National Hospital Week, May 11 -17, 2008
The nation's most traditional health care event unites hospitals, health care workers and communities from coast to coast, building enthusiasm and pride in the giving nature of care. Today, according to the American Hospital Association’s Hospital Statistics, nearly 6,000 hospitals and over five million dedicated staff members serve as beacons of hope in their communities.

A look back shows just how far we’ve come.

The first hospital on American soil was built in Philadelphia in 1751 at the urging of Benjamin Franklin. But early hospitals were far from today's modern technological marvels. While they served a vital role, they were slow to win over a population for whom hospitals were unfamiliar and even frightening places.

1918-The Year of Fear Sets the Stage for National Hospital Week.
While medicine was advancing, disease remained a formidable enemy.

The flu outbreak of 1918 would become the deadliest epidemic in American history. Over the course of the year, the so-called "Spanish flu" would kill more than 600,000 Americans.

It changed everyday life. Cities like San Francisco mandated the wearing of face masks and made it illegal for citizens to remove them in public. In October alone, 195,000 Americans died. Chicago's crime rate dropped 43 percent, with local authorities attributing the dubious decline to the horrific toll the outbreak was taking on the city's lawbreakers.

This climate of fear and fatalism captured the attention of a Chicago magazine editor in 1921. In a column, the editor proposed a radical idea: he called for hospitals to open their doors to the public for just one day, and for the public to come inside and see the modern advances that had turned these long-dreaded halls into impressive care centers.

The Nation Responded.
On May 12, 1921, America celebrated its first National
Hospital Day.

Fittingly held on Florence Nightingale's birthday (she had died 11 years earlier at the age of 90), it provided a window of opportunity for hospitals to capture the trust of their communities. The event spread across the country and was expanded to National Hospital Week in 1953. Today, the annual celebration continues to be held during the week of the legendary nurse's birthday, a symbol of her lasting impact on health care.

Kiddie Rides set up for Pennsylvania Hospital Day, June 4, 1953. Photo by Robert S. Halvey, Hospital Photographer.
Image courtesy Pennsylvania Hospital Historic Collections, Philadelphia. 

Today’s version of the commemorative celebration demonstrates that hospitals are foundations of the communities that built them and nurture them. According to Hospital Statistics, hospitals admit almost 37 million patients each year, treat another 117 million in emergency departments and see another 545 million for other outpatient needs. On any given day, 658,000 patients fill U.S. hospital beds.

Hospitals today are multi-dimensional facilities covering every area of specialization, with a focus on wellness and a reach that extends into the communities they serve. During National Hospital Week, millions of Americans make their way to these special places to see the new breakthroughs and technologies that bring an ever-increasing sense of hope for the future.

This year, National Hospital Week will be celebrated May 11 -17. How will you celebrate in your community? Your commitment helps fulfill the promise that began more than 85 years ago. Thank you for helping keep this timeless tradition growing strong.