In 2010, Community Hospital of San Bernardino celebrated 100 years of caring for the community. Our history is rich with colorful characters, amazing stories, tragedy and struggle. From our early days as Ramona Hospital, located in a two-story former saloon on 4th and Arrowhead, to our current stature as a 343-bed primary care acute hospital on Medical Center Drive, the hospital has never lost sight of our mission to care for the sick and injured.
Opened by a physician from London, Dr. Henry Mills, Ramona Hospital had 42 beds, two stories, and no elevator. One of the favorite stories from that time details the challenges of carrying mothers upstairs on gurneys to deliver babies. In 1953, the hospital purchased property on the corner of 17th St. and Western Avenue, and launched the United Appeal for Hospital Beds. With much support from the community, it raised the money needed to construct a new hospital. Entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., who was once a patient at the hospital, joined the effort by hosting a gala, star-studded fundraiser. The new hospital opened with 133 beds, 30 bassinets and 275 employees.
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The hospital continued to grow with the community. In 1989, through the generosity of the hospital’s Foundation and Monida B.Cummings, a five-story patient care tower was opened. In 1996, a 57,000 square foot, three-level medical office building was constructed and connected to the hospital by a bridge that spans Medical Center Drive.
Today, more than 13,000 patients are admitted to the hospital each year, and more than 40,000 are treated in its Emergency Department. Community Hospital of San Bernardino is one of the region’s largest employers, with more than 1,350 employees. Our service lines include labor and delivery, pediatrics, surgery, behavioral health services and more. We are proud to be a trusted resource of community health services and educational support.
To make a tax deductible donation to the Community Hospital of San Bernardino Foundation, contact us at 909.806.1261. Or visit our Foundation website. For an affiliated physician or surgeon, please visit Find a Doctor.
