Key Historical Events

1949: Limited healthcare – There were only 11 hospital beds serving a population of about 26,000. Many local residents were forced to travel to Los Angeles for health care.

1949: Community "owned' hospital – Desert Community Hospital, Inc. was formed which spearheaded an election in 1953 to create the Antelope Valley Hospital District, a legal entity which still operates AVH today.

1953: Elections – A total of 3,318 residents voted for a new hospital district while 67 persons voted against it. The election empowered the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors to appoint a five-man board of directors to operate the proposed hospital.

1953: Fundraising - More than 2,000 contributions had been made, totaling $43,472.90, about $1000 dollars more than the amount needed to pay for the land. In June 1953, the 20-acre site was purchased at the cost of $1,625 an acre. Total price of the property was $32,500.

1953: Hill Burton – Money had been raised for the land; the next hurdle was to fund the new 41-bed hospital building. The federal government's Hill Burton Funds provided one third of the construction costs or $220,189, with the state matching the federal grant. This left one third of the money to be paid by the newly-created hospital district.

1953: Bond Issue - Once more the hospital supporters went to the voters, this time to receive approval of the $300,000 bond issue to provide the district's one-third share of building costs.

1954: Second Bond Issue – The Valley was growing rapidly, and it became apparent that a 41-bed hospital was just too small. The final vote was 5.4 to 1 in favor of the $350,000 bond issue, enlarging the hospital before it was built.

1955: Hospital Opens – Dedication ceremonies were held October 12, with about 5,000 persons touring the proud new hospital.

1956: Losing money – One year after the hospital opened, the red ink was flowing. Severe lack of ready cash was AV Hospital's biggest headache.

1957: Auxiliary – Proposed Women's Auxiliary. The bylaws were completed and approved by the board of directors.

1958: Bonds not approved– Two bond elections were held in an effort to obtain tax money to enlarge the hospital from 86 beds to 250 beds - both attempts failed.

1959: Hill Burton to the rescue – AVH received an allocation of $1,175,272 Hill Burton funds from the Advisory Hospital Council of the California State Health Department. The Funds would be used to enlarge surgery, the delivery room, the laboratory, and Emergency, adding a new south wing. About $600,000 would come from the AV Hospital District.

1959: New construction – Although a 250 bed hospital was the goal, there was only enough funding to expand the Hospital into a 149-bed facility.

1959: Pharmacy – Services were expanded and remodeled which allowed outpatients to filled prescription right in the hospital building.

1960: Accreditation – AVH received its first three-year accreditation and was given a top rating for meeting the maximum standards.

1960: Medicare – 24-hour Emergency Room was open, but there were no full-time emergency room doctors. Physicians volunteered to take one 24-hour rotation a month.

1960: Medicare – was just getting started.

1962: Growing more – The new wing expanded the capacity to 149 beds.

1964: Cutting Taxes – the philosophy of the AV Hospital Board of Directors was that the hospital should be off the tax roles and entirely self supporting. Those persons who used the services of AVH should be the ones to pay for them, not the tax payers.

1964: Alpha Charter Guild – AVH leadership saw the need for a hospital guild where young women could help the hospital without patient contact as well as raise funds with a debutante ball. In May 1965, the first Hourglass Ball was held starting a 40 year tradition which is still held each Thanksgiving weekend.

1965: Extended Care – One of the first medical units with a specific purpose was the Extended Care Unit which resembled a nursing home.

1971: Neurosurgery Department – the new department meant that many patients who were the victims of auto accidents with head injuries could be treated locally instead of being sent “down blow” to Los Angeles for care.

1971: New to You Thrift Shop – staffed entirely by volunteers, this entity provides funds for the Auxiliary pledge to the hospital, plus a place to donate used items, and a pleasant working environment for volunteers.

1973: Gift Foundation – The foundation provided funds to support new services, train medical personnel, and honor loved ones as well as an opportunity for residents of the area to contribute for the advancement of patient care.

1974: South wing – The new wing would add 39 medical-surgical beds to the hospital including a combined Intensive Care-Coronary Care Unit. Other additions included a special procedures room, a new recovery room for surgery, and a progressive care unit on the second floor. The hospital was now at 184 beds.

1975: Dedication – The new wing is dedicated on October 12, 1975, which also was the hospital's 20th anniversary.

1978: Hospital goes high tech – An automated analyzer is added to the laboratory. The analyzer was capable of handling lab texts that previously had bee done by hand, one at a time, by medical technologists. The new equipment would handle an increased volume of laboratory tests needed because of a growing patient load.

1979: SARS – The Sexual Assault Response Services (SARS) program is a one of kind program that provides sexual assault victims with more then physical treatment such as evidence collection.

1983: Outpatient Treatment Center – This service saved both money and time for numerous patients. Adding the Outpatient Treatment Center followed a national trend among hospitals. The centers were planned in an effort to keep stays short and costs down yet help the patient solve medical problems.

1988: "Tower of Progress" – The tallest building in Antelope Valley. A total of 169,000 square are feet of space was added as the medical center which dedicated the new tower in celebration of its 33rd anniversary. Cost of the tower, added on the west side of the building, was $34,642,800. This brought the capacity of the hospital to 260 beds and is said to have been the only building with elevators in the area at the time.

1999: Regional Valley Surgery Center opens – Outpatient procedures and surgery are offered.

2003: Antelope Valley Outpatient Imaging Center opens – Outpatient state-of-the-art radiology procedures

2005: AVH Celebrates 50 Years of service to the community

2006: Open Women and Infants Pavilion – This facility provides birthing services only. Most rooms are private and newborn and mom stay in room together.