Franciscan Healthcare history

St Joseph's Home, 1924.

1940's Virginia Mason becomes one of the first hospitals in the nation to allow fathers in the delivery room.

By 1949 the first hospital was overcrowded and was not meeting government code.

The doors of West Point Memorial Hospital opened on December 7, 1950.

1960 The bestselling book Intern is written by Alan Nourse, MD, a Virginia Mason intern.

The former hospital was then converted to rooms for residents who wanted to live at the “Home”. In 1964 the hospital’s name was changed to St Francis Memorial Hospital.

And nearly a century after the first hospital opened its doors, the system was officially founded as the Sisters of St Francis Health Services in 1974.

1987 St Francis Hospital opens in Federal Way.

St Joseph’s Retirement Community, a 70 unit assisted living facility, opened in 1988.

1990 Franciscan Health System acquires Lakewood General Hospital; the hospital is renamed St Clare Hospital.

1992 Bailey-Boushay House, a facility to care for people living with AIDS, opens and is managed and staffed by Virginia Mason.

In 1995, Franciscan Health System, Skemp Clinic and Mayo Clinic merged to create Franciscan Skemp Healthcare — Mayo Health System in La Crosse.

1996 Franciscan Health System joined Catholic Health Initiatives.

In July of 1998, Dinklage Medical Clinic opened as a family practice medical clinic.

1999 Franciscan Medical Group forms with six clinics.

2003 The Outpatient Center at St Francis Hospital opens, offering diagnostic imaging, day surgery, a gastrointestinal lab, radiation oncology, and physical, speech and occupational rehabilitation services.

2004 The Outpatient Center at St Joseph Medical Center opens.

2005 Franciscan Hospice House opens in University Place, near Tacoma.

2006 Franciscan Medical Group opens its 35th clinic, St Anthony Prompt Care in Gig Harbor (now called Franciscan Prompt Care – Gig Harbor). The staff provides urgent care for minor illnesses and injuries.

2008 Virginia Mason Institute is established to provide education and training in the Virginia Mason Production System (VMPS).

2009 St Anthony Hospital opens in Gig Harbor, becoming the fifth hospital in the Franciscan Health System.

In May 2011, all health system locations adopted the common name of Mayo Clinic Health System in (town name). To reflect the dual sponsorship at the time, all former Franciscan Skemp locations became known as Mayo Clinic Health System — Franciscan Healthcare in (town name).

2013 The Franciscan Medical Building at St Joseph opens.

2016 Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital affiliates with and becomes part of Virginia Mason Health System.

In October 2018, the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration released their sponsorship.