Mary Bridge Children's Hospital history

1958 – The first-ever open-heart surgery at Mary Bridge was performed by Doctor Thomas Murphy.

1974-77 – The name was expanded to Mary Bridge Children's Health Center to include more diverse services.

1976 - The new Speech and Hearing building opened across the street from the main hospital.

1980 – Mary Bridge Children's Health Center became part of Consolidated Hospitals, later to become MultiCare.

1987 – Mary Bridge expanded its inpatient services into the new wing at Tacoma General Hospital on 'K' Street (now Martin Luther King, Jr.

1990 – MultiCare opened its first satellite clinic — Gig Harbor Urgent Care Center — creating an essential link between Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and pediatric care in the local community.

1991 – Plans began for the renovation of the 7th floor at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital to provide additional medical/surgical beds and relocate the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

1998 – Mary Bridge started their new pediatric open-heart surgery program.

2001 – A $15 million campaign was announced to build a new outpatient center and start a charity care endowment fund.

2003 – The Campaign for Mary Bridge achieved its $15 million goal and groundbreaking on the new Mary Bridge Children's Health Center occurs in June.

2005 – In March, the new Mary Bridge Children's Health Center opened in celebration of Mary Bridge's 50th Anniversary.

2008 – MultiCare launched its Electronic Health Record system, called MultiCare Connect, at Mary Bridge.

2009 – The 43-room Tree House, A Place For Families, opened in Tacoma to offer nearby overnight accommodations to families with children in the Mary Bridge Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Tacoma General’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

2010 – The new Mary Bridge Emergency Department opened in the new Milgard Pavilion.

2012 – Mary Bridge was named one of the country’s Top Hospitals by the Leapfrog Group for providing the safest and highest quality care to pediatric patients.

2013 – A new Pediatric Medical-Surgical Unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit opened on two new floors atop the Milgard Pavilion, the first phase in MultiCare’s three-phase Women and Children’s Expansion Project.