Our History
St. Mary Medical Center's 75th Anniverary
during 1998, was a special anniversary highlight for us and a
memorable occasion. In reflection, the entire 75th Anniversary year
was a whirlwind of exciting, historic and fun events. We started
out the year being honored at the State of the City Address by
Mayor Beverly O'Neill and the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce;
celebrated our Inaugural Anniversary Mass led by The Most Reverend
Joseph M. Sartoris in late January and held the awe-inspiring "Back
To the Future" Community Wellness Weekend in May of 1998. Let us
look back for a moment to the humble beginnings and the growth of
St. Mary Medical Center.
The original building was called the Long
Beach Sanitarium and was owned by a local physician. In 1923 when
the physician announced his intention of selling the hospital, Rev.
J. M. Hegarty, pastor of St. Anthony's Church, responded to the
many appeals from his parishioners for a Catholic Hospital by
asking the Sisters to consider buying it. Superiors from the
Schumpert Sanitarium in Shreveport, Louisiana visited the hospital
and decided to purchase it.
In August of that same year, six Sisters from
the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word arrived in Long Beach
to take over the management of the sanitarium which was renamed St.
Mary's Hospital. The need for larger facilities soon became
apparent. Late in 1929 the Sisters planned a fund-raising campaign
to build a larger hospital. The Depression stymied their efforts,
delaying improvements they wished to make. In March of 1933,
Southern California suffered a series of earthquakes with
widespread damage, including Long Beach which took a major hit.
Thanks to many helping hands all the patients were safely removed
from the crumbling building. St. Mary had severe damages and had to
be totally demolished. Later a twenty five-bed frame hospital was
opened, but due to limited finances - the Sisters had to wait
several years for a permanent building.
In 1937, a 100-bed hospital was
completed on the site of the original hospital. This structure,
quakeproof and fireproof throughout, is the present south wing of
St. Mary Medical Center. By the late 1940's, the Sisters needed
more hospital space and began constructing a 150-bed addition.
Various renovations and additions were made until 1962 when the new
five-story east wing brought the hospital capacity to 349.
cont...
A new convent for the Sisters, was completed
in the 1970's. St. Mary also began a series of firsts which
includes being the first hemodialysis unit in Long Beach; the first
trauma center in the harbor area; the first implantation of a
nuclear pacemaker and the opening of the Diabetes and Endocrine
Center. St. Mary also became a teaching hospital. In 1973, The
Bauer Professional Building opened and in 1974, a 10-story Bauer
Wing was added. Accolades for its fine services were given and St.
Mary was ranked among the top 10 of more than 400
medical-technology schools in the United States. In 1979, St. Mary
opened a facility to house a new linear accelerator, the most
advanced piece of equipment available for radiation therapy.
The 1980's brought an equally impressive list
of accomplishments; the opening of an obstetrical clinic offering
complete maternity services to Long Beach women unable to afford
private care; the opening of "Traumaport", a helicopter landing
site; the opening of the John Edward Parr Health Enhancement
Center; designation as an Official Olympic Sports Medicine Research
site; the opening of the Priority One Industrial Clinic,
designation as a Level I trauma center for Los Angeles County; the
opening of the St. Mary Tower residence for the aged and
handicapped; the completion of the St. Mary Medical Mall; the
establishment of the SNF and the acute-rehabilitation center, as
well as the Renal-Transplant Center.
During the 1990's St. Mary Medical Center
embarked on several ambitious building projects - including a new
professional office building and SurgiCenter; a child-care center
and a new Emergency Department. St. Mary continued to make its mark
by receiving national recognition and honors for the CARE Program
and its work with HIV patients; extensive community outreach
through the SEAHP, as well as being among the first nationwide to
implement the patient-focused care model. St. Mary serves as a
leader in Quality Improvement, patient satisfaction and service
excellence. In 1996, St. Mary became a member of CHW, the largest
nonprofit provider of hospital services in California further
strengthening its position and ability to service the Long Beach
community. In early 1998, St. Mary and the Visiting Nurses
Association joined forces to become the St. Mary Medical Center
VNA, enabling extensive home health care to a larger populace.
As we joyfully and reverently celebrate the
Sisters and St. Mary's 75 years of service, let us also applaud the
untiring, compassionate and dedicated physicians, staff and dynamic
leadership through the years who have perpetuated the mission of
the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. Due to their hard
work and commitment St. Mary has become a leader in the Long Beach
community and a shining example in the healthcare industry.
