MultiCare Health System's Tacoma General Hospital is the largest hospital in

Tacoma Tacoma ( ) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, southwest of Bellevue, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, northwest of Mount ...

, Washington. It is a

level II 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 incorr ...

with 437 beds and the second-largest obstetrical care center in the state of

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

. Tacoma General began serving patients in 1882. The hospital is owned and operated by

MultiCare Health System MultiCare Health System is a not-for-profit American health care organization based in Tacoma, Washington. Founded in 1882, MultiCare provides health care services at dozens of locations, including eight hospitals, across Washington state. The s ...

, a Tacoma-based not-for-profit integrated health organization.

History

Tacoma General's beginnings trace back to the earliest days of the city of

. Founded in 1882, seven years before Washington achieved statehood, the Fannie C. Paddock Memorial Hospital opened its doors in a former dance hall at 2511 North Starr Street in what is now Old Town Tacoma. Frances (Fannie) Chester Fanning Paddock was the wife of John A Paddock, who was the first Episcopal bishop of Washington Territory. As Fannie Paddock prepared to move West to join her husband, she asked him what was the greatest need in Tacoma. He responded that they needed a hospital. She began raising money by asking her friends to support this cause and had collected $500 before she started her journey to Tacoma. Mrs. Paddock fell ill during her trip west and died shortly after arriving in Portland. The hospital was named in her honor by her husband Bishop Paddock exactly one year after Fannie died. Today, what was once the Fannie C. Paddock Memorial Hospital is now MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital, and the healthcare mission begun in that converted dance hall has evolved over the last 130 years into

— the largest healthcare system in the South Puget Sound region. The name of the hospital was changed in 1912.

Facilities

Tacoma General has 437 licensed beds. It is a level II adult

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 incorr ...

and contains 16 operating rooms, 4 cardiac catheterization labs, a 27-bed medical-surgical

intensive care unit An intensive care unit (ICU), also known as an intensive therapy unit or intensive treatment unit (ITU) or critical care unit (CCU), is a special department of a hospital or health care facility that provides intensive care medicine. An inten ...

, a 25-bed cardiac care unit, and a level IV

neonatal intensive care unit A neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), also known as an intensive care nursery (ICN), is an intensive care unit (ICU) specializing in the care of ill or premature newborn infants. The NICU is divided into several areas, including a critical c ...

. Tacoma General is physically attached to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, which is also run by MultiCare. Mary Bridge has 82 licensed beds and is a level II pediatric trauma center.MultiCare Hospital Facts

Volume

In 2007 Tacoma General had 14,185 inpatient admissions (14,723 with Neonates), delivered 3,149 babies, performed 6,818 surgeries, conducted 32,121 home health visits, received 40,724 emergency room visits, and 64,904 outpatient visits (excluding ER). In 2007, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital had 3,990 medical and surgical inpatient admissions, 359 pediatric intensive care unit admissions, performed 5,392 surgeries, received 30,147 emergency department visits, and 41,055 outpatient clinic visits."Mary Bridge Children's Hospital," in ''U.S. News & World Report Hospitals Directory''

References

External links

Tacoma General Hospital
— ''Official website'' Hospitals established in 1882 Hospitals in Washington (state) Buildings and structures in Tacoma, Washington {{authority control