On May 26, 1951 a ceremony was held to break ground on Marion Memorial Hospital. At a cost of $1 million dollars, it was considered a dream come true for the civic-minded people of Marion who raised the necessary local portion of the project. Marion Memorial Hospital opened its door in May of 1953.
Over the years, Marion Memorial Hospital (MMH) has grown into a full-service healthcare facility licensed for 99 beds, including medical/surgical units, ICU, and obstetrics. Marion Memorial Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.
The new $42 million Heartland Regional Medical Center, opened in October, 2002, replacing the existing Marion Memorial Hospital at a new location on Route 13, one-mile west of Interstate 57. The new facility was the first new hospital built in southern Illinois in more than 40 years.