Naval Medical Center San Diego
32°43′30″N 117°08′45″W / 32.72500°N 117.14583°W
Naval Medical Center San Diego | |
---|---|
Active | 1917 – Present |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Navy |
Type | Hospital |
Part of | Navy Medicine West, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery |
Motto(s) | The Pride of Navy Medicine |
Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD), also known as Bob Wilson Naval Hospital and informally referred to as "Balboa Hospital", or "The Pink Palace" (because the stucco of the first buildings that were constructed was pinkish in color), is a technologically advanced Navy medical treatment facility. Located within the grounds of Balboa Park in San Diego, the hospital has played a role in the history of San Diego for more than 100 years. The goal has remained constant, to provide the finest medical care in a family-centered care environment to operational forces, their families, and veterans. Organizationally, the hospital is first and foremost a military command.
Development
As the United States entered World War I, San Diegans offered the nearly empty Balboa Park after the 1915 Panama–California Exposition to be used by various branches of the U.S. military for barracks and training purposes.[1] During this time, a hospital tent was set up at the present location of the San Diego Natural History Museum.[2] In September 1919, city leaders set aside a 17-acre (6.9 ha) parcel at Inspiration Point in Balboa Park for use in constructing a permanent Naval hospital.[2] About $1.25 million was appropriated for the construction of the hospital; which would supplement the medical services provided aboard a fleet assigned hospital ship.[3] This donation, along with other purchased land, allowed for the development of an 85-acre (34 ha), 89-building complex with 2,600 beds. The first unit opened in 1925.[4]
During
During the Vietnam War-era, the complex was the largest military hospital in the world.[6]
An entirely new $270 million hospital complex was built in Florida Canyon, north of the original hospital, during the mid-1980s; the site was chosen at the urging of then-
Current status
The center has five medical mobilization teams including the hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) whose personnel are drawn from the hospital staff. These teams deploy to the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia at various times during the year.
The hospital is a major training facility associated with the
The hospital operates clinics at area military installations, where ambulatory care is provided to the active duty population. Nine other clinics are located in San Diego and are available to family members and
Research and testing
A leader in the medical field, the hospital is also a major teaching and research center.
As one of Navy medicine's active
Namesake
On May 8, 2008, the hospital Medical Center San Diego was dedicated to San Diego Congressman
References
- ^ Christman (1985), p. 71
- ^ a b Linder (2001), p. 62
- ^ International Medical and Surgical Survey: Public health and medical sociology. Section 12. American Institute of Medicine. 1922. p. 262.
- ^ "Balboa Park history timeline: 1925". San Diego Historical Society. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
- ^ Amero, Richard. [1] "The US Naval Hospital and Balboa Park." (1998), pg. 3.
- ^ La Tourette, Robert, LT USN (June 1968). "The San Diego Naval Complex". United States Naval Institute Proceedings.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "About Us". Naval Medical Center San Diego. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
- ^ Showley, Roger (April 28, 1985). "Four years later, Navy hospital is halfway there". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
Bibliography
- Christman, Florence (1985). The Romance of Balboa Park (4th ed.). San Diego: San Diego Historical Society. ISBN 0-918740-03-7.
- Linder, Bruce (2001). San Diego's Navy. ISBN 1-55750-531-4.