Hailey Tran
Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, founded on May 11, 1751, by Dr. Thomas Bond and Benjamin Franklin, is considered America's first hospital. It was the nation's first chartered hospital, and its roots can be traced back to institutions in England, Europe, and the Middle East. The hospital was established with the aim of providing free care for the sick poor and became a center for innovation, medical advancement, and the treatment of war-wounded patients.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Pennsylvania Hospital |
| Location | 800 Spruce Street in Center City Philadelphia |
| Founded by | Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Bond |
| Founded on | May 11, 1751 |
| Type | Private, non-profit, 515-bed teaching hospital |
| Mission | To care for the "sick-poor and mentally ill" in the community |
| Achievements | First medical library, first surgical amphitheatre, advancements in women's medicine, especially maternity |
| Current services | Obstetrics, neurosciences, orthopedics, cancer care, mental and behavioral health services |
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What You'll Learn
Pennsylvania Hospital: America's first hospital
Pennsylvania Hospital, located at 800 Spruce Street in Center City Philadelphia, is America's first hospital. It was founded on May 11, 1751, by Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Bond. It was the second public hospital in the United States after Bellevue Hospital.
The hospital was originally conceived as an institution "for the reception and cure of the sick poor...free of charge." It was funded by matching grants from the people of Philadelphia, following a bill passed unanimously by the House on February 7, 1750. Benjamin Franklin later wrote of his satisfaction with the success of this endeavour.
Pennsylvania Hospital quickly gained a reputation as a centre of innovation and medical advancement, particularly in the area of maternity. It was also a teaching hospital and served as a centre for treating war-wounded patients. The hospital's seal contains the story of the Good Samaritan, with the phrase "Take Care of Him and I Will Repay Thee".
The hospital's main building, dating to 1756, is a National Historic Landmark. It is home to the nation's oldest surgical amphitheatre, which was in use from 1804 to 1868. The surgical amphitheatre seats 180, and with standing room, up to 300 people could be present during a surgical operation. In 1774, the Board of Managers proposed the Physic Garden to provide physicians with ingredients for medicines, but financial circumstances delayed the project for two centuries.
Today, Pennsylvania Hospital continues to serve the community with a range of medical services, including obstetrics, neurosciences, orthopaedics, and cancer care. It joined the Penn Medicine system in 1997 and is affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania Health System.
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Bellevue: the oldest public hospital
In the early 1700s, medical care in the colonies was limited. People would have to call a physician to their homes if they needed medical attention, but this was not affordable for everyone. The roots of early hospitals in America can be traced to institutions in England, Europe, and the Middle East.
Bellevue Hospital in New York City is recognised as the oldest public hospital in North America. Its origins can be traced back to the 1660s when a small infirmary was built for soldiers who had contracted infectious diseases. Under British rule, the Bellevue Hospital's institutional predecessor, the City Almshouse, opened its doors to the public.
Bellevue Hospital was officially founded on the second floor of the New York City Almshouse in 1736, about 40 years before the American Revolution. It has been at the forefront of providing comprehensive patient care and medical education. The hospital has been committed to serving vulnerable populations, including the homeless, immigrants, and minorities, while also delivering care to United States presidents. Bellevue's tradition of treating patients regardless of socioeconomic or racial status has made it one of the most historically renowned hospitals in the country.
Bellevue Hospital is currently located on First Avenue in the Kips Bay neighbourhood of Manhattan, New York City. In 1798, the city of New York purchased Belle Vue Farm, which became the site of the current hospital, and it was officially renamed "Bellevue" in 1824.
Bellevue has been a pioneer in many areas of medicine. It was the first hospital to have a nursing school for women, a maternity ward, a children's clinic, an ambulance service, medical photography, and forensic medicine. The hospital has experienced and played a crucial role in fighting many epidemics, including yellow fever, typhus, smallpox, and cholera.
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Charity Hospital: second-largest in the US in 1939
The Charity Hospital in New Orleans was the second-largest hospital in the US in 1939, with a bed capacity of 2,680. The hospital was originally named the Hospital of Saint John or L'Hôpital des Pauvres de la Charité (The Charity Hospital for the Poor). It was founded 18 years after the city was founded by France in 1718. The first Charity Hospital was located on the intersection of Chartres Street and Bienville Street in what is now the French Quarter. The hospital quickly outgrew its original facility, and a second hospital was built at the edge of the colony on Basin Street in 1743. A third hospital was built nearby in 1785 and was renamed the San Carlos Hospital in honour of King Charles III after New Orleans was ceded to Spain in 1763. By 1939, a sixth hospital had been built, making Charity Hospital the second-largest in the US.
Charity Hospital was one of two teaching hospitals that were part of the Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans (MCLNO), the other being University Hospital. It served one of the largest populations of uninsured citizens and boasted the No. 2 Level I Trauma Centre in the nation. The hospital was severely damaged during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and was closed down. The original Charity Hospital was replaced by a new hospital in the lower Mid-City neighbourhood, named University Medical Center New Orleans, which opened in August 2015.
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New York Hospital: established in 1771
In the early 1700s, most Americans relied on house calls from physicians for their medical care, which was not affordable for everyone. The first hospitals in the United States were founded from homes and institutions that nursed and cared for the ailing poor.
The New York Hospital, established in 1771, is the third oldest hospital in the country, after Bellevue Hospital in New York City (1736) and Pennsylvania Hospital (1751). It was founded by Edinburgh Medical School graduate Samuel Bard and was granted a Royal Charter by King George III of Great Britain.
The hospital has had several locations over the years. By the 1870s, it had built a complex on West 15th Street, just off Fifth Avenue, but this became too cramped by the 1920s. In 1927, the trustees bought a two-block site bounded by 68th, 70th, York Avenue, and the East River, with other adjacent properties. In 1932, the hospital opened a new campus at 68th Street and the East River, with a central tower rising almost 350 feet high, designed by Coolidge, Shepley, Bulfinch & Abbott.
In 1913, New York Hospital established an affiliation agreement with Cornell Medical College, which became known as one of the world's preeminent medical institutions. In 1998, New York Hospital merged with Presbyterian Hospital, forming NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, one of the largest and most comprehensive hospitals in New York. Today, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is ranked as one of the best hospitals in the United States and is known for its strong affiliations with other medical institutions.
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Boston Dispensary: founded in 1796
In the early 1700s, medical care in the colonies was limited, and most people had to call a physician to their homes if they needed medical attention. This was often unaffordable for many. The tradition of providing assistance to the poor led to the establishment of public hospitals in the United States.
The Boston Dispensary, also known as the Boston Medical Dispensary, was founded on September 11, 1796, in Boston, Massachusetts. It was established on three principles:
- The sick could be attended and treated in their own homes, without the pain of separation from their families.
- This approach would be less expensive for the public than hospital treatment.
- Those who had fallen on hard times could be comforted without humiliation, and the poor could receive charitable assistance discreetly.
The Boston Dispensary provided "medical relief of the poor" in Boston from the late 18th century through the mid-20th century. It was one of the first hospitals in the United States and played a pioneering role in American medicine. The Dispensary maintained a central clinic and provided charitable medical services throughout the city. It was also a training ground for many physicians, including Oliver Wendell Holmes and James Jackson.
In the 1960s, the Boston Dispensary merged with the Floating Hospital for Children and the Pratt Diagnostic Clinic/Tufts Medical Center Hospital. Today, it is known as the Tufts Medical Center, a community-based, world-class adult and pediatric teaching and research hospital.
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Frequently asked questions
The Pennsylvania Hospital, founded on May 11, 1751, was the first chartered hospital in the nation. It was started by Dr. Thomas Bond and Benjamin Franklin.
The hospital was founded with the aim of "receiving and curing the sick free of charge". It was meant to serve the "sick-poor and mentally ill" in the community.
Some of the oldest hospitals in the US include Bellevue Hospital (1736), New York Hospital (1771), Boston Dispensary (1796), Charity Hospital, Candler Hospital (1804), Massachusetts General Hospital (1811), McLean Hospital (1811), Friends Hospital (1813), and University Hospital (1818).
Pennsylvania Hospital is a private, non-profit, 515-bed teaching hospital located at 800 Spruce Street in Center City Philadelphia. It is part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System.
