Specialized Clinical    Services

HISTORY

Fifty years ago many people worked together to build the community's hospital.

Lower Bucks Hospital's roots are firmly planted in the soil of this community. In 1950, a group of local residents, concerned about the availability of health care in their growing neighborhoods, decided that they needed their own community hospital. Led by energetic visionaries in the local rescue squad, a group visited Otto Haas, the president of Rohm and Haas. He offered a $100,000 contribution to begin the hospital drive that built Lower Bucks Hospital.

A community fundraising campaign was launched. It involved thousands of volunteers and hundreds of companies, all working together to bring a hospital to Lower Bucks County. Parades and rallies were held, hospital volunteers went door-to-door, labor unions and management worked hand-in-hand to promote payroll deduction. The funds were raised quickly to get the hospital started.

Groundbreaking for the modern healthcare facility was held on a chilly day, November 2, 1952, and construction began. On October 30, 1954, the community gathered to formally dedicate its new hospital. Two giants of the American economy, Ross E. Leffler of United States Steel and Walter F. Ruether of the United Auto Workers, joined hands to dedicate this hospital to serve all people . . . regardless of their ability to pay. On November 4, 1954, two years after the groundbreaking, Lower Bucks Hospital admitted its very first patient. Now, Lower Bucks Hospital treats 150,000 patients annually, remaining true to that pledge made nearly fifty years ago.

For fifty years, Lower Bucks Hospital has maintained its healing mission, serving a population of more than 300,000 people. LBH is the birthplace of 70,000 babies. Our advanced cardiac service has helped thousands of patients through interventional cardiology and open-heart surgery. Over 400 physicians treat more than 150,000 patients yearly in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings.

Like the 1950 visionaries who saw the urgent community need for a hospital and acted . . . it is now our turn to act decisively and provide the life-saving medical services required by our growing needs.