Today, Riverside Regional Medical Center (RRMC) will celebrate 60 years of service to the community at its current location on J. Clyde Morris Boulevard in Newport News. Previously located on Huntington Avenue, the 50-bed hospital had been serving the community since it opened in January 1916. As the older location reached capacity, plans were finalized in March 1959 for a new, $7 million, 351 bed hospital that would expand access to acute care for those on the Peninsula. Construction began in 1959 and culminated with dedication ceremonies in December 1962. The new hospital then officially opened to the public on February 8, 1963.
“The establishment of Riverside Hospital, now Riverside Regional Medical Center, in 1963 was a monumental undertaking with enthusiastic support from citizens, local businesses and civic groups throughout the community,” says Michael Dacey, M.D., President and CEO of Riverside Health System. “Six decades later, we want to take a moment to look back and honor the hard work, dedication and commitment of those who have made RRMC what it is today.”
Since opening at its new location in February 1963, RRMC has evolved to better serve the needs of the surrounding community. Notably, in the 1970s, RRMC opened the country’s first Coronary Care Unit, followed by the opening of the first Radiation Oncology Center and Behavioral Health services on the Peninsula. Over the next few decades, RRMC continued to expand, becoming a Level II Trauma Center, opening the Peninsula’s first Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), becoming a Comprehensive Stroke Center, and dedicating resources to support the education of the next generations by adding multiple residency programs, health career programs and a Simulation Lab. These are just a few of the notable accomplishments seen at RRMC over the past six decades.
“As proud as we are of the great buildings on this campus, the heart and soul of this hospital are the incredible team members who take our mission to, ‘care for others as we would care for those we love’ and make it a reality every day,” says Michael Oshiki, M.D., President of RRMC. “As the premier not-for-profit hospital on the Peninsula, we receive tremendous support from our community – which will enable us to continue to serve Hampton Roads for the next 60 years and beyond.”
Today, RRMC is 450-bed hospital serving tens of thousands of patients and visitors each year. Learn more about Riverside Regional Medical Center and its high-quality care options today.