Florida Hospital

Description

Since 1908 Florida Hospital Orlando has cared for the Central Florida community as well as patients from around the world At the core of the Florida Hospital system Florida Hospital Orlando is an acutecare tertiary hospital caring for more than 15 million patients a year As the primary campus for more than 1000 physicians Florida Hospital Orlando is home to nationally recognized Centers of Excellence for cancer cardiology children diabetes neuroscience orthopaedics and transplant Florida Hospital Orlando continues to meet the growing needs of our community with the addition of the Ginsburg Tower a 255 million 15story facility that is home to the Florida Hospital Cardiovascular Institute and a footballfieldsized emergency department that can accommodate the treatment of more patients in less time

The Seventhday Adventist Churchs commitment to superior healthcare means more than providing you with the most gifted professionals and advanced technologies and treatments available to meet your medical needs Our focus is on healing the whole person and our mission is to provide care for the mind and the spirit as well as the body In fact Seventhday Adventists believe that nothing is more vital to physical health than spiritual and emotional well being It is this belief that guides everything we do at Florida Hospital and it has helped us to create one of the finest healthcare facilities in the US if not the world right here in Central Florida

Our mission extending the healing ministry of Christ comes from the study of scripture Jesus spent a great deal of his ministry on this Earth healing the sick and helping those in need In fact he seemed to seek out people with problems offering them a new and better life Our hope is that through our caregivers His Healing Touch will be felt by all who come to us for care

History

The year was 1908 That year paper cups were invented The diesel engine came on line General Motors Corporation was founded The Ford Motor Company made its first Model Tand went on to sell 15 million The TB vaccine was first used Pretransfusion blood tests began being used

That year was memorable for one other important event it was the year Florida Hospital first opened its doors

Todays billiondollar Florida Hospital system got started with 483 Thats the amount Seventhday Adventist leaders actually had in their treasury when they made a 9000 offer to buy what was then known as quotDr Harris Sanitarium and Hotel Companyquot Orlando surgeon R L Harris had established the facility in a farmhouse on 72 acres between the shores of Lake Estelle and Lake Winyah He built several small cottages on the property installed a sewer system and outfitted the rooms spending a total of 12500a large sum in those days

Between 1908 and 1920 a number of changes took place at the hospital The progress during these early years would set a pattern that has followed the hospital until the present dayimprovement and expansion of the facilities along with educational training of hospital workers

In 1940 a new wing was one of the major construction programs and is still in use today By 1950 the hospital hadnt changed much on the outside but on the inside great changes were taking place Patients no longer came to the hospital to quotrestquot but came for specific medical treatmentand the emergence of many new surgical and medical treatment options offered them a better chance for recovery With the installation of airconditioning in 1958 yearround care became truly possible for the first time

During the 1960s the outdated wooden structures were soon torn down and replaced with modern facilities The hospital grew to nearly 500 beds by 1970 and the interior underwent even more dramatic changes Specialty programs including cardiology orthopedic surgery organ transplants and cancer treatment were added

The lush lawns of the 50s and 60s were gone by the 70s as a result of the need for land for new construction The hospital built the new Diagnostic and Treatment Center which housed the new Emergency Department Lab Radiology operating suites and other services as well as an underground physician parking garage This new Center was built so that new floors could be added in the future and in 1982 an 11story addition was completed at a cost of 120 millionthe most expensive building program in the hospitals history The word quotSanitariumquot was dropped from its name in 1970 and the hospital became known simply as quotFlorida Hospitalquot By the end of the 80s the Orlando facility was one of Floridas largest hospitals with a growing international reputation In 1973 Florida Hospital Altamonte in Altamonte springs became the first quotsatellitequot hospital and in 1975 Florida Hospital Apopka was purchased

Today Florida Hospital is a multicampus system with fullservice facilities in Orlando Altamonte Apopka East Orlando Kissimmee Volusia County and Sebring as well as 13 walkin clinics or Centra Cares situated throughout Central Florida In 1997 Celebration Healtha stateoftheart facilityopened its doors in the futuristic Disney city Celebration Construction was also completed in early 1998 on the RDV Sportsplex in Maitland a joint venture between the hospital and the parent corporation of the Orlando Magic basketball team and the Orlando Solar Bears hockey team This unique facility provides a rehabilitation and fitness center along with a Womens Center training facilities and a complete sports medicine program among other services

In 1991 the Cancer Center received permission from the wife of the late Walt Disney to name the Cancer Institute in his honor In mid1998 the new Cancer Institute was completed and today the Walt Disney Memorial Cancer Institute WDMCI has developed the regions most comprehensive cancer treatment and research center located on the Orlando campus

Florida Hospital is committed to development and growth as it keeps abreast of the latest in technology and its main priority will continue to be the health and wellbeing of the people of Central Florida during the 21st century