A Short History of AAMC

Origins

At the turn of the century, the growth of Annapolis as an educational and government center spurred the need for better health care. A group of enlightened and energetic towns women decided Annapolis needed a hospital, and in 1902 "The Annapolis Emergency Hospital" opened in a small cottage at Franklin and Cathedral streets. By 1910, the hospital board and medical staff agreed that a larger, modern hospital was needed to better care for patients. By 1919, a maternity ward was added to the hospital to accommodate the growing Annapolis population. By nearly the middle of the century, hospital admissions outnumbered accident room cases for the first time, confirming the need for expansion. In 1949, the hospital name was changed to Anne Arundel General Hospital. The name was changed again in 1988 to Anne Arundel Medical Center and plans began for major expansion. In 2001, Anne Arundel Medical Center consolidated its acute care services from downtown Annapolis to a new health care facility at its Medical Park campus off Jennifer Road. And in 2002, AAMC celebrated its Centennial, marking 100 years as Annapolis and the surrounding community's own regional hospital. In April 2011, the hospital completed its $424 million expansion project, which included a pediatric emergency room, an expanded general emergency room, 50 new patient beds, and eight new operating rooms.

Today, Anne Arundel Medical Center has more than 5,000 employees, medical staff members and volunteers. To learn more about current statistics, click here

Patient Care

Nearly a century later, that modest beginning has evolved into a regional health system serving a population of almost one million area residents.

Specialized alcohol and drug treatment care for adolescents and adults is provided at Pathways. Anne Arundel Diagnostics Imaging centers are located throughout Anne Arundel County and the region to provide diagnoses and treatment. Our office of Wellness and Health Promotion offers a variety of educational seminars, exercise and classes.

Today, the service area has grown far beyond the boundaries of Annapolis, and our vision has expanded to encompass so much more. This vision, Living Healthier Together, is shared by a forward-looking group of organizations and individuals whose commitment to progressive health care has propelled us to national prominence.

Given the solid foundation the hospital enjoys, AAMC offers a bright and promising future for the patients and families in our region.

Education and Training

AAMC's training programs prepare the next generation of physicians and other healthcare professionals for leadership roles in medicine. We have multiple clinical fellowships, collaborations with local colleges, and partnerships with our local school districts. Our Research Institute, part of the Johns Hopkins Clinical Research Network, helps us accelerate the transfer of new diagnostic, treatment, and disease prevention advances from the research arena into patient care.

Timeline

• 1902 – Annapolis Emergency Hospital opens its doors to the first patient
• 1910 – New hospital on Franklin Street opened
• 1911 – Inpatient population is 300
• 1919 – A six-patient maternity ward is established
• 1924 – Average hospital stay was 11 days
• 1927 – Fire destroys the main building of the hospital
• 1930 – Inpatient population is 1,269
• 1934 – 71% of patients cannot pay for their medical care
• 1944 – Hospital auxiliary founded
• 1946 – 2,705 admissions; admissions outnumber accident room cases for the first time
• 1949 – The hospital changes its name to Anne Arundel General Hospital
• 1960 – Hospital pharmacy established
• 1964 – 9,000 patients admitted, with 20,000 visits to the Emergency Room
• 1966 – Coronary care unit opens
• 1967 – Intensive care unit established
• 1973 – Prepared childbirth program is instituted
• 1974 – Average hospital stay cut to just 6.4 days
• 1977 – First total hip replacement performed
• 1978 – Name of hospital changed to Anne Arundel General Hospital.
• 1979 – The hospital admits 12,000 to 269 beds
• 1980 – First total knee replacement performed
• 1983 – The hospital pioneers an outpatient IV medication program
• 1983 – Anne Arundel General Hospital Foundation incorporated
• 1984 – The hospital association purchased 104 acres of land on Jennifer Road
• 1985 – Anne Arundel Diagnostics Imaging opens in Annapolis and Arnold
• 1986 – The first chaplain is hired and a pastoral department opens
• 1987 – Construction begun on Medical Park buildings
• 1988 – Hospital's name changes to Anne Arundel Medical Center
• 1989 – Inpatient admissions average 14,000 a year to 303 beds
• 1991 – 90th year of operation and 15,965 inpatients yearly
• 1992 – Pathways opens
• 1994 – Annapolis Outreach Center opens, providing free medical services to uninsured residents
• 1995 – Clatanoff Pavilion opens to provide maternity and women's health services
• 1996 – ASK-A-NURSE nurse advice line established
• 1998 – Groundbreaking for new hospital
• 2000 – Inpatient admissions climbs to 18,648 with 50,929 emergency department visits
• 2000 – Construction on the new hospital is completed
• 2001 – Sajak Pavilion opens
• 2001 – AAMC is listed as the fourth busiest hospital in the state with a record 4,399 births
• 2001 – AAMC Bowie Pavilion opens
• 2001 – Hospital Pavilion opens and the downtown hospital closes
• 2002 – AAMC Waugh Chapel Pavilion opens
• 2004 – The Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute opens
• 2005 – AAMC is the only Maryland community hospital named Top 100 list by Solucient
• 2006 – New expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit opens
• 2007 – AAMC enters strategic alliance with Johns Hopkins Medicine
• 2008 – AAMC Kent Island Pavilion opens
• 2009 – Health Sciences Pavilion opens
• 2010 – AAMC Heart & Vascular Institute established
• 2011 – AAMC begins offering open visiting hours as first of several Patient- and Family-Centered initiatives
• 2011 – Hospital space almost doubles with completion of the new emergency room, operating rooms, pediatrics, and two new patient care units
• 2012 – A new inpatient care unit opens, expanding another 30 beds for growth
• 2012 – AAMC Odenton Pavilion opens
• 2013 – New simulation training facility opens, James and Sylvia Earl SAIL Center
• 2013 – On campus lodging, Hackerman-Patz House, becomes latest Patient- and Family-Centered Care resource
• 2013 – Annapolis and AAMC hosts international conference for Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care