Fifty years ago, I Love Lucy was on TV, “The Doggie in the Window” was on the radio, and a local hospital with 117 beds opened its doors to the community. In October 1953, Western Baptist Hospital began its tradition of health, healing, and service to the area. Today it is one of the largest medical and referral centers in the state.

On the outside, Western Baptist Hospital has undergone many changes in its 50-year history. Our latest additions of a third Doctors Office Building and Center for Digestive Health are indicative of the growth and change the hospital has experienced over the years. New technologies in cardiac care, cancer care, and women’s and children’s services are another way we’ve worked to bring the latest advancements home to the region.

Over the years, Western Baptist Hospital has expanded the health care continuum by enriching the lives of others. The same mission that brought the hospital into existence in 1953 continues to be its guiding principle—to continue its Christian heritage of service and to enhance the health of the people and communities it serves.