Serving Larchmont Village, Hancock Park, and the Greater Wilshire neighborhoods of Los Angeles since 2011.

Olympia Medical Center Celebrates 70 Years

Founding family members of Olympia Medical Center, formerly Midway Medical Center,  with Council Members David Ryu and Paul Koretz

Olympia Medical Center, formerly known as Midway Hospital, celebrated 70 years of service as a local community hospital last week, with a trip down memory lane that included members of the founding family, who started the hospital in 1948.

Community leaders, first responders, elected officials including Los Angeles City Council Members David Ryu and Paul Koretz, gathered to celebrate the anniversary.  Representatives from Congressman Ted Lieu, Assembly Membern Richard Bloom and LA County Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Shelia Kuehl’s offices each presented certificates of commendations to Olympia’s CEO, Matt Williams. Olympia Medical Center, at Olympic and San Vicente Blvds., is located on the edge of several LA City and County district boundaries.

CD4 Council Member David Ryu with Olympia Medical Center CEO Matt Williams and CD5 Council Member Paul Koretz

Sandy Pressman, daughter of co-founder Dr. David Alpert, and Ted Greenberg, grandson of co-founder  Dr. Leon Tiber, reflected on the founders’ vision for a community and hospital. Ira Alpert, son of co-Founder Dr. David Alpert, talked about the state of healthcare today and how Midway Hospital (Olympia) has responded to the changing business climate of the health care industry over the years.

Also in attendance was Lyn MacEwen Cohen, president of First-In Fire Foundation and member of Olympia’s Board of Governors, who spoke of the importance of Olympia’s partnership with the Los Angeles Fire Department, and the emergency services staff’s efforts to save lives. Stephen Kramer, president of Greater Miracle Mile Chamber of Commerce  and a former Olympia patient, shared his personal story about the quick responses of Olympia’s emergency services department. Los Angeles Fire Department Battalion 18 Chief Joseph Lopez and EIT firefighter Brian Wilson,  along with Paramedic Captain Rico Gross, also attended, representing the partnership between LAFD and the hospital.

Initially founded by physicians in 1948, the approximately 220 bed hospital was later acquired by OrNda Health (then Corp Summit Health Ltd and then Tenet Healthcare), in 1997. The facility was renamed Olympia Medical Center in 2005, when it was purchased by Physicians of Midway, Inc.  And then Alecto Healthcare took over ownership and management of Olympia at the end of 2013. Physicians have an ownership position in Alecto.

Officials from various elected officials presented Olympia Medical Center leaders with commendations on the hospital’s 70th anniversary.
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Patricia Lombard
Patricia Lombard
Patricia Lombard is the publisher of the Larchmont Buzz. Patty lives with her family in Fremont Place. She has been active in neighborhood issues since moving here in 1989. Her pictorial history, "Larchmont" for Arcadia Press is available at Chevalier's Books.

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