BAYTOWN – This month Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital is celebrating 75 years of service to Baytown and the surrounding communities. San Jacinto Memorial Hospital opened on April 18th, 1948, on Decker Drive with fewer than 100 patient rooms, dedicated hospital staff, and 35 physicians. Today, Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital has more than 300 hospital inpatient rooms, state-of-the-art operating rooms, multiple outpatient service locations, medical office buildings, over 2,000 employees, and nearly 1,000 physicians.
Through the years, the hospital has grown with the community, changed names, and moved to its current location on Garth Road, but never lost the vision of its founders to create a modern hospital that provides the very best in innovation and health care for those living in the community – well into the future.
“Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital has been an icon in the Baytown community since it was first built on Decker Drive and to this day serves as an integral part of our community — improving quality of life and promoting health and safety to all living in our area. Our hospital has also played a pivotal role in the history of Houston Methodist as it was the first community hospital and set the stage for our eventual growth into other communities,” said Chief Executive Officer David Bernard.
In November of 2022, the hospital opened Unity Tower, a new five-story building providing 75 new private rooms and vital infrastructure to continue leading medicine in Baytown. This new space increased capacity allowing the hospital to continue its mission and enhancing our ability to serve the growing demands of Baytown, east Harris, Liberty and Chambers counties.
Unity Tower serves as a focal point for Houston Methodist Baytown, unifying the campus and staff with the community to promote a spiritual healing environment. The tower’s design helps solidify Houston Methodist Baytown as part of the Houston Methodist system.
“Leading-edge technology and facilities may define our history, but without a doubt, Houston Methodist Baytown is distinguished by the amazing staff and physicians who provide personalized care and service to the members of our community each day,” said Bernard. “They are truly the heart and soul of our great institution.”
Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital is recognized by Vizient as a top performer in the Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD Quality Leadership annual ranking, coming in No. 2 out of 148 Complex Care Medical Centers in 2022. In 2016, Houston Methodist Baytown received official designation as a Magnet ® hospital from the American Nurses Credentialing Center the highest and most respected national recognition for nursing excellence. Only 7 percent of hospitals nationwide are Magnet® certified.
“The 75-year history and success of Houston Methodist Baytown are inspired by those living in our community with a desire to serve others and provide only the very best for their friends and family. We are grateful for their commitment to serving and fortitude throughout the years. As we emerge from a global pandemic, we continue to honor the vision of our founders and strengthen our commitment to the mission of Houston Methodist to provide excellent health care in a spiritual environment of caring. We are proud of our history, excited for our future, and look forward to leading medicine in Baytown for decades to come.,” said Bernard.
The anniversary was marked with a celebration for employees today featuring speeches from long-time employees. Please see attached photos.
For more information about Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital, visit houstonmethodist.org/ baytown or call 281.420.8600.