Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Joins the Consortium

The Cedars-Sinai Medical Center was founded in 1902 and has since evolved to become the largest nonprofit hospital in the Western United States, leading a health system 16,000 strong. The Cedars-Sinai Program in the History of Medicine promotes teaching and research for Cedars-Sinai staff and clinicians as well as scholars, patients and the public at large. In addition, the Cedars-Sinai organizes exhibitions referencing the history of medicine and the institution, drawing on the archive housed on site that includes early and mid-twentieth century clinical and research records, oral histories, a rich collection of photographs, medical and scientific instruments of all kinds, and the financial and planning documents of the hospital. The Cedars-Sinai Historical Conservancy contains approximately 25 linear feet of archival material and the Medical Library holds hundreds of books and audio-visual materials related to the history of the hospital.
 
In the Spring of 2021 PHM initiated the creation of a Covid-19 Archive. The work of every department and division at Cedars-Sinai, which had Los Angeles County’s first Covid-19 patient, was affected by the pandemic and documenting its impact on the hospital is a vital part of our ongoing response to the challenges of COVID-19. To date, PHM has collected over 3000 digital items, dozens of artifacts and mementoes, and conducted nearly 40 in-depth oral history interviews.