Scripps Health

Scripps Health is one of the many organizations that grew out of Ellen Browning Scripps’ philanthropic efforts. While the organization was formally founded in 1924, the initiative to improve public health in San Diego began in 1917, when Scripps funded the construction of a new sanitarium, La Jolla Sanitarium, since the health center at the time, Kline House, was too small and poorly equipped.[1] After opening in 1918, the La Jolla Sanitarium provided local residents with a reliable health center that helped treat patients during the Spanish flu pandemic later that year.

Seeing the positive impact that the La Jolla Sanitarium had on her community, Scripps later funded a larger, fireproof hospital on Prospect Street that yielded even more space, equipment, and departments. The larger hospital, now known as Scripps Memorial Hospital, opened in 1924 and grew until 1964, when it was relocated to its present site on Genesee Avenue. The La Jolla Sanitarium became the site of the Scripps Metabolic Clinic in 1924, which eventually split to become The Scripps Research Institute and Scripps Clinic.

Mercy Hospital, San Diego’s longest-established hospital and only Catholic health care facility, joined Scripps Health in 1995. Scripps Mercy Hospital now features campuses in San Diego and Chula Vista.

Scripps Health’s facilities and services continue to grow, and now include home health services, clinical research, medical education, comprehensive cancer care and a world-renowned cardiovascular program.

There are a number of notable specialty programs within Scripps Health, including

• Scripps Center for Organ and Cell Transplantation
• Comprehensive cancer care at Scripps Cancer Center
• Integrative (complementary) medicine at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine
• Scripps Blood and Marrow Transplant Center
• Scripps Clinic Center for Weight Management
• Scripps Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery Program
• Scripps Genomic Medicine and Scripps Translational Science Institute
• Scripps Clinical Research Services
• The Heart Center at Scripps La Jolla
• Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute
• Scripps Clinic Laser and Cosmetic Dermatology Center
• Mericos Eye Institute
• Scripps Polster Breast Care Center
• Leichtag Family Birth Pavilion at Scripps Encinitas
• The Rehabilitation Center at Scripps Encinitas
• Scripps Proton Therapy Center (5 suites using pencil-beam precision)
• On-Lay spinal fusion center of excellence

The organization has a number of projects planned, including the Scripps Prebys Cardiovascular Institute, which will serve as a center for heart disease treatment, research and graduate medical education.

The health system also expanded its Scripps Memorial Encinitas campus with additional parking and emergency department capacity, as well as enhancements to its stroke and heart attack receiving centers. This project is completed.

Scripps Mercy Hospital’s San Diego campus is raising funds to expand and modernize its facility, including the emergency department.[2]

The Scripps Genomic Medicine and Scripps Translational Science Institute continue work toward the application of genetic information to individualized medical care.[3]

Scripps Health is wholly unrelated to San Diego television station and ABC affiliate KGTV (channel 10), which came under the ownership of the separate E. W. Scripps Company near the start of 2012. KGTV regularly discloses it has no relation to Scripps Health on-air, outside regular health news stories the latter organization's physicians are asked to comment on regarding health matters in San Diego.