About Us

As one of Orange County's first hospitals, St. Joseph set the standard for quality, values-based health care. Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, who built a solid foundation of community-driven care that continues today.

Pioneering health care & innovation

Since its founding, St. Joseph Hospital has been home to pioneers in medicine and medical innovation. St. Joseph Hospital was home to the first pacemaker installation on the West Coast, the first intensive care unit in Orange County, the first adult bone marrow transplant in the county and the first open-heart surgery conducted in the county. This commitment to leading-edge care continues today. In 2023, St. Joseph Hospital was the first hospital on the West Coast to implant a dual chamber leadless pacemaker, once again pioneering clinical innovation.

Our heritage

Proudly serving our dear neighbor since 1929

On Sept. 19, 1929, St. Joseph Hospital opened its doors as one of the first hospitals in Orange County. Established by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, the philosophy of going into the community and caring for our dear neighbor has been a longstanding tradition in our hospital's history. Our caregivers, nurses, physicians and volunteers are committed to extending the legacy of our founding Sisters through everything they do for our patients, our community and each other.

The legacy of St. Joseph Hospital began with the Sisters of St. Joseph and dates to 1650 in Le Puy, France. Before arriving in America, the Sisters were organized by Jesuit priest, Father Jean Pierre Madaille, to serve the poor and suffering (their "dear neighbors") and spread the Catholic ministry in their community. The Sisters dedicated their lives to God and served the people of France for many years. When they came to America, they eventually settled in Eureka, California, and opened their first hospital in response to the flu epidemic.

In 1922, Archbishop Cantwell invited the Sisters to move their Motherhouse from Eureka to Southern California. They bought the 10-acre Burnham estate on Batavia Street in Orange, California. for $10,000 and officially became the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. After finding a bank that would loan them money, the Sisters decided to open a modern hospital to serve the health care needs of Orange County. The Sisters had a strong vision for what they wanted, which was to open a brand new hospital that would be the "last word in magnificence and technology." They broke ground for the new 190-bed hospital on May 26, 1928. On Sept. 19, 1929, St. Joseph Hospital opened with a medical staff of less than 50.

St. Joseph Hospital is now a 463-bed hospital with a 1,100-member medical staff, making us one of the largest hospitals in Orange County. And though technology has advanced medicine beyond the wildest dreams of our founding Sisters, time has not altered our desire to care for the whole person – body, mind and spirit.

St. Joseph Hospital is proud to continue the rich heritage of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange by building on our legacy of providing care with compassion, dignity, justice, excellence and integrity.

Our founding Sisters were pioneers and always looked ahead to identify the greatest needs in the community and fulfill them through their service. With the continued dedication of our passionate physicians, caregivers and community supporters, St. Joseph Hospital will continue to minister to the changing needs of Orange County residents for years to come.

Physician pioneers

Herbert Johnston, M.D., a noted surgeon in Anaheim, convinced the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange that the county needed a modern hospital. Thus began St. Joseph Hospital. He established the hospital’s first medical staff, comprised of fewer than 50 doctors.

Among them was a young physician who worked in Dr. Johnston’s clinic, Milo Tedstrom, M.D. It was Dr. Tedstrom who admitted the hospital’s first patient on September 19, 1929. He went on to become the first internist and cardiologist in Orange County, was the Chief of the Medical Staff from 1934 to 1936 and was a vital member of the Medical Staff for 48 years. One of his heart patients became the first person on the West Coast to have a pacemaker installed. He served as Chairman of the hospital’s Executive Board from 1961 to 1965, during which time St. Joseph Hospital opened its first major expansion – a 290-bed hospital building. He also set up St. Joseph Hospital’s first diabetes clinic. With all his accomplishments, Dr. Tedstrom’s favorite medical task was treating patients in diabetic comas. “You would come in and see them unconscious, and you would give them the proper dose of insulin and have them come out of it and live,” he said. “It was a big thrill.”

C.D. Ball, M.D., was the first member of the Ball family of physicians to join the St. Joseph Hospital Medical Staff in 1929. In those days, it was common for him to fight flooding rivers and brave the rattle snakes of Gospel Swamps (today called Fountain Valley) to attend to sick patients. The Ball family came from a long line of American physicians, traced back to Silas Ball, who practiced during the Revolutionary War in the 1700s. Six of C.D.’s sons and grandsons continued the family tradition here, the last being Orthopedic Surgeon Donald Ball, M.D., who retired and became a member emeritus in 2008. Those who served at St. Joseph Hospital include C.D., Dexter R., John, John Jr., Dexter T., Robert and Donald Ball. Their contributions to medicine extend beyond St. Joseph Hospital. C.D. was the founder of the Orange County Medical Association (OCMA), and he, along with Dexter R., John D. Sr. and Dexter T., all eventually served as an OCMA presidents.

Ralph White, M.D., who logged six decades of service in Orange County, joined the St. Joseph Hospital Medical Staff in 1939 when there were 200 Medical Staff members. He watched the Medical Staff grow to more than 1,000 members. Dr. White estimates he delivered 1,500 babies during his tenure. He recalls, “There weren’t any specialists when I started out in the field...My specialty is the skin and all of its contents.” After retiring in 1976, Dr. White continued to support St. Joseph Hospital’s mission as a volunteer and donor. He elaborates, “St. Joseph Hospital has always been in the forefront of advancements in medicine, surgical techniques, the whole gamut, really, of medical practice. The hospital wouldn’t be what it is without donations.”

When another of Orange County’s pioneer physicians, Jesse Burlew, M.D., passed away in 1950 he bequeathed funds to maintain the doctor’s library, now named the Burlew Library. He practiced for 43 years in Santa Ana and is a past Chairman of the Board at St. Joseph Hospital. World War I interrupted his civilian practice, when he served as Captain in the Army’s medical corps. Dr. Burlew was the first Orange County surgeon to be made a fellow of the American College of Physicians and Surgeons.