Blythedale Children's Hospital

Description

MISSION
Blythedale Childrens Hospital is dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of children

We accomplish this in four ways
Patient Care Blythedale is a national leader in the diagnosis and treatment of children with disabling and complex medical conditions

Research Blythedale is a research center dedicated to discovering ways of improving the care of children with special needs

Advocacy Blythedale advocates tirelessly at the federal and state level to ensure that the highly specialized needs of all children are met

Teaching Blythedale trains the next generation of health care professionals in diagnosis and treatment of children with complex medical needs

We serve children without regard to religion race or ability to pay Although we treat children from any locality we consider the greater New York metropolitan area Hudson Valley and Connecticut to be our primary communities

Vision
To serve as the preeminent childrens rehabilitation hospital in the Northeast serving higher acuity patients with a variety of special healthcare needs through superb medical psychosocial teaching research and advocacy programs

Core Values
Excellence in everything we do

Compassion in the care and services provided to children and their families

Innovation in finding better approaches to improve the quality and responsiveness of care

Team Work is a defining characteristic of our Organization treating each other with respect

History

Blythedales first recorded history dates back to 1891 when a group of women of the New York Ethical Culture Society began visiting shutin children in New York City furnishing them with clothing and food as well as obtaining medical attention for them In addition the group provided these children summer vacations in the areas surrounding the city In 1903 10000 was donated toward the establishment of a permanent summer home This home was located in Hawthorne just north of the Hospitals current location The home became a yearround operation in 1913 and 34 children were admitted Of the 26 girls and eight boys all but one was a victim of tuberculosis The residential facility was formally named the Blythedale Home

In 1922 Blythedale moved to its present campus in Valhalla The new Blythedale Home took up residence in a 22room main building located on 17 acres Renovations to the building included the addition of a playroom sun parlor and sleeping porches More extensive remodeling included the creation of rooms for operating plastering and xraying In 1949 a major wing sleeping 24 and a staff building were added

In 1961 Robert Stone took over as President of Blythedale a position he would hold for 40 years It was at this time Blythedale received its accreditation as a hospital officially changing its name to Blythedale Childrens Hospital in 1964 The Hospital underwent a major 6300000 reconstruction project to accommodate 92 beds A swimming and treatment pool and a large multipurpose area were added followed by construction of a new school and diagnostic therapy and administrative areas When construction of the project was complete nothing remained of the original hospital or convalescent home In 1998 the Hospital added a beautiful 32000 squarefoot school building

While the Hospital has undergone dramatic changes to its physical plant it has evolved its mission as well in order to continue meeting the highly specialized needs of its patients By the late 1940s the discovery of antibiotics such as penicillin and tuberculosis prevention programs reduced the incidence of the ailments Blythedale had primarily been treating Orthopedic ailments such as LeggPerthes and scoliosis began to fill the beds left empty by the elimination of tuberculosis osteomylitis and after 1955 polio In 1963 the Hospital decided not to limit its treatment to orthopedic and neuromuscular disorders but to use the skills it had developed for children with metabolic disorders blood disorders severe allergic reactions speech and hearing disorders and other disabilities requiring a wide range of medical services This in turn required an expansion of staff and equipment increased services and affiliation with one or more medical schools In 1971 Blythedale opened the Mt PleasantBlythedale School under its roof the only hospital in the state with a public school district on site specifically designed to meet the educational needs of its patients

The 1990s continued to bring changes to Blythedale At the request of major teaching hospitals and pediatricians Blythedale developed innovative clinical programs as well as support services to diagnose treat and rehabilitate children with a variety of highly complex rehabilitative and medical needs In addition Blythedale expanded its medical staff to include approximately 50 physicians drawn from the top medical schools and residency training programs throughout the United States in their relevant fields of expertise Today Blythedale is the only independent freestanding childrens rehabilitation hospital in the entire United States according to the National Association of Childrens Hospitals and Related Institutions

In July of 2001 Larry Levine was appointed president It is the vision of the current leader that Blythedale will continue to pursue the development of innovative clinical programs and clinical partnerships with prestigious academic medical centers as well as working toward positioning itself as the preeminent childrens hospital in the region serving children with special healthcare needs