Founded in 1959 as a 200-bed hospital on a 62-acre tract in northwest Oklahoma City, INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center has evolved into a cornerstone for a comprehensive medical campus.
“When I first came to Oklahoma, Baptist was just the place up on the hill with six floors,” recalls Betty Hudson, RN, who retired after 30 years at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center. The hospital was initially hard to reach, as Sharon Williams, RN, who retired after 43 years, notes: “There wasn’t a lot of transportation out to this far area of the city. So, I took a city bus, and 50th Street was as far as it came.”
Over the years, the hospital has been at the forefront of medical technology. “The advancements in medical technology have just been fantastic,” says Williams. “All the specialty areas that offer the very best; Baptist has always been a step ahead of the rest,” adds Hudson.
While technology has advanced, the core values have remained the same. “The spirit of nursing and the pride that we take in serving our patients and our community has stayed the same,” says Williams.
Today, INTEGRIS Health is home to nine Centers of Excellence and has led the way with many Oklahoma firsts, including participation in the nation’s first six-way, multi-hospital, domino kidney transplant. “We hope to have many additional patient firsts here for the benefit of the community and the state,” says Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Chris Hammes.
Now, with 500 beds and continuously growing, INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center remains more committed than ever to providing superior medical services. “If the original administrator and chief of staff were alive today, I think they would both definitely be very proud,” says Hammes.
INTEGRIS Health Baptist Medical Center has been a magnificent healing force for over 60 years and looks forward to many more years of service to the community.