VA Long Beach Healthcare System facts for kids
The VA Long Beach Healthcare System, once known as the Naval Hospital Long Beach, is a big hospital in Long Beach, California. It's run by the Veterans Administration and sits on 100 acres of land. This hospital helps people with many different health needs.
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What is the VA Long Beach Healthcare System?
This hospital provides many types of medical care. It offers basic check-ups, advanced treatments, and long-term care. You can find doctors for medicine, surgery, and mental health here. They also help with physical therapy, nerve problems, and cancer treatment. Other services include dental care, spinal cord injury support, and care for older adults. There are even programs for people who are blind.
When Did the Hospital Open?
The VA Hospital officially opened its doors on June 1, 1950. Before that, it had a different purpose.
How Did the Hospital Start?
The hospital first opened in 1942 as a Naval Hospital. It had 300 beds to help soldiers wounded in World War II. By 1945, at the end of the war, it had grown much larger. It could then care for 1800 patients.
The Naval Hospital Long Beach was also an important place for training. It helped teach new doctors and nurses for the United States Navy. This meant it played a big role in military medicine.
Transfer to the Veterans Administration
In 1950, the hospital changed hands. The Navy gave the hospital to the Veterans Administration. This happened because the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense asked for it. They wanted to make sure veterans had good medical care.
How the Land Was Acquired
The Navy bought the land for the hospital on September 25, 1941. They purchased it from the Bixby family, who owned the historic Rancho Los Alamitos.
Later, in 1960, Congress decided to build a new Navy hospital. They provided $9 million for a new 500-bed facility. This new hospital was planned for land sold to the Navy by the city. This land was located near Carson Street and the San Gabriel River.
Today, the original site where this new Navy hospital was built is no longer a hospital. It is now the Long Beach Towne Center, a large shopping area.
