Open Accessibility Menu
Hide

History

original entrance Antelope Valley Medical Center has rich history of serving the local community with heart. It was not only the first hospital in the Antelope Valley, it continues to be the local healthcare leader providing a more comprehensive array of services than any other facility within 50 miles. Local residents and visitors alike can count on AVMC to deliver exceptional care right here in the Antelope Valley.

Find out more about AVMC’s milestones since 1955.

The First Decade

1955
After two years of construction, Antelope Valley Hospital opens with 86 beds on October 12.

1957
The Women's Auxiliary was formed.

1960
The 24-hour Emergency Room opened, but there were no full-time emergency room doctors. Physicians volunteered to take one 24-hour rotation a month.

1962
A new wing expanded the capacity to 149 beds.

1964
Alpha Charter Guild was formed as a way for young women to support the hospital, which includes raising funds through its annual debutante ball. The first Hourglass Ball was held in May 1965, a tradition that is still held each Thanksgiving weekend.

Expanding & Innovating

1971
Mental health unit opened.

New to You Thrift Shop opened. Staffed entirely by auxiliary volunteers, thrift shop sales benefit the hospital.

1972

The Antelope Valley Healthcare District board voted to change its name to Antelope Valley Hospital Medical Center.

1973
The Hospital Foundation was created to raise funds for the hospital.

1974
New south wing added 39 medical-surgical beds, including a combined Intensive Care-Coronary Care Unit and 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.


1979
AVMC added the Sexual Assault Response Services (SARS) program, which provides care for sexual assault victims.

1983
Outpatient Treatment Center added.

1988
Tower of Progress opened. At 5 stories, AVMC became the tallest building in the area. With the addition of its 169,000 square feet of space, the hospital increased to 260 beds.

1999
Regional Valley Surgery Center opens offering outpatient procedures and surgeries.

Adding Services and Award‑Winning Programs

2003
Antelope Valley Outpatient Imaging Center opened offering outpatient state-of-the-art radiology procedures.

2006
Women & Infants Pavilion opened with 39 private rooms that are furnished with special labor and delivery beds and bassinets, as well as a state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and three surgery suites.

2007
AVMC was approved as a STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction) Receiving Center, which means that patients who are having acute cardiac myocardial infarction (heart attack) are brought directly to AVMC. AVMC has demonstrated the fastest “medical contact-to-balloon” time of all Los Angeles County STEMI receiving centers multiple times since receiving certification.

2009
All AVMC facilities and properties became tobacco-free zones, providing a healthier environment for all who visit or work at the hospital.

2010
Achieved Joint Commission Accreditation, which means AVMC demonstrates compliance with national standards for patient safety and quality of care.

AVMC became the only Level II Trauma Center in the Antelope Valley.

Antelope Valley Healthcare District named Most Innovative Healthcare District by the Association of California Healthcare Districts (ACHD), recognizing AVMC’s commitment to improving the standards of care for the community through leadership, achievement and innovation.

2011
AVMC began construction on the Master Facility Plan. The first phase was a $30 million investment that included facility upgrades and program enhancements, such as expanding parking, adding a main entrance patient drop-off/pick-up canopy, redesigning and expanding the café and main lobby, centralizing the imaging department, and creating the Institute for Heart & Vascular Care.

2012
The Joint Commission certified AVMC as a Certified Primary Stroke Center, signifying that AVMC provides the most advanced stroke care and ensures a team of specialized stroke neurologists and nurses are available at all times.

2013
The AVMC Community Resource Center opened. The 56,195-square-foot, two-story medical and education center includes a full-service cancer center, conference center, 172-seat auditorium, and physician offices.

2014
Institute for Heart & Vascular Care opened to ensure that patients have access to complete cardiovascular care – from diagnosis to treatment – in one convenient location.

2015
AVMC designated a Baby-Friendly facility, which recognizes the hospital’s support of breastfeeding and mother-baby bonding.

The Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care awarded AVMC full Chest Pain Center Accreditation, making it the first facility in the Antelope Valley to achieve this designation.

2016
The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of healthcare organizations in the United States, named AVMC a Top Performer on Five Key Quality Measures®.

The cancer program at AVMC earned a three-year accreditation as a National Comprehensive Community Cancer Center from the Commission on Cancer

OneLegacy, the organ and tissue recovery organization serving the seven-county greater Los Angeles area, named AVMC a top-performing hospital for organ donation out of more than 240 hospitals.