Inova Fairfax Hospital Celebrates 50 Years of Medical Excellence

Hospital Marks Milestone with Physicians and Staff from 1961; Notes Transformation from Community Hospital to Regional Medical Center

Falls Church, VA – (February 7, 2011) – Today was a day of celebration at Inova Fairfax Hospital as staff and community supporters gathered to mark 50 years of the hospital’s dedication and service to the community.

“When I came here three years ago, what I was impressed with was the sense of history and pride that people had in this hospital,” said L. Reuven Pasternak, MD, CEO, Inova Fairfax Hospital. “The people who founded it, its sense of mission, its sense of commitment is something that we keep to this very day.”

At 8 a.m. on Feb. 6, 1961, the 96-bed hospital opened its doors for the first time. Fifty years later, the hospital has transformed into a world-class, regional medical and research center with 833 beds. Its campus includes Northern Virginia’s only Level 1 trauma center, a nationally-ranked cardiac program, the fifth busiest obstetrics program in the country and Northern Virginia’s only Children’s Hospital.

Sharon Bulova, Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Penny Gross, Mason District Supervisor and Member of the Inova Board of Trustees, and Pat Herrity, Springfield District Supervisor, presented Knox Singleton, CEO, Inova Health System, and Dr. Pasternak with a resolution honoring the hospital’s long history of offering Fairfax County top quality healthcare.

The hospital marked its 50-year milestone with a celebratory cake cutting by Dick Foster, who was the Associate Administrator of The Fairfax Hospital in 1961, and Mary Brown, a nurse who was the first Director of Obstetrics.

Also on hand was Jack Lucas, the son of the late Grace Lucas. She is credited with organizing the Fairfax Hospital Association which guided and planned the original hospital. Lucas is carrying on his mother’s legacy and currently works for Inova Heart and Vascular Institute.

One of the most significant changes over the past 50 years has been the growth of the obstetrics program, from about 1,500 deliveries in 1961 to more than 10,000 in 2010. As part of the 50th celebration, the hospital wants to hear from its Fairfax babies. If you were born at Inova Fairfax Hospital, join our Facebook group “I was born at Inova Fairfax Hospital.”

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.