History of Longmont United Hospital
Photo courtesy Longmont Museum
With an eye to the future and an ear to the past, Longmont United Hospital has always responded to the needs and desires of our communities. As healthcare technology constantly advances to offer new and less-invasive treatments, we embrace these changes without forgetting the value of old-fashioned human touch. These values will never change.
Patients here are never defined as the sum of their health problems or divided into diseases. At Longmont United health care extends to the patient's spirit, mind, body and family. We understand that illness and injury are not limited to a body part and that healing can't be compartmentalized. Compassionate care treats the whole patient. This care is more than a philosophy, it's a palpable attitude that inspires our staff, heals our patients and improves our communities.
Building better communities has always been at the core of this hospital. In 1954, the Longmont and St. Vrain hospitals were so overcrowded and plagued with equipment failures, that the Colorado Department of Health deemed them inadequate. The two hospitals joined to forge a new, non-profit hospital - one that would be owned by the communities. The residents rallied its support. Funds were raised, architects hired and a clean, modern hospital was built without bond issues or tax money. Area residents understood that they were not only building a better hospital, but they were building a better community. That spirit was heralded when Longmont Community Hospital was dedicated on March 15, 1959.
Today, that spirit continues. With ongoing support from the communities we serve, Longmont United is able to offer more specialized facilities and advanced equipment.
Over the years, the communities and the hospital continued to grow. In 1971, Longmont Community Hospital merged with Longs Peak Osteopathic Hospital and Longmont United Hospital emerged.
The new century brought a new look and a new philosophy. In January 2000, Longmont United opened a five-story patient tower. New private rooms and a soothing environment catered to patients and their families. At the same time, the hospital adopted the Planetree Philosophy of nurturing the whole patient - mind, body and spirit. This philosophy combined with the appropriate facilities led to better healing, less pain and more satisfied patients.
As time brings new changes and challenges to health care at increasingly rapid rates, Longmont United will keep pace with the future as it has in the past. Community centered and community driven, Longmont United is dedicated to honoring, respecting and valuing its patients, employees, physicians and volunteers.