Hillcrest Nursing history

1891 – The Sisters of Mercy open St Joseph’s Sanitarium at Eighth and University(the present day House of Heirlooms/Jack in the Box corner). The initial 19-bed, three-story hospital and 10-acre site cost $5,000

1904 – San Diego County Hospital opens at the north end of Front Street on mesa overlooking Mission Valley.

The idea for a Baptist hospital in Waco began with Arthur James Barton, pastor of First Baptist Church of Waco, as early as 1909.

The idea circulated the community for a few years, and in 1912 the Waco Baptist Association (WBA) formed the Sanitarium Standing Committee, set to raise an estimated $50,000 for the construction of a sanitarium—the predecessor to the modern-day hospital with more restricted facilities.

Despite initial success, such as the $10,000 pledged by the Young Men’s Business League, by September 1914 Goodwin paused all fundraising efforts because of the outbreak of World War I.

The next phase of the project was taken up by Joseph M. Dawson who assumed the pastorship of First Baptist in 1915.

He set out himself in 1916 to acquire land for the proposed sanitarium, buying two plots for $7,000.

Waco local Jesse Judge Dean donated more land to the project, and by 1917 the WBA had raised $60,000.

By October 1918 the exterior was complete, but more funds were needed to furnish the inside.

The dispensary is renamed Navy Hospital on May 20, 1919.

To everyone’s surprise, the first patient preceded the hospital’s opening on May 25, 1920.

1922 – Naval Hospital Balboa Park is commissioned on 22 August with initial capacity of 250 beds.

1924 –St Joseph’s medical center moves to a new campus of Mediterranean Revival buildings on a promontory overlooking Mission Valley.

1932 – Mercy Hospital School of Nursing changes name to Mercy College of Nursing.

1941 – Voters affirm land grant of 21.32 acres to allow the Naval Hospital to construct two double-decked barracks on Florida Drive.

1945 – By the end of war, the Naval Hospital grows to 241 buildings with a bed capacity of 10,499.

Our tradition of elegant care has been the standard for quality senior care since Hillcrest founded the first certified senior care facility in North Carolina in 1951.

In 1953 a new wing was opened and the bed capacity raised to 175.

Ted’s Grandmother Nina Hardy Smith founded Hillcrest, and Bill’s Grandfather was an equal owner of Hillcrest with the Smith family since 1957.

1961 – Naval hospital bed capacity is 1,650.

1966 – Mercy Hospital erects an eleven-story hospital building north of Washington Street.

Kathy Birchem is a registered nurse and has been involved in healthcare since 1968 working as a dietary aide, nursing assistant, and RN. She has extensive experience in all levels of senior care which includes: nursing home, home care and assisted living.

1970 – Mercy Hospital becomes San Diego’s first paramedic base station.

1972 – The Veterans administration opens a $48 million hospital adjacent to UCSD Hospital.

1977 – San Diego Hospice is founded.

In 1978 the Clara and Harlon Fentress Cancer Treatment Center was built, with forty-inch walls to contain the radiation.

1980 – UCSD decides to buy University Hospital, now called UCSD Medical Center, from the county for $17 million.

1987 – University Pharmacy (now Priority Pharmacy) begins to fill scripts for AZT, the first available prescription for treatment of HIV/AIDS. AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACTUP) San Diego is founded.

The “culture change” philosophy first taught by the Pioneer Network in the mid 1990’s had been refined and adapted by the Hillcrest team to provide true resident-directed care in 8 private houses, each hosting up to 13 elders.

1992 – To attract more insured patients, UCSD expands and remodels their facility at a cost of $37 million.

1995 – Mercy Hospital joins with Scripps Health but retains a connection with the Sisters of Mercy.

2004 – The building which is now the new home of Scripps Mercy Surgery Pavilion at Fifth and Washington is completely remodeled.

2005 – UCSD Medical Center announces “A New Vision for Healthcare” with plans to move its trauma program to La Jolla, leaving only emergency services at the Hillcrest campus.

But a change in management came in 2007 with CEO Glenn Robinson, and doctor-hospital relationships improved.

Hillcrest Senior Living facility was purchased by Jim and Kathy Birchem on April 1, 2008.Jim Birchem is a licensed Nursing Home Administrator with an extensive accounting and management background.

The first Signature Villas were opened in 2009, featuring beautiful single family and duplex homes for those 55 and better.

It was then converted to the long-term care neighborhood of Hillcrest Health & Rehab Magnolia in 2016.

Silver Ridge, acquired in 2018, was rebranded to Hillcrest Silver Ridge and fully integrated into the Hillcrest family of services.

Hillcrest Health Services won the 2019 McKnight’s Silver Award for Innovator of the Year for integrating the Montessori Method into dementia care.