Historic Chinatown hospital opens new tower

Officials at San Francisco’s Chinese Hospital in Chinatown Monday held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of the nonprofit hospital’s new Patient Tower.

The unique hospital, with roots in California’s Gold Rush, was founded to serve Chinatown residents in 1925 at a time when discrimination made it difficult for Chinese to get medical care elsewhere, according to hospital officials.

Over the years it has expanded to include clinics in areas with large Chinese communities and in February celebrated the opening of an outpatient facility in Daly City.

The hospital broke ground on the new 88-bed Patient Tower, which replaces an original 1925 building, in 2012. The 100,000 square foot, 8-story new wing meets seismic requirements and will include state-of-the art new equipment, surgical and intensive care facilities as well as East West medicine services, a pharmacy and a Chinese Community Health Plan member services center.

The new tower will also include spectacular views of the city and bay and more private rooms for patients, hospital officials said.

The new wing has been paid for through a combination of private donations, bonds and hospital reserves. Hospital officials have raised nearly $200 million so far but are still raising money to furnish the wing with medical equipment.