Family Medicine, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, and Urology. Each of the four physician practices has its own dedicated space – which includes satellite seating areas for patients, a vital signs station, exam rooms, procedure rooms for minor on-site treatments, a centrally situated nurses’ station, and offices for medical staff.
