MHSFI is proud of our Christian history and the legacy of this foundation is to foster that same commitment in the tireless pursuit of our mission.
It all started over apple pie.
In 1960 Kenneth Schor and Reverend John Koelemay were in the kitchen slicing apple pies to serve as dessert at the Gentilly Methodist Church men's meeting. Schor and Reverend Koelemay discussed the possibility of building a hospital, as the need was clearly evident. There were no nearby hospitals in the eastern New Orleans area, and the citys healthcare institutions were experiencing a severe bed shortage. A wait of 45 days for elective surgery was not uncommon. The original board member and benefactor of the hospital, Pendleton Lehde, helped pave the way to potential donors on numerous occasions as Schor and Reverend Koelemay learned to "pass the hat".
Choosing the site for the hospital may have been the easiest aspect of getting the project underway. In order to serve the Gentilly and East Gentilly area, the primary service area at the time, the eastern side of the Industrial Canal was the only logical choice. There was no Interstate 10 at the time and there were many deaths from heart attacks and accidents because hospitals were too far away, or because the Industrial Canal Bridge was in the "up" position.
Community leader George Williams of Metairie and the late Bill James of Ruston each donated five acres of what is now Crowder Boulevard at I -10. With $60,000 the hospital organizer bought another five acres of what was Lake Forrest Plaza Shopping Center at Read and I -10. Those 15 acres were used in a swap for the present 23 acres, and the rest is history.
- 1967 - Construction began
- 1968 - The first patient was admitted and the first baby was born or Sept 25th.
- 1969 - The hospital's first intensive care unit opened
- 1971 - One hundred eighty-one beds were in full utilization as a coronary care unity and department of cardiac studies opened
- 1983 - Methodist Health System Foundation, Inc., (MHSFI) was established in 1983 as the system holding company of Pendleton Memorial Methodist Hospital (PMMH), as well as a vehicle for vertical integration of related healthcare services, and for fund-raising for the organization.
- 1985 - Methodist Care Center for the treatment of minor emergencies opened in Chalmette. Home Health services were established.
- 1986 - The Methodist Psychiatric Pavilion admits its first patient.
- 1989 - The first open heart surgery was conducted
- 1991 - Physicians Medical Plaza opened to accommodate a growing medical staff
- 1994 - Advanced Surgery Center opened. First hospital wide CQI team launched. Medical Center of East New Orleans ( MCENO) was acquired.
- 2003 - Sale of majority ownership of Pendleton Memorial Methodist Hospital to Universal Health Services.
- Establishment of the formal mission for our Legacy Foundation. Given the competitive nature of the New Orleans market, in 2003 the Board of Directors of PMMH, upon senior management's recommendation, decided that the best strategy for the survival of the Hospital was to seek a capital partner. A third party was used to solicit interest in a purchase/partnership arrangement that included a partial interest in a new hospital entity (PMH, LLC) by MHSFI or one of its subsidiaries. After an extensive search, Universal Health Services (UHS) of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, was selected as the best candidate.
- 2005 - Methodist Hospital closes as a result of Hurricane Katrina
- MHSF office establishes temporary offices and in pursuant of our mission begins the rebuilding process
- 2008 - Moved into new MHSF building at Oak Harbor Boulevard, Slidell, LA
