In the early 1900s, the Reverend Paul Koren began collecting donations for a hospital in Decorah, Iowa.[5] William Smith gave the first donation of $10,000, and several other donors provided Koren another $15,000.[5] The Decorah Hospital opened in 1914.
In 1957, the Decorah Hospital was renamed Smith Memorial Hospital in honor of its first donor.[5] In 1971, a new hospital building was constructed, and the name was changed to Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital. The old building was donated to Winneshiek County, which serves as the home of the county's department of health.[5]
In 2004, the board of trustees changed the hospital's name to Winneshiek Medical Center.[5] In 2005, Mayo Clinic Health System's Decorah clinic merged with Winneshiek Medical Center. As part of this merger, Mayo Clinic Health System provides physician services for the hospital.[5]
In 2023, Winneshiek Medical Center was renamed WinnMed. Their relationship with Mayo Clinic Health System remains strong.