Pennsylvania Hospital

Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation’s first hospital, was founded in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond. For more than 270 years, it has been at the forefront of innovative, high-quality patient care and continues to build on its many centers of excellence.

Pennsylvania Hospital has earned national recognition for programs such as orthopaedics, cardiac care, vascular surgery, neurosurgery, otorhinolaryngology (ENT), urology, obstetrics and high-risk maternal and fetal services, neonatology, and behavioral health. The campus also includes specialty treatment centers such as the Joan Karnell Cancer Center, the Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery, and the Penn Neurological Institute.

As a National Historic Landmark, Pennsylvania Hospital’s original Pine Building is home to America’s first surgical amphitheater and first medical library. Though today’s patients are cared for in modern, state-of-the-art facilities, the hospital’s historic roots have been carefully preserved as a celebration of our rich history.