5 Oldest Hospitals Still In Operation Today

When you think of the oldest hospitals that are still in operation today, you have to wonder how they managed to stay relevant over the years.  Hospital technology and practices are constantly being updated and while there are some enduring aspects of hospital life, most aspects go through changes every decade, if not every year.  Understanding the process of change and what it takes for a hospital to stay relevant in a new medical climate will help you to better appreciate just how much growth the oldest hospitals had to do to stay open and to make this list. 

In The Beginning 
In the beginning of hospital history technology was quite limited.  Hospitals did not have to be outfitted with the latest tech because it did not exist yet.  Basically, hospitals just had to be buildings with beds for patients.

Even their layouts were sometimes unrecognizable compared to the standard blueprint for hospitals today.  Remembering where hospitals began is essential so that you can see the contrast between what they were like then and what they are like now.  Hospitals that are still open have had to undergo major modifications to keep up with progress in the medical field.

The Price Of Progress 
For these old hospital to still be in business today, a lot of money had to be spent over the years.  Beyond the cost of basic upkeep, these hospitals had to be updated with newer medical technology.  And it is highly unlikely that any of these hospitals were updated once in all these years.  They needed to be updated as each new wave of medical equipment technology was developed and gained widespread use.  The cost of these updates is based upon the size of the hospital and the technology involved but the final figures, if one were to tally them, would be staggering.

The Buildings 
It is important to note that in order for these hospitals to still be around today that the buildings themselves have had to last or be rebuilt.  Not all buildings were made to last.  The amount of money that was available to build a hospital and the materials that were used along with the hospital's location all factor in to the ability of a hospital to endure.  This may seem like a small consideration when you think about what allows a hospital to endure through the years but it is a practical one.

The Top 5 Oldest Hospitals That Are Still Open Today

1. The Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1752)
2. Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, Virginia (1773)
3. Spring Grove Hospital Center in Cantonsville, Maryland (1798)
4. Massachusetts General in Boston, Massachusetts (1811)
5. Eastern State Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky (1824) 

When you stop to think about what it takes for a hospital to stay open for such a long period of time, hundreds of years even, then you have to be impressed by the sheer money, effort, and luck that must go into it all.  In a field that changes constantly, these hospitals have endured.  It just goes to show that those who change with the times survive. 
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