Highland Hospital First Opened in 1889

Today Highland is Well Known for Comprehensive Care

Throughout its history, Highland Hospital has continued to evolve to meet Rochester's changing health care needs. The Hospital on the hill overlooking beautiful Highland Park first opened its doors in 1889 as one of the first homeopathic hospitals in the United States. In 1921, Highland became the first hospital in the country to use insulin in the treatment of diabetes.

Today Highland is well known for its comprehensive orthopaedics services, women's services, nationally ranked geriatrics program, regional leading gastric bypass surgery center, extensive network of primary care physicians, newly renovated radiology department, medical/radiation oncology, cardiology, neurology, and much more.

One thing that makes Highland unique is its warm, caring environment. Employees and physicians take time to explain things to patients and to warmly greet people in the hallways with a friendly smile. The culture is rooted in the Highland Promise, the hospital's commitment to service and operational excellence. Highland is striving to be the best hospital in America for patients and employees.

Our Mission, Vision, and Values

Highland's mission, vision, and values are present throughout the organization and are supported every day by the actions of employees and physicians.

• Mission: Commitment to excellence in health care, with patients and their families at the heart of all that we do.

• Vision: We deliver Medicine of the Highest Order in a community hospital where compassion, quality and patient and family-centered care are our guiding principles. Our affiliation with a world-class medical center will allow us to provide the best of both worlds – state of the art medicine and personalized care.

• Values: Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, & Excellence

Highland offers a unique experience to its patients and visitors. From the friendly greeting at the reception desk to the courtesy knock on the door by an attentive nurse, Highland's health care team is ready to make every visit a pleasant one.

Historical Facts About Highland

• First hospital in the U.S. to use insulin to treat diabetes. (Dr. John Williams, chief of medicine at Highland for 30 years, gave the first insulin injection to the son of the chief legal counsel at Kodak.)
• First hospital in the U.S. to establish a clinical chemical laboratory.
• First in New York State and third in the U.S. to establish a Family Medicine training program.
• First in Rochester to allow fathers to be present in the delivery room.
• First hospital in New York State to ban cigarette vending machines.
• First in Rochester to establish a health information center exclusively for women.  First in Rochester to offer a computerized physician referral service.