In the early 1990s, Littleton residents celebrated their local hospital’s anniversaries with bed races in the streets of their city.
While the races are consigned to history, AdventHealth Littleton continues to mark the occasion. This year, it celebrated its 35th year of serving the south metro region, and people gathered to share stories, food and memories.
The hospital, formerly called Littleton Adventist Hospital, opened its doors in April 1989. It is one of five Colorado hospitals in AdventHealth, a Seventh-day Adventist non-profit health care system headquartered in Florida.
AdventHealth and health care company CommonSpirit Health, which were in a partnership under the name Centura Health for almost 30 years, split in 2023 to manage hospitals separately.
AdventHealth Littleton — which is a Level II trauma center and regional referral center — offers services including cardiovascular care, neuroscience, urology, orthopedics, cancer care and emergency services, President and CEO Rick Dodds said.
Starting out with 82 beds in 1989, the hospital now has 231 beds and has about 9,000 admissions per year, said Communications Manager Robin Clutters.
Dodds said being a one-stop health care solution for local patients is important to the hospital.
“As we grow, we are committed to having those growth areas focused on keeping patients local, right here in Littleton,” he said.
The hospital is in the process of developing a new heart and vascular tower, which will expand its current services to include a new cardiac diagnostics department, new operating rooms and more.
Dodds said the hospital’s culture is something to celebrate, saying it focuses on leadership development and mentorship. He also said he is proud that the hospital’s Medical Executive Committee is majority female, which he said is unique in the industry.
In the past 35 years, the hospital’s staff has grown from 450 providers to more than 1,500, and Dodds said it is likely to keep growing in the coming years.
“As the hospital expands into more acute areas, that only benefits Littleton as more people come on board,” he said. “(It) brings more jobs to Littleton and it brings more development to the Littleton community.”
Mayor Kyle Schlachter said the hospital is the city’s largest employer and he is grateful that it partners with the city, by sponsoring the annual Littleton Twilight Criterium bicycle race and the Littleton Calendar and Annual Report.
“I am happy and proud to be able to claim AdventHealth has a big part of the Littleton community and I’d like to wish you all a happy 35th birthday and look forward to another 35 years,” he said.
Looking forward, Dodds said the next 35 years in health care will focus more on consumers and ease of access, and AdventHealth Littleton will be a part of it.
“We will be bringing that ease of access — not only through technology, but also through a pervasive focus and an unrelenting focus on our patients, and on our community and on our consumers,” he said.