History
Park View, flagship of the HCA hospitals, was founded by Dr. Thomas Frist, in December 1961. At that time, the facility was known as Park Vista Convalescent Home.
"Our dream and goal was to open a health care facility which would offer the finest service in Nashville - the cleanest rooms, the best food, a qualified nursing staff, and a friendly, warm atmosphere," said Dr. Frist.
Park View was converted to a tertiary care medical center and now receives patients from all over Middle Tennessee, southern Kentucky, and northern Alabama.
In 1972, Dr. Henry Brackin, one of a group of Nashville psychiatrists who recognized the need for private psychiatric beds in the downtown medical center area, began working with Dr. Frist to construct a new hospital. This hospital is Parthenon Pavilion, and is located adjacent to Park View Medical Center. Dr. Brackin had become interested in an article published by Dr. Zigmond Lebenshohn, a Washington D.C. psychiatrist, concerning an innovative design which featured patient rooms linked to parlors, or day rooms. This concept, as adapted by the architects, was utilized in the development of plans for Parthenon Pavilion and was to become the prototype for many future HCA psychiatric facilities throughout the country.
Construction began in 1972 and, during that time, a psychiatric unit in Park View was opened to begin providing services. The program moved into the new building around April 1, 1973, with a total of 16 practicing psychiatrists. 7 of these physicians still actively admit to the hospital today.
The original capacity of the hospital was 96 beds on two floors. In 1984, Parthenon was expanded to its present capacity as a 162-bed psychiatric hospital, on 4 floors, offering specialized treatment programs for distinct patient populations. Today, these programs include: the Adolescent Assessment Program, Adolescent Treatment Program, Adult Therapeutic Community Program, General Psychiatry Program, Intensive Treatment Program, General Treatment Program, Geriatric Program, Community Assistance Program, Comprehensive Activity Therapies, and Parthenon Academy. In November, 1989, Richard Bangert was named administrator of Parthenon Pavilion, replacing James Harper.
West Side Hospital, purchased by HCA in September, 1980, began construction for an eight-story tower to accompany the hospital's 237 beds in late 1981. The grand-opening was held in March, 1983, making it one of the newest medical facilities in Nashville.
The original building was formerly a convalescent home which opened in late 1967, owned and operated by General Care Corporation (GCC). In 1972, GCC added a branch for ancillary services and re-converted the facility into a hospital. On December 12, 1972, West Side officially opened its doors.
West Side has offered specialties in Women's Health Services, Family Birth Unit, Neonatal Unit, lasers and The Optifast weight loss program. On November 3, 1987, West side celebrated a grand-opening of its 4-story medical office building located next to the hospital on Murphy Avenue. This building was to become the location of the Women's Resource and Procedure Center, Outpatient Diagnostic Center, and Auditorium in addition to 23 physician offices. Growth continued for the hospital facility, and, in 1989, the Sub-Acute Center Unit was officially opened with 20 beds.
Since 1989, the Centennial Medical Center Tower has been opened, as well as The Women's Hospital, formerly West Side, which is the first free-standing hospital dedicated exclusively to women's services. The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center and Physician's Park have also opened their doors in recent years, making Centennial Medical Center close to a 40-acre (160,000 m2) campus.
According to Dr. Frist, "Caring for people is, first and foremost, a way of life at Centennial Medical Center. The dream my colleagues and I had back in 1950 has totally been fulfilled. When I think of quality medical care, I think of a home-like atmosphere, a happy attitude, and a lot of pride...both on the part of the physician, nursing staff, and all our employees. Quality care is the key, it always has been, and it always will be."
Dr. Frist was also quoted as saying, "It's not brick and mortar and equipment that make a hospital. It's the warmth and compassion and attitude of good employees that leads to quality care."
Read more about this topic: Centennial Medical Center (Nashville, Tennessee)
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