Since its opening in 1915, Henry Ford Hospital and Henry Ford Health System have been leaders in the health care field. Henry Ford has a long tradition of excellence in patient care, medical education, and medical and scientific research. This chronology offers a look at some of the most important milestones.
Henry Ford Hospital is one of the first U.S. hospitals to use a standard fee schedule and favor private or semi-private rooms over large wards. It also is the first hospital in the country to form a closed, salaried medical staff. This group practice model first is scorned by the medical profession but is gradually accepted.
Because of founder Henry Ford's concern that tobacco is unhealthy, HFH is one of the first hospitals in the U.S. to institute a total ban on smoking. The ban is lifted following his death in 1947.
1923
Henry Ford Hospital is one of the country's first general hospitals to establish a psychiatric unit within its walls.
1935
Dr. Roy McClure begins adding iodine to kitchen salt to prevent the development of endemic goiters. Eventually all salt for human use is iodized by law.
1940
Dr. Conrad Lam is the nation's first physician to administer purified heparin to treat clotting of veins.
1942-43
HFH is one of a few U.S. hospitals selected by the National Research Council as a trial site to test penicillin. Drs. Conrad Lam and Edward Quinn treat about 40 medical and surgical patients with the drug.
1943
Dr. Frank Hartman develops the liquid Oxygen Tent.
1944
Dr. Robert Ziegler introduces the routine use of multiple chest lead electrocardiograms at HFH, the first hospital to use this technique.
1948
Dr. John Ormond discovers retroperitoneal fibrosis, now called Ormond's Disease.
1952
The first graft of an abdominal aortic aneurysm in the state of Michigan - and one of the first in the world - is performed by Dr. D. Emerick Szilagyi.
1955
The first homograft blood vessel bank in the state is established at Henry Ford Hospital. Sterilized, human cadaver homografts are used in clinical practice and shared with other institutions.
The first meeting of what was to become the Six Clinic Conference is held in New Orleans. The clinics - Lahey, Ochsner, Lovelace, Cleveland, Mayo and Henry Ford - meet to compare ideas and activities of their multi-specialty, group practice institutions.
1956
Dr. Conrad Lam performs the first successful open heart surgery in Michigan using the heart-lung machine.
Dr. James Barron develops the Barron Food Pump, a device used to deliver pureed food through a small nasal gastric tube.
1960
Community Health Association - which later became Health Alliance Plan - becomes Michigan's first non-profit, prepaid group practice health plan.
1967
Dr. George Mikhail performs Detroit's first Mohs Micrographic Surgery, a procedure to remove skin cancers.
1968
The first allogenic kidney transplant is done in Detroit by Drs. D. Emerick Szilagyi, Joseph P. Elliott and Roger F. Smith.
1970
Drs. Charles Jackson, Melvin Block and Martin Miller are among the first in the country to use calcitonin (a hormone) testing for the early detection of medullary thyroid cancers in families.
1971
Henry Ford Hospital opens a satellite center, housing computer operations and clinical activities in Troy. Two additional, much larger centers open in Dearborn and West Bloomfield in 1975. Henry Ford Hospital becomes one of the first in the nation to transition from a single hospital to its current vertically integrated health system structure.
1973
The first renal transplant to a diabetic patient in Michigan is performed by Dr. Stanley Dienst.
1978
Henry Ford Hospital opens the first Sleep Disorders Center in Michigan and the eighth in the country.
1980
Dr. Shiro Fujita of Henry Ford Hospital popularizes a Japanese surgical procedure for the treatment of patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
In a study directed by Dr. Fred Whitehouse, a Henry Ford Hospital patient is the first in Michigan and the second in the nation to receive human insulin to treat diabetes.
1985
Dr. Fraser Keith, assisted by Dr. Donald Magilligan, performs Detroit's first heart transplant.
The first extracorporal shock wave lithotripsy in Michigan is done at Henry Ford Hospital. This non-invasive procedure breaks kidney stones into sand-like grains which are easily passed from the body.
1986
The Henry Ford Bone & Joint Center is established. It is the first multidisciplinary medical/surgical department of its type in Michigan.
1987
Dr. Charles Jackson and other Henry Ford Hospital and Yale researchers identify the location of a gene on chromosome 10, linked to hereditary medullary thyroid cancer. In 1993, the gene itself is identified.
The first use of iodine radium implant seeds in Michigan is at Henry Ford Hospital. These seeds are used to combat cancerous cells in the prostate.
The first pancreas transplant at Henry Ford Hospital was performed by transplant surgeon Dr. Heung Oh. The hospital was one of three centers in Michigan to conduct this surgery.
1988
Henry Ford Hospital establishes a center for the treatment of conditions affecting the human voice, called the Center for the Performing Artist, the first of its kind in Michigan and one of the first in the nation.
1989
The Center for Clinical Effectiveness is established at Henry Ford Health System by Dr. Wilmer Rutt to develop clinical guidelines. The Center is one of the first of its kind in the nation and the first in Michigan.
The first liver transplant in Detroit was performed at Henry Ford Hospital by Dr. Richard Dow and Dr. Martin F. Mozes.
1990
Henry Ford Healty System implements the Quality Management Process systemwide, one of the first hospital systems in the country to initiate this process.
Dr. Clarence Livingood is the recipient of the AMA Distinguished Service Award, the only Michigan physician to have been so honored.
Henry Ford Mercy Health Network is established as a unique, collaborative joint venture that shares the resources and the expertise of the two health systems.
James Walworth is elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Group Health Association of America, now the American Association of Health Plans.
1991
Maplegrove launches a day camp for children of parents who abuse drugs or alcohol.
1992
The unique Saturn Project is piloted in an internal medicine clinic at Henry Ford Hospital. It encompasses three basic ideas: team care-giving, a clinical information system, and a way to measure the quality and efficacy of care.
1993
Henry Ford Health System and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement form the Group Practice Improvement Network, with 58 multi-specialty groups to improve quality and value of medical group practices through shared learning.
Health Alliance Plan is Detroit's first HMO to be fully accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
The Managed Care College, one of the first in the country, offers staff education that enables health care personnel to better care for patients and increase the effective and efficient use of clinical resources.
1994
The National Committee for Quality Health Care awards Henry Ford Health System the first National Quality Award for Health Care Integration, for its success in integrating quality values in the organization.
A generalist training program for students and residents, one of a handful in the country, is launched in partnership with Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Henry Ford Health System establishes one of the first four tinnitus (ringing in the ear) centers in the country, located in Grosse Pointe Farms.
Henry Ford Hospital 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.
The Josefina B. Magno Endowed Chair in Hospice Care is established, one of the first of its kind in the country.
Henry Ford Hospital performs the first lung transplant in metro Detroit, making Henry Ford Hospital the only facility in metro Detroit to perform all solid organ transplants.
Henry Ford Hospital is the first hospital locally to institute "patient focused care," a new and vastly improved manner of providing services to inpatients.
1995
The Walter and Josephine Ford Cancer Center conducts Michigan's first radiosurgery treatment for patients with inoperable tumors using the three-dimensional x-knife system.
The National Institutes of Health designates the Department of Neurology as a headache research center, the first in the country.
The Henry Ford Smell and Taste Center opens, one of the only ten in the country that specializes in treating patients with loss of taste or smell.
Henry Ford Hospital is selected as the only Michigan radiology facility to offer catheter-guided placement of a device for the treatment of high-risk or inoperable brain aneurysms.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation awards Henry Ford Health System $4 million to develop 13 school-based health centers that will provide primary care to students in Detroit Public Schools.
Henry Ford Health System opens the Center for Senior Independence, a comprehensive medical program that assists the elderly to live independently in their homes and in the community.
Henry Ford Health System President and Chief Executive Officer Gail L. Warden begins his one-year term as Chairman of the American Hospital Association. Henry Ford is the only institution in the nation to have had three of its chief executives serve as AHA Chairman. The other two are Dr. Robin Buerki (1935-36) and Stanley Nelson (1982).
Henry Ford Hospital is one of nine hospitals in the nation designated by the National Institutes of Health as a stroke research center.
Horizon Health System merges with Henry Ford Health System, uniquely combining the educational programs of allopathic and osteopathic physicians leading to dual certifications.
1996
Henry Ford Hospital performs the state's first split-liver transplant, during which a donor's liver is split in two and the halves are transplanted into two patients.
A cross-racial, living kidney transplant is performed involving two friends. It is the first in Michigan and one of only two dozen in the country.
Henry Ford creates a unique nursing education partnership with Oakland University, replacing the hospital's own diploma school.
OptimEyes (formerly First Optometry), with its 51 optometry locations in Michigan, joins Henry Ford Health System.
1997
Henry Ford Medical Group joins the American Medical Association, making it the largest medical group in the AMA.
CEO Gail Warden is appointed by President Clinton to his health care quality commission.
1998
Josephine Ford donates $10 million to Henry Ford's Cancer Center, which is renamed in her honor.
Henry Ford is the state's first hospital to offer genetic testing for breast cancer.
The $75 million, 185,000 square foot Henry Ford II Pavilion opens to patients.
Dr. C. Edward Coffey publishes research showing that the male brain shrinks faster with age than the female brain.
1999
Friends and family of David Hermelin, ambassador to Norway, pledge $10 million to create a brain tumor research center at Henry Ford.
HAP named General Motors "benchmark HMO" based on quality. HAP is the only HMO in Michigan and one of 13 HMOs named by GM.
2000
Henry Ford performs Michigan's first adult-to-adult, living donor liver transplant. The fourteen hour operation by Drs. Marwan Abouljoud and Atsi Yoshida, was the two hundredth to be performed nationwide. The liver is the only organ that regenerates itself, making such transplants possible.
The Henry Ford Hospital Anticoagulation program receives honor from the American Medical Group Association. The program, one of six in the nation, monitors patients using the blood-thinning drug Courmadin. The process uses the CarePlus electronic medical record, providing immediate patient care.
2001
The Vattikuti Foundation is created through the generous donation by Raj and Padma Vattikuti. The gift is a 40 million dollar donation to support cancer research and treatment programs at Henry Ford Health System and Beaumont Hospitals. In partnership, the institutions will work on new treatment methods and education in the prevention of prostate and breast cancers.
The Vattikuti Urology Institute, under the direction of Dr. Mani Menon, is the first in the country to routinely perform surgery using a robotic system for the treatment of prostate cancer. The daVinci Surgical System utilizes a three-dimensional computer vision system to manipulate robotic arms.
The Acorn Cardiac-Support device, used to hold the heart and prevent it from getting larger, is approved for clinical trails. Henry Ford Hospital patients will be the first in the world to have the device implanted. Dr. Hani Sabbah, Ph.D., Director of Cardiovascular Research at the Henry Ford Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute, has been working continuously on studies to slow the deterioration of heart failure.
2002
The Josephine Ford Cancer Center broke ground on a two million expansion project at the Henry Ford Medical Center West Bloomfield Center. The center is named the 'Williams International Cancer Wing', in honor of the the Williams International Company, which pledged 1.5 million for the addition. The 4,000 square foot wing is designed on the Josephine Ford Cancer Center's multi-disciplinary team approach to patient care.
Henry Ford Hospital is ranked for excellence in nine medical specialities by the U.S. News and World Report Magazine. The report features the top 50 of America's "Best Hospitals" in 17 specialities and places Henry Ford Hospital in more speciality areas than any other metropolitan Detroit hospital. These include cancer, heart and heart surgery, hormonal disorders and endocrinology, kidney disease or nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, otolaryngology or ENT, respiratory disorders and urology.
2003
Kimberlydawn Wisdom, M.D. was appointed as Michigan's first Surgeon General by Governor Jennifer Granholm. She was the director of the Institute of Multicultural Health at Henry Ford Health System, which was created to improve the health and quality of life for underrepresented racial and ethnic populations in Michigan. She also serves on committees with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Frank Hartman develops the liquid Oxygen Tent.
Dr. Charles Jackson and other Henry Ford Hospital and Yale researchers identify the location of a gene on chromosome 10, linked to hereditary medullary thyroid cancer. In 1993, the gene itself is identified.
The Center for Clinical Effectiveness is established at Henry Ford Health System by Dr. Wilmer Rutt to develop clinical guidelines. The Center is one of the first of its kind in the nation and the first in Michigan.
Dr. Clarence Livingood is the recipient of the AMA Distinguished Service Award, the only Michigan physician to have been so honored.
The Josephine Ford Cancer Center broke ground on a two million expansion project at the Henry Ford Medical Center West Bloomfield Center. The center is named the 'Williams International Cancer Wing', in honor of the the Williams International Company, which pledged 1.5 million for the addition. The 4,000 square foot wing is designed on the Josephine Ford Cancer Center's multi-disciplinary team approach to patient care.
Kimberlydawn Wisdom, M.D. was appointed as Michigan's first Surgeon General by Governor Jennifer Granholm. She was the director of the Institute of Multicultural Health at Henry Ford Health System, which was created to improve the health and quality of life for underrepresented racial and ethnic populations in Michigan. She also serves on committees with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health.
