Children's Hospital

Description

About Childrens
Childrens Hospital amp Medical Center has a rich history based on community involvement and service to children The original Childrens Memorial Hospital was founded in 1948 by Dr CWM Poynter dean of the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Henry Doorly publisher of the Omaha WorldHerald with a vision that no child in need of medical care would be turned away due to an inability to pay

Today families from across a fivestate region and beyond seek the experience and expertise of Childrens Hospital amp Medical Center We provide care to more than 250000 children each year

Childrens Hospital Facts
Childrens Hospital amp Medical Center is a 145bed nonprofit organization caring for children since 1948 It is the only fullservice pediatric specialty health care center in Nebraska Patients are referred from throughout the region for the treatment of complex or unusual diseases in addition to pediatric primary care

History

Childrens Memorial Hospital opened its doors on March 14 1948 The hospital located at 42nd and Dewey Ave in Omaha cost 850000 to build and was funded by a communitywide penny drive and contributions made by 30000 people in Nebraska and western Iowa

The first child to be admitted to the new childrens hospital needed surgery Six and ahalf month old John Paul Mattson was born with a hernia He arrived at the hospital from his home in Omahas Dundee neighborhood just minutes before Childrens second patient also an infant boy in need of surgery to repair a hernia Both procedures went well

Mattson returned to Childrens Memorial Hospital ten years later with a ruptured appendix that almost took his life His treatment was successful and he went on to graduate from Omahas Westside High School and Northwestern University John Mattson is now a father and grandfather who says quotIm here because of Childrensquot

With the polio epidemic looming Childrens would go on to play a significant role in the treatment of youngsters throughout the area

In 1981 Childrens Hospital moved west to a new location at the corner of 83rd and Dodge Streets

A new stateoftheart hospital built especially for children opened September 30 2000 at 8200 Dodge St just one block north of Childrens former home The 292030 squarefoot facility features a total of nine floors including three medicalsurgical floors each with 24 singleoccupancy rooms The hospital also has a 19bed pediatric intensive care unit and a 46bed newborn intensive care unit

On January 8 2009 Childrens Hospital introduced a new logo and a new name Childrens Hospital amp Medical Center represents the hospitals growth into a regional pediatric and specialty health care center