Bethesda Hospital is a long-term acute care hospital located in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is accredited by the Joint Commission and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). It is a member of the HealthEast Care System.Bethesda Hospital is one of only two long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs) in Minnesota. Long-term acute care hospitals deliver specialized, extended, aggressive medical care for patients who have experienced a life-changing illness or injury like stroke, multiple organ failure following major surgery, traumatic accidents involving spinal cord damage or brain injury, etc.HistoryBethesda Hospital opened its doors in 1883 as a community hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was founded by the Rev. A.P. Monten, D.D., pastor of the first Swedish Lutheran Church in St. Paul, with the sponsorship of the Tabitha Society of the Swedish Lutheran Minnesota Conference. Bethesda treated generations of neighborhood families until 1998, when it transformed from a short-term community hospital to a long-term acute care hospital (LTACH). There are approximately 400 such facilities throughout the country.Care and servicesLTACH patients usually have medically complex diagnoses or multiple medical conditions which require hospitalization in excess of 25 days. As a specialty hospital, Bethesda serves more than 2,000 individuals annually in its inpatient programs of Respiratory Care; Complex Medical Care; Brain Injury Services; and Medical Behavioral Services. Examples of the scope of these services are as follows:
"M Health Fairview Bethesda Hospital is a long-term acute care service that offers integrated programs for patients whose illnesses or injuries have prolonged effects. In 2022, after serving for nearly a year as a dedicated COVID-19 hospital, Bethesda transferred from its long-time location near the Minnesota State Capitol to the Fairview Community Health and Wellness Hub in downtown St. Paul, where it is co-located with other important health and community services."
