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Celebrating the 65th Anniversary of Nazareth Hospital.
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WHEREAS, The Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth was founded in Rome in 1875 by Frances Siedliska, Blessed Mother Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd. In 1885, Mother Mary and ten other Sisters came to the United States to promote their mission to families through education and health care; and
WHEREAS, The Sisters saw the need for a hospital in Northeast Philadelphia, and in 1934 they began sending members of the congregation to hospitals throughout the country to train to provide health care. On March 9, 1940, Nazareth Hospital was opened with a bed capacity of 116 at a cost of $800,000. This was financed solely by the Sisters, their families and friends. Nazareth Hospital was the only hospital planned and built during the Great Depression; and
WHEREAS, During the 1950’s, the population grew in Northeast Philadelphia -- once mostly farmlands. The Hospital’s facilities were expanded in 1952 with the construction of a new building to house the convent, chapel and pharmacy. This increased the bed capacity by 60; and
WHEREAS, In December, 1959, with the awarding of a Hill-Burton grant combined with the funds raised by the hospital’s friends, a 200-bed addition (the St. Joseph’s Building), plus new medical and surgical facilities, became a reality in 1963. Space was allocated at this time for the expansion of existing ancillary services. At the completion of this building, the original building (now called the Marian Pavilion) was completely renovated and re-opened in January of 1967. In November, 1977, a 32-bed Special Care Unit was opened on the third floor of the St. Joseph Building to provide coronary, intensive and respiratory care to critically ill or injured patients; and
WHEREAS, During the 1980’s, Nazareth Hospital began to offer home health services. In March of 1986, ground was broken for a $40 million addition to and renovation of the St. Joseph’s Building. The major portion of the construction was completed in 1988 and became known as the Holy Family Pavilion; and
WHEREAS, In the 1990’s, Nazareth Hospital opened the inpatient rehabilitation unit on the seventh floor of the St. Joseph’s Building, a transitional care unit was constructed on the sixth floor of the St. Joseph’s Building as well as the opening of a newly-renovated Cancer Care Unit on the west wing of the fifth floor. The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth transferred ownership of Nazareth to Franciscan Health System (FHS). Franciscan Health System was founded in 1981 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, who have been actively engaged in health care ministry for more than 130 years; and
WHEREAS, On May 1, 1996, Franciscan Health System consolidated with Catholic Health Corporation and Sisters of Charity Health Care System to form Catholic Health Initiatives and then transferred membership from Catholic Health Initiatives to Catholic Health East (CHE). As part of the Mid-Atlantic Division of CHE and a member of the Mercy Health System, Nazareth now enjoys the advantages of a regionally-focused system; and
WHEREAS, The 21st Century brought the Dr. Richard and Mary Vassallo Family Patient Unit, the Theraplex outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy center construction of a two-story medical office building adjacent to it as well as the newly-renovated 4 West orthopedic care unit, and the Inpatient Therapy Department was relocated to the 2nd floor of the St. Joseph Building; and
WHEREAS, Nazareth Hospital has a medical staff of more than 350 physicians practicing in a wide range of specialty and subspecialty areas. As new community services are considered, Nazareth remains well-positioned to meet the health care needs of the neighborhoods it serves long into the future. As the 21st century moves on, Nazareth Hospital remains committed to its founding mission of providing high quality, cost-efficient health care for the families we serve; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby congratulate Nazareth Hospital on their 65th Anniversary.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the administration and staff of Nazareth Hospital with best wishes and support to promote their mission of education and health care to families.
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