Hendrick Health celebrates 100 years of service to community

Hendrick Health is celebrating a century of caring for our communities, which began when West Texas Baptist Sanitarium opened Sept. 15, 1924. The first 11 patients were admitted the next day.

“We are very excited about celebrating this incredible milestone with our Hendrick family and with the communities we serve,” said Brad Holland, president and CEO of Hendrick Health. “Throughout our history, our success has been directly tied to the support of individuals and entire communities.”

The five-story hospital was the fulfillment of a dream of Rev. Millard Alford Jenkens, DDiv, (1872 – 1962), who served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Abilene from 1915 until his retirement in 1948.

From the hospital’s very beginning, Hendrick board members were committed to operating a community hospital that served all, regardless of finances or religious creed. The hospital was also designed to equal care in Dallas-Fort Worth, in terms of equipment, services and skilled staff, so local patients would be able to stay in their own community for their medical needs. The hospital opened with 10 nurses and 18 physicians with admitting privileges.

Community donations have been a vital part of the hospital’s history, especially in harder economic times. During the Depression of the 1930s, the hospital struggled financially while overflowing with patients. The hospital accepted payment in black-eyed peas, chickens and goats, and sometimes nurses and staff agreed to accept produce in lieu of paychecks.

Relief of the dire financial situation came via the generosity of Ida and Thomas Gould “T. G.” Hendrick. Their $100,000 contribution enabled the hospital to not only avoid bankruptcy and pay off its debt, but also to add a much-needed four-story East Wing. Fittingly, in 1936 West Texas Baptist Sanitarium was renamed Hendrick Memorial Hospital. Through the end of the century, generous donors funded more towers and wings around the original five-story building.

With the completion of Project 2010 in 2012, the hospital added 250,000 square feet of space – approximately 10 times more space than the original hospital building. Project highlights included relocation and expansion of Hendrick Children’s Hospital, added space for surgical services and a new physician office tower. The name evolved and services expanded to Hendrick Medical Center and then later Hendrick Health System.

In October 2020, the institution’s name changed to Hendrick Health after access to care was expanded through the acquisition of Hendrick Medical Center South, formerly Abilene Regional Medical Center in Abilene, and Hendrick Medical Center Brownwood, formerly Brownwood Regional Medical Center, in Brownwood.

In total, Hendrick Health currently employs approximately 5,400, has more than 100 service locations and serves 24 counties, encompassing a landmass equal to 9% of Texas. The health system’s medical staff of approximately 670 represents 60 specialties.

As the largest privately owned organization in Abilene, Hendrick Health is also the largest health system in a Texas metro area that is not supported by a county taxing district.

For 100 years, Hendrick Health has continued as a nonprofit, faith-based organization guided by a local, volunteer board and affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Through medicine, ministry and research, Hendrick Health carries forward its founders’ legacy.

“We pause briefly today to reflect on Hendrick Health’s rich history of service and our healing ministry, but our continued focus is on meeting the growing health needs of our community for the future,” said Holland.

To learn more about the history of Hendrick Health, visit hendrick100.org.

PHOTO AT TOP OF PAGE: A Hendrick Health centennial flag is raised outside Hendrick Medical Center on September 16, 2024, to mark the first day the hospital admitted patients 100 years ago. Concurrent centennial flag-raising ceremonies also was conducted at Hendrick Medical Center South (PHOTO ABOVE) and Hendrick Medical Center Brownwood (PHOTO BELOW).