AnMed got its start in 1904 when Mrs. Jennie Gilmer, a young wife and mother, promised God that if she survived the birth of her second son, she would see that a hospital was built in Anderson. Mrs. Gilmer survived, and largely due to her efforts, the Anderson County Hospital Association was organized and incorporated in 1906. Mrs. Gilmer and members of the Association led a spirited effort to raise the $25,000 needed to construct the original two-story, 25-bed hospital building. Anderson County Hospital, as it was first called, officially opened on April 20, 1908.
Since its opening, Anderson County Hospital has grown into South Carolina’s largest, independent, not-for-profit health system. These are just a few of the milestones that happened along the way:
1939 – Anderson County Hospital opened a 66-bed addition, named the Jennie Gilmer Pavilion in honor of the hospital founder.
1943 – Anderson County Hospital was renamed Anderson Memorial Hospital, in memory of the Anderson area residents who had lost their lives in World War I and World War II.
1947 –The hospital opened the Daniel Wing, a seven-story addition named for hospital trustee Charles E. Daniel. Today, it is the oldest remaining building from the early years.
1961 – Anderson Memorial Hospital opens The North Tower, a seven-story wing that serves as the front door to the Medical Center.
1969 – An eight-story diagnostic and treatment wing was completed, bringing the total bed capacity to 460 beds.
1989 – A new cancer treatment center opens, offering advanced radiation therapies.
1991 – The Board of Trustees approved the purchase of a 125-acre tract of land about two miles north of the hospital.
1993 – Anderson Memorial Hospital became Anderson Area Medical Center, a name that reflected the hospital's status as a state-of-the-art regional medical center. The hospital was also designated as the AnMed system.
1994 – The AnMed Board initiated its community investment program. Over the following years, it provided significant support for activities designed to improve the health of communities served by AnMed.
1997 – AnMed dedicated the D.K. Oglesby Jr. Center, a 400,000-square-foot outpatient facility on the North Campus.
2001 – Anderson Area Medical Center performed its first open-heart surgery and angioplasty. AnMed also became the first healthcare provider in the state to install the first all-digital mammography system.
2003 – AnMed Rehabilitation Hospital opened. The inpatient rehabilitation hospital became the third licensed hospital in the AnMed system. That same year, AnMed broke ground on a $120 million expansion project at the North Campus. The project included AnMed Women's and Children's Hospital, a cancer treatment center and a cardiac diagnostic and rehabilitation center.
2005 – AnMed Women's and Children's Hospital opens. The board of trustees also voted to change the name of Anderson Area Medical Center to AnMed Medical Center. The downtown campus on Fant Street was renamed the Medical Center Campus.
2007 – A new mission, vision and building blocks were introduced to the staff. A $74 million expansion and renovation project begins at the Medical Center.
2008 – AnMed celebrates its 100th anniversary.
2009 – AnMed signs affiliation agreements with Cannon Memorial Hospital in Pickens, S.C.
2009 – AnMed opens a brand new heart center and neurosciences center.
2010 – AnMed’s bariatric program receives Center of Excellence award.
2013 – Cannon Memorial Hospital fully integrates with the AnMed system, becoming AnMed Health- Cannon.
– AnMed’s Medical Education department signs a partnership with Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM).
2014 – AnMed becomes the first branch campus of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).
2015 – AnMed breaks ground in Clemson to begin building a new urgent care and specialty care offices.
– AnMed launches an $8.2 million state-of-the art hybrid operating room.
– AnMed is awarded the Equity of Care Award, a national award from American Hospital Association that goes to hospital systems that have shown outstanding efforts to advance equity of care.
2017 – AnMed introduces the Mobile Mammography Coach, which delivers mammograms to women unable to receive a mammogram in a traditional medical facility due to transportation issues, scheduling challenges or a lack of insurance.
– Pet Therapy program starts at AnMed.
2018 – AnMed begins final salute program to honor veterans.
– AnMed’s Patient Care Technician program begins with a partnership with Tri- County Tech students.
– AnMed’s RN to BSN program begins with a partnership with Anderson University
– AnMed begins offering e-visits and urgent care reservations.
– AnMed celebrates the 60th anniversary for the AnMed Auxiliary.
2019 – AnMed switches to DNV as its accrediting organization, allowing to directly address CMS requirements and access guidance and best practices of health care organizations.
– AnMed creates its state-of-the-art medical simulation skills lab for medical students, residents, physicians and staff—becoming only the second site in South Carolina to have this important teaching tool.
– AnMed is one of the founding organizations in a collaboration between AnMed, St. Francis Hospital System and Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, forming the Upstate Carolina National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP).
2020 – William Kenley, FACHE, is selected as the next Chief Executive Officer of AnMed.
– AnMed opens its orthopedic practice, AnMed Health Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.
– AnMed announces a partnership with Faces and Voices of Recovery (FAVOR), a Greenville nonprofit that offers peer recovery coaching for Emergency Department patients in hospitals throughout the Upstate.
– AnMed introduces its new K-9 security program with the addition of Raven, a female Dutch shepherd, to help keep patients, visitors and staff safe.
2021 – AnMed launches an extensive Master Facility Plan, which involves major construction and renovation projects to consolidate and improve inpatient services and serve the needs of the community.
2022 – AnMed Health rebrands as AnMed and introduces a new logo that reflects the commitment to compassionate, modern healthcare and personalized and convenient care for the eight counties served.
– AnMed receives Magnet designation for a third time. This prestigious recognition is the highest national honor for professional nursing practice.