Health and Medicine

Onondaga County's quality of life and its economy are enhanced by a high quality, comprehensive health care system that serves a 15 county region. Five of the County's largest employers are in the health care sector. The area's largest employer, the Upstate Medical University, a medical school that includes University Hospital, is the home of one of the country's eleven Joslin Centers for Diabetes. It is also the region's trauma center, burn center, kidney transplant and pediatric emergency center. Its $50 million, 240,000 square foot Institute for Human Performance opened its doors in January 2000. This world-class research center has won $5.4 million in grants to fuel research in bone density, spinal cord injuries, and wrist injuries and to improve emergency response capabilities.  University Hospital expanded the hospital’s east wing to include a two-story children’s hospital creating Central New York’s Children’s Hospital at University Hospital.  The $99 million five-story vertical expansion increased the amount of space dedicated to pediatric medicine from 18,000 square feet to 87,000 square feet which can house 50 private patient rooms and other amenities catering to the children and families cared for at the hospital.  For more information on the Central New York Children’s Hospital at University Hospital click here.  

Crouse Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center and Community General Hospital include the regional neonatal center, high-risk obstetrics center and largest cardiac surgery and cardiology programs. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) awarded Magnet Recognition to St. Joseph’s Hospital for Excellence in 2002. Magnet Recognition has only been given to 60 of 6,000 hospitals nationwide and is the highest honor a hospital can receive for nursing services.

In all, the County's health care system includes five hospitals, over 1,500 practicing physicians, two mental health centers, numerous ambulatory care programs, and a full range of long-term care facilities. Area hospitals provide approximately 1,800 licensed beds. In addition, there are approximately 3,000 beds in fourteen extended care facilities and nursing homes.