History of PVHMC

1900's

It was Christmas Eve 1899. A train traveling at high speeds into the city of Pomona derailed and crashed, killing more than 30 passengers and injuring dozens more. Because a Los Angeles hospital was too far away to transport the injured by horse-drawn ambulance, they were cared for by local residents who took them into their homes. It was then that the citizens of Pomona mandated there be a community hospital to serve local residents.

By 1903, a two-and-a-half story house equipped to accommodate 12 patients became the home of Pomona Valley Hospital. One year later, the Pomona Valley Hospital Association was incorporated, and by 1913, a 40-bed addition was constructed to meet the growing demand for hospital services.

1940’s and 1960’s

Since the beginning, physicians, employees, volunteers, and community leaders have worked together in the development and operation of Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center. From the growth of services to advancing technology, the PVHMC team has been addressing the needs of the growing community for more than a hundred years.

In 1947 we opened our radiology department, and by 1964 facilities for surgery, obstetrics, physical therapy, and pediatrics were in operation. Also in 1964, our intensive care unit was completed followed by our regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in 1973.

1970’s and 1980’s

As the city of Pomona grew along with the rest of Los Angeles County, so did the need for PVHMC to expand. In 1975 our three-story wing addition was completed to house our critical care center, expanded physical therapy department, the cardio-respiratory program, a computerized tomography (CT) scanner in the radiology department, a medical library, an educational complex with 10 classrooms and additional medical staff offices.

At the close of the decade, the Hospital Board of Directors authorized the formation of a Foundation for the purposes of fundraising for the future building and equipment needs of the Hospital. The Foundation was incorporated in late 1979 and a formal fund-raising program was established in mid-1980. The Twenty-First Century League and the George Brown Society were early fundraising programs.

1990’s

Landmark changes at PVHMC continued well in the 1990s with the opening of the 190,000 square foot The Women's Center and Diagnostic Treatment Building. The three-story The Women's Center houses the fastest growing regional maternity service which includes a level III neonatal intensive care unit, perinatal center, newborn nursery, two OB/GYN surgical suites and the largest LDRP (Labor, Delivery, Recovery, Postpartum) birthing center in the region. The Diagnostic Treatment Building was shelled for future expansion of Radiology and surgical services. Today, more than 7,000 babies are delivered annually making PVHMC the third largest delivering hospital in California.

Also in the works during the 1990s was an off-campus cancer care center. In 1990, the Foundation Board of Directors took on the responsibility of raising at least $6 million to fund the construction and equipment for the hospital’s first cancer care center. When the campaign was concluded in 1993, more than $11 million had been raised. Funds not needed for the building and equipment of the cancer care center were used to establish an endowment fund for the center. In March 1993, PVHMC realized a dream come true with the opening of The Robert and Beverly Lewis Family Cancer Care Center, a free-standing facility located a short distance from the Hospital’s main campus. In addition to chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, the Center’s outreach and support interventions include support groups, wellness programs, Volunteer Program, Patient Navigators and Social Worker; an Education and Outreach Program; a Patient/Family Library and an activity room for patients, families, and friends.

2000’s and 2010’s

Part of being a community leader is reaching out to where the community is, literally. So we took Urgent Care, primary care physicians, radiology and physical therapy to our surrounding communities. Pomona Valley’s satellite services include:

Pomona Valley Health Center, Pomona

Pomona Valley Health Center, Chino Hills

Pomona Valley Health Center, Crossroads

Pomona Valley Health Center, Claremont

Pomona Valley Health Center, La Verne

Pomona Community Clinic, Pomona & Ontario

We are furthering our mission to bring state-of-the-art healthcare to our communities with the introduction of our 3D mammography services. In the Fall of 2012 the decision was made to replace all four of our mammography machines to the latest technology – 3-D Tomosynthesis. We were the first Hospital in the area to offer this superior screening to all women, every time. We offer this at our Breast Health Center and at Pomona Valley Health Centers in Chino Hills and Claremont.

In 2014 our Women’s Center received the “Baby-Friendly” designation, which confirmed our commitment to provide new mothers and babies with a truly exceptional experience by encouraging early skin-to-skin bonding and breastfeeding.

In early 2015, the beautiful Robert and Beverly Lewis Outpatient Pavilion opened. The first floor houses a large, state-of-the-art Rehabilitation area. Named after the man who established our physical therapy department over 60 years ago, the Charles M. Magistro Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Center is the largest in the region designed to deliver the very best in treatment along with a beautiful patient experience. Surgical Preadmission is also available on the first floor. The second floor is entirely outpatient surgery services. A convenient, beautiful waiting area for loved ones and the most technically advanced surgical equipment for those who need outpatient surgery.

March 2017, we officially were designated a Level II Trauma Center. The Trauma and Acute Care Surgical Services provides comprehensive lifesaving treatment to victims of car accidents, falls and others with severe, traumatic injuries in the East San Gabriel Valley. We estimate that we will care for 1,000-2,000 trauma patients annually. To earn this designation we expanded the Emergency Department by 23 beds and added a new Intensive Care Unit with 12 beds. Also constructed was a four-story parking structure topped with a helipad for aerial transports.

Today

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center is a 412 bed multi-specialty regional medical center and remains one of the largest not-for-profit hospitals in the greater Los Angeles area.

With the help of more than 3,500 employees, 700 active physicians, and almost 1,000 volunteers, PVHMC continues to be the community leader in superior healthcare. And it is with the help and support of our Associates, patients and members of the community that PVHMC is able to meet the needs of the community by bringing its services closer to their reach.