Spectrum Healthcare history

In 1966, hospitals in Grand Rapids mutually agreed to start all full-time nurses at $6,000 a year.

In 1967, Carolyn G. Baxter was one of the founders and CEO of Better Family Planning, Inc., a private non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation which opened Greater St Matthews Medical Health Center as its first clinic.

By 1983, Better Family Planning received its designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) by the D.H.H.S.

In 1984 officially changed its name from Better Family Planning to Spectrum Health Services, Inc. and opened the Haddington Health Center and began the delivery of primary care health services.

Also in 1989, Oliver Grin, MD, orchestrated the opening of the only neuroscience intensive care unit in the city.

In 1991, Spectrum was instrumental in the establishment of the first in-house school-based health program for students at the Mayer Sulzberger Middle School in West Philadelphia.

Also in 1992, Blodgett Memorial Medical Center merged with Ferguson Hospital, which specialized in colon and rectal diseases, to form the premier Ferguson-Blodgett Digestive Disease Institute.

The children's hospital originally opened in 1993.

In 1994, the Broad Street Health Center began offering primary care services and the Haddington Health Center Site expanded from 1,000 square feet to 9,229 square feet.

Spectrum Health is formed after a 1996 decision by the United States District Court, which approved the merger of Blodgett Memorial Medical Center and Butterworth Health Corporation.

Since 1997, philanthropic support provided gifts totaling more than $408 million.

Spectrum Health Care received its first Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Case Management contract, through the State of Missouri, Department of Health and Senior Services, in 1998 and hired two case managers.

The funding for this program ended in April 2000.

Spectrum Health Grand Rapids is named 2001 Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks by Thomson Reuters (later becoming Truven Health Analytics®).

A gift from Rich and Helen DeVos in 2002 enabled Spectrum Health to purchase the property for the pavilion.

In addition to our HOPWA assistance program, Spectrum purchased and renovated an apartment building in 2004 that provided housing to eligible patients through the Columbia’s Shelter Plus Program.

In 2005, Spectrum Medical entered the global medical device market with the launch of its non-invasive diagnostic System M technologies.

The adult program, supported by philanthropy from the community, began performing transplants in February 2013.

MedNow™ launches in 2014, giving patients fast, convenient and affordable ways to receive care by connecting to Spectrum Health physicians and advanced practice providers through a smartphone, laptop or computer.

Spectrum Health’s adult blood and marrow transplant program reaches another milestone when it performs its 200th transplant on December 31, 2015.

Spectrum Health receives the 2016 Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service, one of the most revered community service awards in health care, for its programs and services to reach the underserved residents of West Michigan.

In 2017, after many years of planning, Spectrum opened our Primary Health Clinic.

In 2019, Veronica Hill-Milbourne, RN, MS, JD took the helm as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Spectrum.