Hospital
In 1944 Dr. Ernest Hofer and Hildegard Schmidt came up with a plan for a town hospital. Freeman Hospital was built in 1951, (a 16 bed hospital was dedicated in 1952). The doctors consisted of: Dr Ernest J. Hofer, W.E. Hieb, and LeRoy Kaufman. Dr. Villa joined in 1956. In 1959 a 30 bed addition was added. In 1968 Dr. Waltner joined the staff. In 1971 a 30 bed nursing home was built. In 1979 a 29 bed Nursing Home addition was added. The Hospital and Nursing Home had 89 beds total.
Freeman Regional Health Services is a healthcare facility which provides a full range of healthcare needs. Freeman Medical Center is a 25-bed critical access hospital, offering acute care and outpatient services. Oak view Terrace is a 56-bed Medicare Skilled Nursing Home, providing round-the-clock nursing care along with two 10-bed dementia care units. These units benefit residents with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia.
Rural Medical Clinic shares staffing with three full time physicians and four mid-level practitioners. Walnut and Dewald Street Villages are 10-unit congregate assisted living apartments owned and operated by Freeman Regional Health Services.
Dr. Irvin Kaufman came to Freeman in 1948 to start his practice. In 1952 Dr. Leroy Kaufman joined the practice and they moved the office to Fifth Street (current Garden Apartments site). Dr. Kaufman passed away in 1954. In 1956 Dr. Jose Villa joined the practice. In 1959 Dr. Dennis Epp joined as well. In 1963 the 18 room Freeman Clinic was completed. In 1968 Dr. Lonnie Waltner joined the practice.
Salem Home
In 1893 Aaron Peters built a general store on Main Street (Huber Motor site). In 1898 Peter Graber bought the building and moved it to Seventh Street. (This would later become the Salem Home). In 1943 Reverend Martin A. Kroeker suggested a home for the aged. A movement started and in 1945 Peter Graber sold his building to the Salem Home Corporation. The Salem Mennonite Home was remodeled and incorporated in 1951. In 1965 the Salem Mennonite Home added a new building to the west for 30 more residents.
