In 1902, San Antonio was a bustling metropolis of over 53,000 people. The city needed a new hospital, so a group physicians, businessmen and members of the young Bexar County Medical Society initiated the beginnings of Baptist Health System. Construction of a four-story hospital on Dallas Street was begun.
In 1903 Physicians’ and Surgeons’ Hospital opened. That same year, the first class of 16 nursing students entered the Physicians’ and Surgeons’ Hospital School of Nursing.
Fast forward to 1945 when Physicians and Surgeons’ Hospital merged with Medical and Surgical Memorial Hospital under the Medical and Surgical name. The two had first merged their nursing schools during World War II when both were authorized to train nurses for military service.
In 1948, the Southern Baptist Convention took over the merged hospitals and built a 100-bed hospital on land purchased in the 1930s, renaming the facility Baptist Memorial Hospital. The Baptist General Convention of Texas assumed ownership in 1952.
Expansions over the next 15 years added to the downtown campus, which was billed as the first centrally air-conditioned hospital building in Texas.
Our History
1966 – the first patient/consumer representative program in San Antonio was established at Baptist Memorial Hospital to monitor the quality of patient care and satisfaction.
1969 – the first coronary care facility developed exclusively for the care of heart patients opened in San Antonio, at Baptist Memorial Hospital.
1969 – a major growth milestone took place. The Baptist Memorial Hospital System was formed when ground was broken for a second hospital. Northeast Baptist Hospital was located in a residential section of San Antonio, a new concept in urban health care, bringing modern hospital facilities to the area where people live.
1970 – Northeast Baptist Hospital was dedicated, the same day that ground was broken across town for a third hospital, Southeast Baptist Hospital, which opened a year later. The three hospitals formed the Baptist Memorial Hospital System.
1978 – a commitment to education was established when a 50-year-old section of the downtown hospital complex was renovated into an educational center to house the Institute of Health Education.
1982 – The first CT scanner in Texas was installed.
1983 – The first percutaneous removal of kidney stones in San Antonio was performed.
1984 – Extensive non-invasive cardiology lab facilities were installed in for the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.
1984 – The first endophotocoagulation probe in San Antonio was installed for use with an argon laser to repair torn retinas.
1986 – The South Texas Regional Kidney Stone Center for the treatment of kidney stones with lithotripsy was opened.
1986 – Baptist Memorial Hospital became the first site in Texas for research on treatment of glaucoma with therapeutic ultrasound.
1987 – The downtown facility became the first private hospital in the city and one of the first in the country to perform autologous bone marrow transplants.
1987 – The first artificial ligament transplant in South Texas was performed there and the three hospitals became the first private hospitals in San Antonio to use Color Flow Doppler to diagnose heart valve abnormalities.
1988 – The first hospital-based osseointegration program for permanent tooth replacement was begun.
1990 – The first small incision, laparoscopic gall bladder removal was performed at Southeast Baptist Hospital.
1991 – Opening of North Central Baptist Hospital to serve the growing community north of San Antonio, on September 18.
1991 – The Baptist AirLife aeromedical service began operations. The service offered intensive care in the air, covering a 150-mile radius around San Antonio.
1992 – Baptist Memorial Hospital System created the first physician/hospital organization (PHO) in San Antonio.
1993 – To meet the growing need for outpatient services and more space for maternity care, an $11.2 million ambulatory care and women's center opened at Northeast Baptist Hospital.
1993 – An addition also opened in 1993 at Southeast Baptist Hospital. The $9 million addition provided space for outpatient services and for physician offices.
1993 – Indicative of the growing popularity of minimally-invasive surgery, the first laparoscopic splenectomy in Texas was performed at Baptist Medical Center by Dr. Morris Franklin, Jr.
1993 – A $3 million obstetrics unit opened at North Central Baptist Hospital.
1994 – BMHS acquired St. Luke's Lutheran Hospital (re-named St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital) through a merger and created the first integrated delivery system in San Antonio. The merger brought to the existing system the advantages of a presence in the Medical Center area, and St. Luke’s strengths in cancer care and research, cardiac care, burn care and orthopedic care.
1995 – Cardiac Care in the Baptist underwent a major expansion when the $3.5 million cardiac care center opened at Northeast Baptist Hospital. It made cardiac catheterization and open heart surgery possible at Northeast.
1995 – Baptist began its regional clinic outreach activity with the opening of a rural health clinic in La Vernia, Texas.
1995 – BMHS and participating physicians formed the Baptist Health Network (BHN), a management services organization (MSO).
1996 – In response to the growing trend away from strictly hospital care and toward a wider range of health care, the Baptist Memorial Hospital System changed its name it Baptist Memorial Healthcare System.
1996 – St. Luke’s Behavioral Health Center opened at St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital to offer inpatient and outpatient geriatric psychiatric care.
1997 - The system’s name changed again to Baptist Health System, to better describe the organization as an integrated delivery system committed to improving the health status of the community. The new name emphasizes the growing role of health and wellness rather than simply health care.
1997 – A Level III newborn and neonatal intensive care nursery opened at Northeast Baptist Hospital.
1997 – A second cardiac catheterization laboratory was added at Northeast Baptist Hospital.
1997 – An important aspect of the continuum of care was added to the system in 1997 when Baptist Home Health Services began seeing patients.
1997 – The Baptist Regional Children’s Center opened on the campus of North Central Baptist Hospital. It offers a facility and professional staff dedicated to the care of children from birth to adolescence.
1997 – An announcement of the expansion of HealthLink service came in 1997, and construction began on the HealthLink-North facility.
1997 – Work began on a $30 million project to completely renovate Baptist Medical Center, as Baptist Health System renewed its commitment to downtown San Antonio.
2003 – Baptist Health System is purchased by Vanguard Health Systems. Proceeds from the 2003 sale were used to establish the Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio. The Foundation funds not-for-profit healthcare services and education throughout South Texas.
2004 – First robotic open heart surgery in SA at BMC
2006 – Northeast Baptist Hospital celebrated more than 36 years of service to the community when it officially dedicated a beautiful new $80 million hospital wing.
January 2006 – The Atrium at North Central Baptist opened with an $85 million expansion project that more than doubled the hospital’s square footage.
September 1, 2006- Northeast Baptist, Southeast Baptist, North Central Baptist, St. Luke’s Baptist hospitals became multi-location under the Baptist Medical Center state hospital license.
2009 – 4th floor NICU addition at North Central Hospital
2011 – Mission Trail Baptist Hospital opened, replacing its predecessor Southeast Baptist Hospital, with a new state-of-the-art facility in the heart of the South Side of San Antonio. Southeast Baptist hospital closed on June 16, 2011 when Mission Trail Baptist hospital was licensed under the Baptist Medical Center multi-hospital state license.
2013 – Vanguard Health Systems and all its markets (including Baptist Health System), became part of Tenet Healthcare Corporation. This combined New Tenet employs more than 100,000 people in 78 hospitals and other entities in 43 states. Baptist Health System maintains its faith-based mission and its relationship with the Baptist Health Foundation.
2014 – Baptist opened Resolute Health Hospital in New Braunfels with a focus on health, wellness and customer service, and offering the burgeoning community the latest and best in class hospital programs and services.
2015 – DNV Comprehensive Stroke – SLB March 11, 2015
2016 – Baptist Orthopedic Hospital opened on the campus of North Central Baptist Hospital, bringing an exclusive focus on musculoskeletal issues.
2016 – First freestanding ED/Emerus – Zarzamora in 2016 Also added in recent years are multiple free-standing emergency hospitals located all across San Antonio.
2018 – HealthLink Fitness and Rehabilitation Centers celebrated 20 years of serving the community in San Antonio and New Braunfels. They have grown to 16 locations.
2018 – April of this year, Baptist Medical Center celebrated its ceremonial “Demo Day” to launch its $8.5 million renovation of its Emergency Department. More than 18,000 feet of square footage is being renovated across the first floor of the hospital. Areas being renovated include the emergency room, Dallas Street hospital entrance, and Seymour Street hospital entrance. Baptist Medical Center has one of the busiest ERs in San Antonio, seeing more than 3600 patients each month. Renovations to the ER will create 3 dedicated treatment spaces:
2018 - August 2018 Northeast Baptist Hospital Selected as Center of Excellence Provider for Bariatric and Orthopedic Surgery for Walmart Employees
2018 – July, adult to geripsych at BMC
2018 – Neonatal Designation
- Level II – BMC (9/18/2018), NBH (8/28/2018), RBH (8/28/2018)
- Level IV – NCB (10/12/2018), SLB (10/26/2018 Level III, Appealed and 5/21/2020 Level IV)
2018 – St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital NICU expansion to 36 beds
2019 – Northeast Baptist Hospital NICU expansion to 72 beds in March
2021 – Boerne new land purchase announced November, 2021
2021 – The Nest Consolidation at Mission Trail Baptist Hospital, North Central Baptist Hospital, St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital
2022 - Northeast Baptist Hospital DNV primary stroke center plus – August 2022
2022 – Resolute Health Hospital is rebranded to Resolute Baptist Hospital
2023 – Mission Trail Baptist Hospital expanded NICU
2024 – Westover Hills Baptist Hospital Opens - July 2024