Main Navigation
News
Access Care Locate a Facility
June 24, 2014

Kaiser Permanente's first hospital changes and grows

A collection of vintage photos that chronicle the evolution of Oakland Medical Center campus.

The Permanente Foundation Hospital, Oakland, California; ring-bound copies of architectural drawings, 1944-06; TPMG P1530

Original Fabiola Hospital
Original Fabiola Hospital, circa 1895; from story on Oakland Hospital history, KP Reporter, 1967-08
Fabiola charity hospital black and white
Fabiola charity hospital, before Permanente Foundation purchase and initial remodel, early 1942. Bed count - 70. The formal opening ceremony was August 21, 1942.

Fabiola Hospital, before Permanente purchase and initial remodel, early 1942

Permanente Foundation Hospital
The Permanente Foundation Hospital in Oakland after 1942 rebuild
blueprints for Oakland Permanente Hospital expansion
Architectural plans for Oakland Permanente Hospital expansion, April 1943
blueprints of the Permanente Foundation Hospital, Oakland
The Permanente Foundation Hospital, Oakland; architectural drawings showing first and second expansions, May 1944
building with cars out front
Oakland Medical Center - Howe Street pediatric wing addition, 1960
construction of a building
Tower construction on top of existing Oakland hospital, 1969
construction of building
Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center tower under construction, circa 1970. The shopping mall in the foreground is the site of the new hospital.
Helicopter flying near a construction building
Helicopter lifting HVAC machinery to rooftop of new Oakland hospital, 1971
Fabiola Medical Office Building
Fabiola Medical Office Building, named for old Fabiola charity hospital, 1993

Tags

Related

Related

men doing a ribbon cutting ceremony with bystanders watching
May 7, 2025

Denver unveils health clinic air monitors

Kaiser Permanente helps Love My Air provide real-time information about …
nurse helping child with bandaged finger
April 30, 2025

A history of trailblazing nurses

Nursing pioneers lay the foundation for the future of Kaiser Permanente …
Sidney Garfield, MD sitting at a desk with a pen in hand.
April 16, 2025

Sidney R. Garfield, MD: Pioneer of modern health care

Kaiser Permanente’s co-founding physician spread prepaid care and the idea …
Kaiser Permanente doctor smiling and speaking with a patient
March 25, 2025

AI in health care: 7 principles of responsible use

These guidelines ensure we use artificial intelligence tools that are safe …
rendering of the new facility in Lakewood.
September 19, 2024

First look at new Lakewood facilities

New medical offices will enhance the health care experience for members …
A group wearing hard hats breaks ground at the new Pueblo facility event.
September 17, 2024

Groundbreaking at new medical offices in Pueblo

The new Pueblo North Medical Offices will replace the existing facility …
Beam being placed on steel structure.
August 28, 2024

Final beams placed at Parker Medical Offices

The final steel beams for the new Kaiser Permanente Parker Medical Offices …
Mike Ramseier speaking to crowd at groundbreaking event.
July 25, 2024

Breaking ground on bigger, better offices in Parker

The new Kaiser Permanente Parker Medical Offices in Colorado, which are …
Baby girl eating vegetables while sitting on high chair at home
July 2, 2024

Reducing cultural barriers to food security

To reduce barriers, Food Bank of the Rockies’ Culturally Responsive Food …
woman speaking to audience with a panelist behind her
June 28, 2024

Health Action Summit highlights mental health opportunities

The Kaiser Permanente Colorado Health Action Summit gathered nonprofits, …
Woman gazing at the sky.
June 3, 2024

A call to ‘Connect’ for cancer prevention research

Participate in a study to help uncover the causes of cancer and how to …
View of exterior of the Wildomar Trail Medical Offices
May 24, 2024

Investing to meet health care needs

The new Wildomar Trail Medical Offices offer additional opportunities for …
Henry J. Kaiser stands atop a ship in 1942
May 3, 2024

Henry J. Kaiser: America’s health care visionary

Kaiser was a major figure in the construction, engineering, and shipbuilding …
From left: Martin Luther King III, Arndrea Waters King, and Greg A. Adams at the Remember Them monument in Oakland, California
April 8, 2024

Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream is alive at Kaiser Permanente

Greg A. Adams, chair and chief executive officer of Kaiser Permanente, …
Doctors on a video conference
March 19, 2024

Fostering responsible AI in health care

With the right policies and partnerships, artificial intelligence can lead …
Kaiser Permanente Watts Counseling and Learning Center
February 13, 2024

A legacy of life-changing community support and partnership

The Kaiser Permanente Watts Counseling and Learning Center started as a …
The new Kaiser Permanente Watts Medical Offices
February 2, 2024

Expanding medical, social, and educational services in Watts

Kaiser Permanente opens medical offices and a new home for the Watts Counseling …
Joggers in the park.
January 31, 2024

Prioritizing policies for health and well-being in Colorado

CityHealth’s 2023 Annual Policy Assessment awards cities for their policies …
Doctor talking with patient in exam room
December 20, 2023

Research transforms care for people with multiple sclerosis

Our researchers are leading the way to more effective, affordable, and …
Greg A. Adams; Maria Ansari, MD, FACC; and Ramin Davidoff, MD
December 6, 2023

Leaders named among health care’s most influential

Greg A. Adams; Maria Ansari, MD, FACC; and Ramin Davidoff, MD, have been …
Nari Gopala holding CIO award
October 23, 2023

The future of health care is digital

Nari Gopala, Kaiser Permanente’s chief digital officer, answers 3 questions …
2 men wearing business suits looking over a miniature model of a hospital
October 17, 2023

How Kaiser Permanente evolved

Sidney R. Garfield, MD, and Henry J. Kaiser came together to pioneer an …
Man holding prescription bottle and phone
October 4, 2023

An easier way to manage multiple prescriptions

If you have an ongoing health condition, you know it can be tricky to keep …
Kids harvesting vegetables.
September 27, 2023

10 school districts receive next round of RISE grants

The Thriving Schools program helps educators and students in Colorado integrate …
room with computer equipment and medical technicians
September 13, 2023

Transforming the medical record

Kaiser Permanente’s adoption of disruptive technology in the 1970s sparked …
Geisinger Health hospital building
May 17, 2023

Accelerating value in health care

An op-ed by Geisinger Health board of directors members Gail R. Wilensky, …
Multiple television screens playing news programs
May 8, 2023

Risant Health captures national attention

Creation of new nonprofit and pending acquisition of Geisinger Health advances …
woman receiving a merit flag from an admiral
May 2, 2023

Women lead an industrial revolution at the Kaiser Shipyards

Early women workers at the Kaiser shipyards diversified home front World …
Sun rising over a suburban neighborhood.
April 26, 2023

Risant Health launches with Geisinger

New nonprofit accelerates value-based care with leading community-based …
Black woman removing coatings and corrosion from ship
April 25, 2023

Hannah Peters, MD, provides essential care to ‘Rosies’

When thousands of women industrial workers, often called “Rosies,” joined …
A pair of architects in helmets and vests at a work site
November 22, 2022

Investing in Colorado and building for our future

A $100 million investment will help improve member experience and prepare …
historical image of nurse helping a boy in a medical center lobby
November 11, 2022

A history of leading the way

For over 75 innovative years, we have delivered high-quality and affordable …
November 11, 2022

Pioneers and groundbreakers

Learn about the trailblazers from Kaiser Permanente who shaped our legacy …
November 11, 2022

Our integrated care model

We’re different than other health plans, and that’s how we think health …
November 11, 2022

Our history

Kaiser Permanente’s groundbreaking integrated care model has evolved through …
October 14, 2022

Contact Heritage Resources
Teen is outside holding a skateboard and looking at phone.
October 6, 2022

We’re a Fast Company Innovation by Design winner

Kaiser Permanente is the first health care organization to win Design Company …
October 1, 2022

Innovation and research

Learn about our rich legacy of scientific research that spurred revolutionary …
woman conducting a medical exam on a baby who's being held by its mother
May 26, 2022

Nurse practitioners: Historical advances in nursing

A doctor shortage in the late 1960s and an innovative partnership helped …
The "Baby in the Drawer" hospital room from 1953
September 10, 2021

‘Baby in the drawer’ helped turn the tide for breastfeeding

This innovation in rooming-in allowed newborns to stay close to mothers …
Woman seated behind desk with 4 men standing in front
August 25, 2021

Kaiser Permanente’s history of nondiscrimination

Our principles of diversity and our inclusive care began during World War …
Black and white photograph of a man in the Kaiser Richmond shipyard wearing a hard hat and goggles on his head
July 22, 2021

A long history of equity for workers with disabilities

In Henry J. Kaiser’s shipyards, workers were judged by their abilities, …
1942 newspaper clipping with image of Kaiser shipyard worker hires from New York en route to Portland.
June 2, 2021

Path to employment: Black workers in Kaiser shipyards

Kaiser Permanente, Henry J. Kaiser’s sole remaining institutional legacy, …
Female doctor waves at patient on video conference
May 24, 2021

Supporting access to telehealth for vulnerable populations

Kaiser Permanente grants help fund community organizations working to expand …
Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center circa 1943.
February 22, 2021

The Permanente Richmond Field Hospital

Forlorn and all but forgotten, it played a proud role during the World …
vintage photograph of 3 women wearing 1960s era nursing uniforms
September 28, 2020

A legacy of disruptive innovation

Proceeds from a new book detailing the history of the Kaiser Foundation …
black and white photo of a woman smiling and wearing glasses
August 26, 2020

Kaiser Permanente’s pioneering nurse-midwives

The 1970s nurse-midwife movement transformed delivery practices.
Book cover: 'The Story of Dr. Sidney R. Garfield — The Visionary Who Turned Sick Care into Health Care' with color illustration of Dr. Garfield.
July 30, 2020

Books and publications about our history

Interested in learning more about the history of Kaiser Permanente and …
woman seated inside conference room
June 4, 2020

A role model for quality, innovation, and transformation

Nation’s health care leaders and clinicians in annual survey point to Kaiser …
people seated inside a classroom facing the front of the room
May 18, 2020

Nurses step up in crises

Kaiser Permanente nurses have been saving lives on the front lines since …
Medical specialist handling oxygen therapy equipment
November 8, 2019

Swords into stethoscopes — veterans in health professions

Kaiser Permanente has actively hired veterans in all capacities since World …
Photo of a group of men seated and standing at a long table
August 28, 2019

When labor and management work side by side

From war-era labor-management committees to today’s unit-based teams, cooperatio …
Disc Jockey Pete Taylor in KFOG studio
August 2, 2019

Thriving with 1960s-launched KFOG radio

Kaiser Broadcasting radio connected listeners, while TV stations brought …
Jim Best and Gregory A. Adams riding on parade float
June 5, 2019

Breaking LGBT barriers for Kaiser Permanente employees

“We managed to ultimately break through that barrier.” — Kaiser Permanente …
Historical image of a female welder at work during World War II.
March 29, 2019

Equal pay for equal work

Kaiser shipyards in Oregon hired the first 2 female welders at equal pay …
4 young 70s era women nursing students standing in front of a large mobile health van with a sign that reads "podiatry clinic"
February 5, 2019

Mobile clinics: 'Health on wheels'

Kaiser Permanente mobile health vehicles brought care to people, closing …
New Southeast Permanente Medical Group physicians Anne and Harper Gaston, May 23, 1955
December 10, 2018

Southern comfort — Dr. Gaston and The Southeast Permanente Medical Group

Local Atlanta physicians built community relationships to start Kaiser …
black and white closeup of Dr. John Smillie
May 30, 2018

John Graham Smillie, MD, pediatrician and innovator

Celebrating the life of a pioneering pediatrician who inspired the baby …
KFSN students in capping ceremony (after 6 months of study) walk through Kaiser Oakland hospital, circa 1960
April 30, 2018

Nursing pioneers leads to a legacy of leadership

Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing students learned a new philosophy emphasizin …
"Ships From the Scrap Heap" Fore 'n' Aft, 1/14/1944
April 19, 2018

Wasting nothing: Recycling then and now

Environmentalism was a common practice at the Kaiser shipyards long before …
Harold Hatch and secretary Bess Girgitch reading the newspaper at a desk
April 12, 2018

Harold Hatch, health insurance visionary

The founding of Kaiser Permanente's concept of prepaid health care in the …
Dr. Sidney Garfield at Contractors General Hospital, 1935
March 26, 2018

5 physicians who made a difference

Meet 5 outstanding doctors who advanced the practice of medical care with …
Text: 'Kaiser Permanente Earful of History podcast - Listen Now' with image of Henry J. Kaiser
March 13, 2018

Henry J. Kaiser and the new economics of medical care

Kaiser Permanente’s co-founder talks about the importance of building hospitals …
1944 picture of Gladys Theus, welder in Kaiser Richmond shipyard in her welding gear.
March 8, 2018

Slacks, not slackers — women’s role in winning World War II

Women who worked in the Kaiser shipyards helped lay the groundwork for …
Betty Reid Soskin standing in front of the Rosie the Riveter Museum in Richmond, California.
February 22, 2018

The amazing true story of Park Ranger Betty Reid Soskin

She is the oldest national park ranger in the country with a legacy of …
2 librarians looking at a book
December 19, 2017

From boats to books: A history of Kaiser Permanente’s medical libraries

Kaiser Permanente librarians are vital in helping clinicians remain updated …
Henry J. Kaiser at a podium with a sign that reads: U.S. Navy
November 7, 2017

Patriot in pinstripes: Honoring veterans, home front, and peace

Henry J. Kaiser's commitment to the diverse workforce on the home front …
Black and white photo of hospital with staff standing in front
October 12, 2017

An experiment named Fabiola

Health care takes root in Oakland, California.
Painting of proposed Harbor City hospital, circa 1955
September 29, 2017

Harbor City Hospital: Beachhead for labor health care

The story of Kaiser Permanente's South Bay Medical Center finds its roots …
Earful of history podcast
August 15, 2017

Sidney R. Garfield, MD, on medical care as a right

Hear Kaiser Permanente’s physician co-founder talk about what he learned …
Paul de Kruif
August 10, 2017

‘Good medicine brought within reach of all'

Paul de Kruif, microbiologist and writer, provides early accounts of Kaiser …
BART trans-bay tube
July 14, 2017

Kaiser’s role in building an accessible transit system

Harold Willson, an employee, and an advocate for accessible transportation, …
Herman Kabat with young woman learning to walk
July 7, 2017

Mending bodies and minds — Kabat-Kaiser Vallejo

The expanded new location provided care to a greater population of members …
Child Service Centers building
June 23, 2017

No getting round it: An innovative approach to building design

Kaiser Permanente incorporated innovative circular architectural designs …
Kabat Kaiser Santa Monica, 1952
June 14, 2017

Kabat-Kaiser: Improving quality of life through rehabilitation

When polio epidemics erupted, pioneering treatments by Dr. Herman Kabat …
1961 photograph of two male physicians and a nurse standing next to some medical equipment.
June 9, 2017

Edmund (Ted) Van Brunt, pioneer of electronic health records, dies at age …

Throughout his career, Dr. Van Brunt applied computers and databases in …
medical imaging of a woman making her look transparent
May 4, 2017

How a Kaiser Permanente nurse transformed health education

Kaiser Permanente's Health Education Research Center and Health Education …
woman administering an injection to a young girl
March 22, 2017

Kaiser Permanente and Group Health Cooperative: Working together since …

The formation of Kaiser Permanente Washington comes from longstanding collaborat …
Beatrice Lei, MD, circa 1930
March 7, 2017

Beatrice Lei, MD: From Shantou, China, to Richmond, California

She served as a role model and inspiration to the women physicians and …
"This local 10 longshoreman is having an electrocardiograph taken to detect any heart irregularity. This is one of the many tests in the recent program conducted for the ILWU by Permanente." Planning for Health, Fall, 1951.
March 1, 2017

Screening for better health: Medical care as a right

When industrial workers joined the health plan, an integrated battery of …
blueprint of the fourth floor plan of the Kaiser Foundation Hospital at Panorama City
February 17, 2017

Experiments in radial hospital design

The 1960s represented a bold step in medical office architecture around …
Dr. Ellamae Simmons, circa 1980
February 3, 2017

Ellamae Simmons — trailblazing African American physician

Ellamae Simmons, MD, worked at Kaiser Permanente for 25 years, and to this …
Dr. Isamu Nieda standing with a city view in the background
January 27, 2017

Japanese-American doctors overcame internment setbacks

Despite restrictive hiring practices after World War II, Kaiser Permanente …
Betty Reid Soskin honored with lifetime achievement award
November 16, 2016

Betty Reid Soskin honored with lifetime achievement award

The California Studies Association presents the Carey McWilliams Award …
Promo with illustration of a 1950's car with text 'Kaiser and Frazer Will Unveil Two New Cars'
October 17, 2016

Kaiser Motors in Oakland — “We sell to make friends.”

In 1946 Henry J. Kaiser Motors purchased half a square block in downtown …
Architectural diagram of a circular medical office complex
October 12, 2016

Kaiser’s geodesic dome clinic

There are hospital rounds, and there are round hospitals.

Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing's first 3 male students in 1970.
May 5, 2016

Male nursing pioneers

Groundbreaking male students diversify the Kaiser Foundation School of …
Newspaper ad
April 20, 2016

Henry J. Kaiser’s environmental stewardship

Since the 1940s, Kaiser Industries and Kaiser Permanente have a long history …
A senior man, Morris F. Collen MD, working at his desk.
November 13, 2015

Dr. Morris Collen’s last book on medical informatics

The last published work of Morris F. Collen, MD, one of Kaiser Permanente’s …
Bess Kaiser Hospital medical record department, 1959.
October 29, 2015

From paper to pixels — the new paradigm of electronic medical records

Transitioning to electronic health records introduced new approaches, skills, …
Space Technology logo combined with Rural Papago Advanced Health Care logo
September 23, 2015

Kaiser Permanente and NASA — taking telemedicine out of this world

Kaiser Permanente International designs, develop, and test a remote health …
Copy of the cover page of Henry J. Kaiser's “Proposal for a Nation-Wide Pre-Paid Medical Plan Based on Experience of the Permanente Foundation Hospitals,” March 3, 1945
July 22, 2015

Kaiser Permanente as a national model for care

Kaiser Permanente proposed a revolutionary national health care model after …
Leaders from the CIO Nurses Guild sitting down with Permanente Foundation hospital administrator signing contract
July 21, 2015

Kaiser Permanente's early support from labor

Experiencing the Kaiser Permanente health plan led labor unions to support …
Illustration showing doctor partnerships, preventive medicine, and medical centers
July 20, 2015

Opening the Permanente plan to the public

On July 21, 1945, Henry J. Kaiser and Dr. Sidney Garfield offered the health …
A crowd of women surround a sculpture of a curse cradling a baby in her arms.
July 1, 2015

Sculpture dedicated to Kaiser Nursing School

The Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing sculpture near Kaiser Oakland hospital …
Betty Runyen, RN, Contractors General Hospital, circa 1936
May 6, 2015

Celebrating Betty Runyen — Kaiser Permanente’s ‘founding nurse’

In a desert hospital during the Great Depression, Betty Runyen overcame …
Eugene Hickman, MD, conducting training session at Kaiser Oakland, 1970
April 27, 2015

Eugene Hickman, MD — Pioneering Black physician

Dr. Hickman had a long career at Kaiser Permanente, becoming president …
Sidney R. Garfield, MD
April 24, 2015

2 historical reflections on Kaiser Permanente
USS Liscome Bay navy ship ferrying aircraft
April 2, 2015

Henry Kaiser’s escort carriers and the Battle of Leyte Gulf
Infographic outlining what it requires to build C-4's
January 9, 2015

The World War II Kaiser Richmond shipyard labor force
View All

News and views from one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans.

Terms and Conditions Privacy Statement Site Feedback Newsletter Sign-Up Your Privacy Choices