Allegheny General Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Allegheny General Hospital |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Geography | |
| Location | 320 East North Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°27′24″N 80°00′12″W / 40.45667°N 80.00333°W |
| Organisation | |
| Hospital type | Teaching and quaternary care |
| Affiliated university | Drexel University College of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine |
| Network | Allegheny Health Network |
| Services | |
| Emergency department | I |
| Helipad | (FAA LID: 42PN) |
| Beds | 576 |
| History | |
| Founded | 1882 |
Allegheny General Hospital (often called AGH) is a big hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's a key part of the Allegheny Health Network, which is a group of hospitals and healthcare places. This hospital helps many people get better and also teaches new doctors and nurses.
Contents
A Look Back: AGH's History
Allegheny General Hospital is in the Central Northside area of Pittsburgh. It was the first hospital in Pennsylvania to be named a Level 1 shock trauma center. This means it's ready for the most serious injuries. It was also the first hospital in the northeastern United States to use a special air ambulance service.
How AGH Started
Allegheny General Hospital began in 1882. It was a small place with only 50 beds, located in two brick houses. Back then, it was in a different city called Allegheny City, just north of Pittsburgh.
In 1881, the mayor of Allegheny City and a group of doctors started planning for a new hospital. They worked hard to raise money. Three years later, they bought some land for the hospital.
Early Days and Growth
On February 15, 1886, the first Allegheny General Hospital officially opened its doors. Just a year later, in 1887, the hospital added a special section just for children.
In 1889, the hospital received an ambulance. AGH ran its own ambulance service for a long time, for 64 years! As the new century began, the hospital leaders decided they needed an even bigger and more modern building.
Building a Bigger Hospital
The new hospital was built just one block away from the first one. It was a large, seven-story building with 400 beds. It cost $620,000 and opened in 1904. This new space had much better labs for testing blood and other things.
By the 1920s, the hospital needed to grow again. Famous architects from New York designed a new building. It was planned to be one of the first "skyscraper" hospitals in the country. Construction started in 1929.
The Skyscraper Hospital
The cornerstone for the new 22-story hospital was placed in 1930. However, the Great Depression caused delays. The building, which cost $8 million, wasn't finished until 1936.
Over the years, the hospital kept getting bigger. A new East Wing was added. In 1981, a new patient tower called the Snyder Pavilion was completed. This addition cost $104 million.
AGH Today
Today, Allegheny General Hospital has 576 beds. It's a teaching hospital, which means it helps train future doctors and medical staff. It's also a "quaternary care" hospital, offering very specialized and advanced medical treatments.
AGH is the busiest hospital in the Allegheny Health Network. Each year, it has about 24,000 patients stay overnight. Doctors perform around 23,000 surgeries, and nearly 56,000 people visit the emergency room.
In recent years, AGH has added many new and improved areas:
- A new center for bone and joint problems (orthopaedics).
- A new intensive care unit for heart patients.
- A new center for heart MRI scans.
- New hybrid operating rooms for advanced surgeries.
- A new surgical arts center.
In 2018, construction began on a new cancer treatment center right on the AGH campus.
See also
Images for kids
-
Allegheny General Hospital from West End Overlook
