Think back to 1996. Bill Clinton was in the White House, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX, the Olympics came to Atlanta — and a couple of guys in Boardman were bringing an idea to life.
Ed Muransky and Dr. Lou Lyras wanted to do something simple: give people in the Mahoning Valley access to high quality, compassionate healthcare without having to travel too far from home. So they talked to local physicians, nurses and other medical professionals, learned what was working, what wasn’t and used that information to open the Surgery Center at Southwoods on Southern Boulevard in June of 1996.
In terms of size, it was the equivalent of a quarter of a football field. Eighteen employees. Five operating rooms and two endoscopy suites.
Not bad for a starting point, but the first expansion came about eight years later and growth hasn’t slowed down since.
The goal from day one was to perfect the patient experience — first-class care, the latest technology, right here in your backyard. And as it turns out, there were a lot of backyards.
Over the past 30 years, Southwoods branched out from Mahoning County and followed you south into Columbiana County, north into Trumbull County and even crossed the state line into Mercer County. Fifty-one locations across four counties — and growing!
Remember that quarter of a football field? Try 10.5 football fields now. Over 616,000 square feet dedicated to making sure you have access to whatever you need, close to home — from primary care to expert specialists, and diagnostic imaging to physical therapy.
Behind all of it are the people who show up every day to take care of you. Eighteen employees are now over 1,500 — physicians, nurses, providers, administrative and hospitality staff, and everyone in between working to make sure every visit is memorable in the best way.
Most of them live right here. They are your neighbors, your friends and your family members. People who chose to build their careers in the community they live in.
Thirty years is worth celebrating. The question Ed and Dr. Lyras asked back in 1996 — how do we bring first-class, compassionate care to the Valley? — is still the one we’re answering every day. Because it’s not just been about the treatment, but how you’re treated.