Eight Decades of Healing Henry Ford Hospital, a specialty care, teaching and research institution in Detroit's New Center area, has been serving the health care needs of metro Detroiters for nearly 90 years.
Founded by auto pioneer Henry Ford, the original 48-bed hospital was built on 20 acres of land on West Grand Boulevard and opened its doors in October 1915. Throughout its history, Henry Ford Hospital has built upon its long-standing mission to provide exceptional health care, strengthened by excellence in education and research.
The Hospital Today
Henry Ford Hospital is a 903-bed tertiary care hospital, a multi-organ transplantation center and a trauma center. In-house medical staff from all trauma specialties are available 24 hours a day to treat complex injuries with the most advanced techniques. The hospital's Henry Ford II Pavilion marks the 10th major building expansion on the campus. Henry Ford Hospital is listed in "Best Hospitals in America" (Visible Ink Press) and in 2002 was ranked for its expert care in 10 specialties by U.S. News & World Report.
Henry Ford Hospital has an advisory board comprised of 15 business, community and civic leaders that provides a link to the community, ensuring that the hospital continues to meet the health care needs of southeast Michigan residents.
Patient Focused Care
Henry Ford Hospital is a leader in the concept of patient focused care, in which routine inpatient services are brought to the patient's bedside by multi-skilled teams. Hospital patients have easy access to a seamless array of coordinated health services from clinic visits to organ transplants and from in-home services to nursing home care.
When Life is on the Line
The emergency department is one of the busiest in the state. More than 90,000 patients seek emergency care from Henry Ford Hospital annually. The top five diagnostic reasons for visits include respiratory ailments, abdominal or gastrointestinal problems, trauma, cardiac and neurologic conditions.
More than 38,000 patients receive inpatient care annually. In addition to local referrals, physicians from around the country and the world refer patients to Henry Ford Hospital for treatment and care.
VIPs (Visitors are Important People)
1,300 parking spaces make visiting the Henry Ford campus even easier. A new 400-vehicle garage in front of the hospital has increased covered parking to 2,230 spaces. Valet parking also is available for a nominal fee at two entrances. The Lodge Clinic entrance is located off the Lodge Freeway (U.S.10) service drive and the hospital entrance on West Grand Boulevard. Lobby assistants are available at major entrances to assist patients and visitors with directions, answer questions and help those who need special assistance. Escorts also are available.
If You Are Far Away from Home
Henry Ford Guest Services representatives assist out-of-town patients and visitors from throughout Michigan, the United States and abroad with a variety of arrangements. The service provides assistance in coordinating hospital admissions, family lodging, travel and transportation. Language translation services also are offered.
Center of Activity
Over the course of a day, 12,000 people traverse the Henry Ford campus. Each day, clinic staff and physicians provide outpatient services for 2,000 patients, and 1,800 people come to the hospital to visit inpatient family members and friends.
Henry Ford Research Institute
Supported by internal and external funding exceeding $50 million, 150 medical specialists and research scientists, including 55 full-time researchers, are involved in more than 1,500 studies annually. Henry Ford ranks in the top 6 percent of all institutions in funding granted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Public Health Service. Subjects include stroke, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, sleep disorders diabetes and lung diseases.
Lending a Hand
Henry Ford Hospital is fortunate to have community supporters from Detroit and surrounding suburbs who share their time and talents with patients and their families. More than 250 individuals donate 64,000 volunteer hours annually. The hospital's Volunteer Services department has 17 partnerships with educational institutions ranging from elementary school to university level. It also provides career path exposure to students interested in health care jobs.
1967 Detroit's first Mohs micrographic surgery, a procedure to remove skin cancers, is developed.
1968 The first allogeneic kidney transplant is performed in Detroit.
1969 The first renal transplant to a diabetic patient in Michigan is performed.
1978 The Sleep Disorders Center opens the first in Michigan and the eighth in the country.
1980 An HFH patient is the first in Michigan and second in the nation to receive human insulin to treat diabetes.
1985 Detroit's first heart transplant is performed at HFH.
1988 The Henry Ford Medical Center for the Performing Artist opens for the treatment of vocal, dance and instrumental performers. It is the first in Michigan and one of the first in the nation.
1994 The first lung transplant in metro Detroit is performed, making HFH the only facility in greater Detroit to perform all solid organ transplants.
1995 HFH is the only facility in Michigan selected by the National Cancer Institute to join a national consortium to research new treatments and therapies for brain tumors.
1995 The NIH designates the Department of Neurology as a headache research center, the first in the country.
1995 The Henry Ford Smell and Taste Center opens, one of only 10 in the country specializing in treating patients with loss of taste or smell.
1996 Michigan's first split-liver transplant is performed.
1998 Henry Ford Heart & Vascular Institute performs Michigan's youngest pediatric heart transplant with Children's Hospital of Michigan.
2000 Surgeons perform Michigan's first adult-to-adult, living donor split-liver transplant.
2001 Doctors become the first in the state to use gene therapy for the treatment of brain tumors.
