Cape Cod Hospital is a

not-for-profit A not-for-profit or non-for-profit organization (NFPO) is a Legal Entity, legal entity that does not distribute surplus funds to its members and is formed to fulfill specific objectives. While not-for-profit organizations and Nonprofit organ ...

regional medical center located in

Hyannis, Massachusetts Hyannis is the largest of the seven villages in the town of Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States. It is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area at the 1990 census. Because of this, many refer to Hya ...

. Founded in 1920, as of 2011 it is the largest hospital on

Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months. The ...

. The administration is headed by CEO Michael K. Lauf. The hospital has 283 beds with more than 1,700 employees and 300 physicians on staff. It has an extensive cardiac care service in a partnership with

Harvard University Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the United States. It provides patient ca ...

affiliate

Brigham and Women's Hospital Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH or The Brigham) is a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School and the largest hospital in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Along with Massachusetts General Hospital, it is one of the two ...

. The hospital is also affiliated with the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center. The emergency department is one of the busiest in Massachusetts, providing

emergency services Emergency services and rescue services are organizations that ensure public safety, security, and health by addressing and resolving different emergencies. Some of these agencies exist solely for addressing certain types of emergencies, while ot ...

to more than 84,000 patients on an annual basis.

History

Before the founding of the hospital, the ''Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod'' formed in 1916 to establish a single nurse in

Falmouth, Massachusetts Falmouth ( ) is a New England town, town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 32,517 at the 2020 census, making Falmouth the second-largest municipality on Cape Cod after Barnstable, Massachusetts, Barnstable. T ...

.Cape Cod healthcare history
Until the founding of the hospital, injured fisherman would be sent by train to Boston for treatment. Local businessmen initiated an effort to establish an area hospital. The hospital was founded in 1920. From the mid-1940s, until 1971, the hospital was home to the Cape Cod Hospital School of Nursing, which trained local nurses. Falmouth Hospital was founded in 1963 to serve the upper Cape and in 1996 that merged with Cape Cod Hospital and the Visiting Nurse Association to form the unified ''Cape Cod Healthcare'' organization, currently the parent company for Cape Cod Hospital. The hospital was led by James Lyons from 1981 through its merger. Lyons then was the Cape Cod Healthcare CEO until 1998. Between 1998 and 2008, Steven Abbott was CEO of the unified ''Cape Cod Healthcare''. Beginning on July 10, 2008, Dr. Richard F. Salluzzo—former CEO of ''Wellmont Health System'' in

Kingsport, Tennessee Kingsport is a city in Sullivan and Hawkins counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It lies along the Holston River and had a population of 55,442 at the 2020 census. It is the largest city in the Kingsport–Bristol metropolitan area, ...

—replaced Abbott. Given that it is located in Hyannis, Massachusetts, the location of the

Kennedy Compound The Kennedy Compound consists of three houses on of waterfront property in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. It was once the home of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., an American businessman, investor, and diplomat; his wife, Rose; and their nine ...

, it is known for being the hospital where

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

Edward M. Kennedy was initially treated for the seizure which led to his brain tumor diagnosis in 2008 and where

Eunice Kennedy Shriver Eunice Mary Kennedy Shriver (née Kennedy, July 10, 1921 – August 11, 2009) was an American philanthropist. Shriver was a member of the Kennedy family by birth, and a member of the Shriver family through her marriage to Sargent Shriver, wh ...

died in August 2009. In January of 2025, the hospital was designated by the Massachusetts Department of Health as a

Level III Trauma Center A trauma center, or trauma centre, is a hospital equipped and staffed to provide care for patients suffering from major traumatic injuries such as falls, motor vehicle collisions, or gunshot wounds. The term "trauma center" may be used incorre ...

after being verified as such by the American College of Surgeons.

References

External links

Cape Cod Hospital's official website
{{authority control 1920 establishments in Massachusetts Buildings and structures in Barnstable, Massachusetts Hospital buildings completed in 1920 Hospitals in Barnstable County, Massachusetts