Our History
Adventist Health Specialty Bakersfield was founded in 1995 by a group of visionary cardiac physicians who were inspired to bring a new standard of heart and vascular care to Kern County.
Through thoughtful planning and with community support, the group opened what was then known as Bakersfield Heart Hospital, a 47-bed specialty facility that housed three operating rooms and a four-room cardiac catheterization lab.
Since then, it has pioneered groundbreaking programs, innovation and care in Bakersfield.
In 2023, in a transformational move that would expand high-quality specialty care throughout Kern County and beyond, Adventist Health welcomed the facility to its network. It’s now known as Adventist Health Specialty Bakersfield.
Honoring Our Past
Throughout its history, the dedicated physicians and associates at what was once known as Bakersfield Heart Hospital have committed themselves to providing compassionate care reflective of our community’s needs. Among the many notable accomplishments:
- Recognizing a lack of awareness and gap in care, the Women’s Heart Center opened. The first-of-its-kind center remains committed to screening and educating our community – including men – on heart disease.
- Responding to a need in the community, launched the Center for Wound Healing to provide life-enhancing wound care treatments.
- Developed the Center for Joint Replacement, including a “Joint Camp” that invites patients to become active participants on their own healthcare team by offering comprehensive education on their journey.
- Dedicated to advancing care for our community, consistently brought new minimally invasive procedures and technologies to the forefront.
- Became the first Accredited Chest Pain and Heart Failure Center in Kern County in 2019.
We are proud of this history and are looking forward to carrying on this legacy of care for our community.