Former employees, community commemorates HMC’s final day

Sandra Smelser doesn’t know what it’s like to work in any other hospital other than Hartselle Medical Center.

She, who worked in case management, has worked at the hospital for 43 years. Now, she doesn’t know what the future holds for the hospital, which shut down at the end of the day Tuesday.

“It’s the only job I’ve ever had after graduating from school,” Smelser said with tears in her eyes. “It’s just like losing a family member.”

Smelser and less than 100 more gathered on the front steps of the hospital for a candlelight vigil to remember the loss of the hospital, which has been a mainstay in Hartselle since 1948.

Kathy Goodwin, who worked as the hospital’s director of marketing and community events, told the group gathered at the hospital that this was more than just a building.

“It’s more than just bricks and mortar,” Goodwin said. “It’s about the people.”

Smelser said Hartselle Hospital was a pioneer in the North Alabama medical field. She helped open the first intensive care unit in North Alabama in 1968.

“We had one before Huntsville Hospital,” Smelser said.

Now, Huntsville Hospital entered into a tentative agreement to purchase HMC from Capella Healthcare for $1.5 million within the next 45 days.

However, if Huntsville Hospital purchases the HMC building, it appears unlikely it will open a full hospital.

“Unfortunately, while you can’t make the hospital work as an inpatient facility, there may be an opportunity for us to provide some services on an outpatient basis,” Huntsville Hospital CEO David Spillers said. “Certainly, we will look at trying to keep the physicians in the community by providing access to the services needed for their practices, such as lab and imaging services, if at all possible.”

Smelser will still remember the people the most about the hospital.

“It’s the people that I will remember – the patients, the nurses, the doctors and others,” Smelser said. “That is what made Hartselle Medical Center a great hospital.”