Tulare Local Health Care Dist

Description

The Mission of Tulare District HealthCare System is TO HEAL Our Vision is to promote healing in all aspects of service to the patient community medical staff and employees Our Values are based on sound ethical treatment business practices and expectation that employees will engage in ethical interactions with the customer

We strive to provide the highest quality care in the most effective manner

We value the rights of every customer to expect and receive concerned compassionate quality care that preserves their dignity holds in confidence their medical and personal information and is directed to the care of their physical mental emotional spiritual and social needs

We hold important the value to provide comfortable safe clean and attractive environments for healing

Supportive and proactive interrelationships and interactions between employees patients customers physicians and volunteers are valued

A free exchange of information is valued with confidentiality always maintained at all levels of our organization

We support innovation of services and programs for the improvement of care for the customer and to provide improved employee experience in delivering the services

History

At the close of World War II the men and women of Tulare began working diligently to raise the funds to build their own hospital

The hospital had been discussed in the community since 1937 Several attempts to pass bond measures failed Then in January 1946 Tulareans passed two consecutive bond issues and with Federal government aid the Tulare Local Hospital District was formed The first hospital board was appointed by the County Board of Supervisors

The construction of the new 11 million 86bed hospital began on May 23 1949 with the groundbreaking ceremony Less than two years later on February 18 1951 the dedication ceremony for the longawaited Tulare District Hospital took place

In the spring of 1958 a group of 21 Tulare women met to form the Tulare District Hospital Auxiliary whose purpose was to promote the welfare of TDHs patients and visitors Members were referred to as Pink Ladies The Auxiliary operated as a service organization until 1966 when the hospitals board authorized the Auxiliary to operate a gift shop in the hospital lobby The Auxiliary has continued to grow and expand its duties Now volunteers can be found in the Gift Shop and at Information Desks throughout the hospital In addition to their time Auxiliary members donate 20000 to 30000 a year to the hospital for the purchase of patient care equipment

The Tulare Hospital Foundation was established in 1987 Organized by civic minded men and women the Foundation is dedicated to educate the community about the excellent programs and services at TDH and to raise funds for hospital projects The Foundation has succeeded in raising nearly 2 million enabling the hospital to attain its goals of expansion and addition of services

In December of 1989 the hospital broke ground on the front expansion and renovation project This project was completed in 1993 which included remodeled patient rooms lobby expanded ICU and new pediatric unit added for a total of 12 million

Health care needs were changing and in 1995 the Tulare Community Health Clinic opened and Tulare Home Care began visiting patients in their homes

Then in 1998 TDH purchased Family Xray center to expand medical imaging services and in 1999 the VA Clinic opened at Tulare District Hospital to provide medical services to area veterans

Today as a health care district Tulare District Hospital is responsive to the community of Tulare and the surrounding southern areas of Tulare County with a population of over 95000 Licensed for 112 inpatient beds the acute care facility Tulare District Hospital and the associated programs are governed by a fivemember board of directors who are elected at large by the voters of the health care district Tulare District Hospital is accredited with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

On the horizon is a 100 million project to expand the hospital and position it for the next 50 years In September of 2005 voters of the hospital district overwhelmingly approved an 85 million bond measure that will pay for a 100000 square foot expansion Included in that expansion will be a new and larger emergency department new operating rooms and a new and expanded Birthplace

What began over 50 years ago as a simple single building on a vacant lot in the country has changed the skyline and lives of many people in Tulare Our great accomplishments of the past are only an introduction to the greater things in our future

As we look to the future we will continue to provide quality health care and develop new programs and services for our community The high standard was set in 1951 the healing tradition will continue