Bethesda Memorial Hospital - Our History

As the flagship of Bethesda Healthcare System, Bethesda Memorial Hospital is a fully accredited, community, not-for-profit hospital offering a full array of healthcare services through our Centers of Excellence.

Bethesda Memorial Hospital opened its doors in 1959 with 70 beds, a medical staff of 32 physicians, 65 employees and a mission to serve the community. At that time, the Hospital's founders made a decision to establish Bethesda as a not-for-profit hospital. For 50 years, the commitment to preserving this status has not wavered.

It is this commitment to our community that has allowed Bethesda to grow and become a 401-bed, community, not-for-profit hospital with a mission "to provide quality health services in a caring manner." With 525 physicians in more than 40 areas of specialty, and a hospital staff of more than 2,300 employees, Bethesda Memorial Hospital, and its affiliates, offer a full array of healthcare services, including a nationally accredited  vascular institute ; general and specialized surgery; maternity services; a Level III neonatal intensive care unit; pediatric and  pediatric intensive care services ; programs for wound care and hyperbaric medicine ; the  Bethesda Comprehensive Cancer Center , an Affiliate of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute; The Walter S. and Lucienne Driskill Endovascular Center; a  Primary Stroke Center certified by The Joint Commission; the  Cornell Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine , a 28-bed, inpatient,  rehabilitation facility ; and the Bethesda Heart Institute , a 39-bed, "heart hospital within a hospital."

Building for a Lifetime

1957	Groundbreaking ceremony for Bethesda Memorial Hospital
1959	Hospital opened with 32 doctors and 70 beds
1959	First baby born at Bethesda
1969	A rock from the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem was sent to the Hospital by former Boynton Beach residents. It remains on display in the Main Lobby of the Hospital.
1980	A witty sign placed in front of the Hospital succinctly expressed Bethesda's community ownership. . . priceless!
2000	Bethesda's most aggressive expansion and renovation plan was presented and initiated: $100 Million Community Challenge Campaign
2005	The 28-bed Cornell Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine opened on the 3rd floor of the Hospital to serve the needs of patients requiring orthopedic and neurological rehabilitation
2005	The Bethesda Stroke Center became a Certified Primary Stroke Center, the first of its kind in Palm Beach County
2008	The Bethesda Heart Institute, a 39-bed, "heart hospital within a hospital," opened to provide the most comprehensive level of cardiovascular services for the area's rapidly growing population. The Bethesda Heart Institute is located on the Hospital's main campus.
2008	The Walter S. and Lucienne Driskill Endovascular Center opened to allow surgeons to care for patients with vascular problems using minimally invasive procedures.
2009	Bethesda Memorial Hospital, the first, not-for-profit, community hospital built in South Palm Beach County, celebrated its 50th Anniversary on February 9, 2009.