In December 1879, York businessman Samuel Small gathered others in the community to discuss the idea of establishing a local hospital to support York's growing population needs and manufacturing interests. He offered to donate the land on which the hospital would be built, and on January 14, 1880, the letters of incorporation were filed with the Court of Common Pleas of York County to build the York Hospital and Dispensary. The three-story building was constructed at the corner of West College Avenue and Church Alley. An annual report for the year 1896 shows that a total of 1,922 cases were treated (1,756 in the dispensary and 166 as inpatients).[2]
York Hospital and Dispensary later shortened its name to York Hospital and then York Health Network. In 1999, Gettysburg Hospital[3] became the second hospital in York Health Network.
In 2000, York Health Network joined WellSpan Health.[4]
Under the Philhaven name, WellSpan provides mental health services at 20 locations throughout its coverage area, including a 103 bed inpatient facility in Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania, additional psychiatric inpatient units at acute care hospitals, and out-patient and community based mental health programs.[11]
WellSpan provides EMS coverage to a number of municipalities in several counties including York County and Franklin County. WellSpan also operates Disaster Response Teams (DRTs) at several of their hospitals which are tasked with responding during large scale disasters. These DRTs are capable of medical decontamination (decontaminating incoming patients from hazardous materials), assisting in hospital evactuations, among other things.
Key statistics
WellSpan Health provides more than $126 million each year in charitable, uncompensated care.[12]
Employs more than 19,000 employees across south central Pennsylvania.[13]
WellSpan Medical Group includes more than 1,200 primary care and specialty physicians and advanced practice clinicians.
Includes more than 130 outpatient patient care locations that offer services such as diagnostic imaging, laboratory, rehabilitation, primary care, walk-in health care, durable medical equipment and other specialty services.
Includes a regional home care organization (WellSpan VNA Home Care).
