About Bellevue

NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is the oldest hospital in America. We trace our roots back to 1736 when a six-bed infirmary opened on the second floor of the New York City Almshouse. This was just four years after the birth of George Washington and 40 years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Since its humble beginnings as a haven for the indigent, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue has become a major academic medical institution of international renown. Over the centuries, we have served as an incubator for major innovations in public health, medical science, and medical education. Often referred to as a national treasure, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue defines the very best traditions of public medicine as a public service vital to the well-being of our civil society.

NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue’s efficient and state-of-the-art Emergency Room, one of the largest in the city, and Level I Trauma Center deliver complete around-the-clock care in adult, pediatric, psychiatric and pediatric psychiatric emergencies as well as in the nationally-designated categories of cardiology, neurology, toxicology, and neonatology. Bellevue has one of the top cardiovascular programs in the State with a “door to STEMI” time far exceeding the national recommendation. NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue has long been a pioneer in identifying and categorizing mental illness and training psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses.

Bellevue has defined the standard of practice for microsurgical replantation of hands, fingers and limbs as well as brain and spinal cord injuries. Its Geriatric Ambulatory Care Program is among the largest in the nation, caring for more than 5,000 seniors annually. In perinatal care, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is the Regional Perinatal Center for the 11 hospitals within the health system. It provides the latest, state-of -the-art medical technology along with compassionate care. The high-risk obstetrical clinics assure mothers and babies the best comprehensive primary, obstetrical and gynecological care. Obstetrical services include midwifery-based birthing for low-risk mothers, rooming-in and a high-risk obstetrical area equipped to handle extremely complicated cases.

In addition to providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient state-of-the-art care, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is a city-wide medical specialty referral source.

Bellevue has an academic affiliation with the New York University School of Medicine, which enhances the quality of care provided to Bellevue patients. Bellevue is the medical facility for dignitaries visiting New York City, including the President of the United States and United Nations diplomats.