Mount Sinai Hospital (1903-2000) had its origins in the Young Ladies Hebrew Association for the Care of the Needy Sick, created in 1892 by nine young women in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1900, they changed their name to the Jewish Women's Hospital Association. A 29-bed facility, named Mount Sinai Hospital, opened in 1903 at 2373 East 37th Street. In 1916, a new, larger facility was opened at East 105th Street and Ansel Road. Innovations included outpatient clinics for pediatrics and mental hygiene, established in 1915. A nursing school was included. Mount Sinai affiliated with Western Reserve University for the training and education of its nurses in 1930, and its doctors in 1947.
Mount Sinai served as a major medical resource for Cleveland's east side throughout its history. A new medical wing was added to the hospital in the 1980s, and in 1993 an integrated medical campus was opened in Beachwood. In 1996, the nonprofit hospital was sold to a for-profit company, Primary Health Systems (PHS). In March 1999, PHS filed for bankruptcy, and in February 2000, Mount Sinai Hospital closed.
During the demolition of the Mount Sinai building in 2006, workers uncovered a time capsule that had been placed in the cornerstone of the building during construction in 1915. The time capsule held newspapers, fundraising records, and miscellaneous items related to the construction of the building.
Throughout the history of Mount Sinai Hospital, female volunteers provided invaluable assistance to the medical staff and patients. The Women's and Junior Women's Auxiliaries created and staffed a nursery school for the children of nurses and volunteers. They offered classes that trained volunteers to work in outpatient clinics and pediatric wards, and, in addition, organized a gift shop and television rental for patients. In 1997, the auxiliaries were renamed the Mount Sinai Community Partners. The Auxiliaries also published a newsletter, "The Chart," documenting their activities.
The Mount Sinai Hospital Records, Series III, 1913-2006 and undated, consist of reports, minutes, booklets, financial records, newspapers, quarterly reports, and a scrapbook.
This collection is of value to researchers studying the history of Cleveland, Ohio, its hospitals, and the Jewish community. Those researching the contributions of Mount Sinai's Women's and Junior Women's Auxiliaries will find this collection useful. The history of the Auxiliaries, newsletters, and speeches are particularly informative. The collection is also of value to those studying the decline of Jewish and sectarian hospitals in general, and in Cleveland, Ohio, specifically. Of particular note is the correspondence relating to the closing of the hospital. The contents of the Mount Sinai time capsule are also of note. The majority of the collection chronicles the actions of the Women's Auxiliaries and will be especially valuable to those interested in issues of gender and health care.
The collection is arranged in three series.
The researcher should also consult MS 4840 Mount Sinai Hospital Records; MS 4919 Mount Sinai Hospital Records, Series II; and PG 4919 Mount Sinai Hospital Photographs.
Processed by Jessica Marra and Peggy Wasserstrom in 2012.
None.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5143 Mount Sinai Hospital Records, Series III, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Gifts of the Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation in 2006; Barbara Franklin in 2011; and Anonymous in 2012.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.