A Methodist hospital is a healthcare facility founded, affiliated with, or historically connected to the Methodist Church. Many Methodist hospitals provide comprehensive medical care while maintaining a mission centered on compassionate service, ethical responsibility, community health, and care for patients regardless of socioeconomic factors.
Methodist hospitals are not all part of one single national hospital organization. The name can refer to independent hospitals and regional health systems in different communities, including Methodist hospitals in Memphis, Omaha, Houston, St. Louis Park, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Their services, ownership structures, facilities, and areas of specialization may therefore differ.
What the Name “Methodist Hospital” Means
Historically, Methodist hospitals were often established by members or congregations of the Methodist Church to meet local healthcare needs. Founded in 1891 by members of the Methodist Church in Omaha, Nebraska Methodist Hospital, is a not-for-profit, 423-bed acute care hospital serving the metropolitan-Omaha area.
Providing Excellence in Healthcare Since 1918 Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare (MLH) is an integrated healthcare delivery system based in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1918 by The United Methodist Church to help meet the growing needs for quality healthcare in the Mid-South, Methodist has grown from one hospital into a comprehensive health system that includes six hospitals, a home health agency, ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient facilities, hospice residence and physician practices serving residents in the greater Memphis area.
Houston Methodist Hospital first opened its doors in 1919 in the Texas Medical Center. In 1996 we expanded to become the Houston Methodist hospital system extending unparalleled quality of care and innovation throughout the greater Houston area and beyond.
These hospitals may preserve a Methodist identity while operating as modern health systems with physicians, nurses, advanced technology, specialized departments, outpatient services, emergency care, research programs, and teaching partnerships.
How Methodist Hospitals Serve Their Communities
Methodist hospitals generally combine hospital treatment with a broader range of services designed to support patients throughout different stages of care. Whether you need primary, specialty, emergency or hospital care, Houston Methodist’s expertise is conveniently located wherever you may need care.
From annual checkups and mammograms to innovative, customized treatment plans for complex conditions, we offer a full spectrum of quality care for all your health care needs. Whether you’re suffering from allergies, a fever, a skin irritation or a broken bone, Houston Methodist offers a variety of ways to get the care you need when you need it.
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare believes strongly in providing high‐quality services to all patients, regardless of circumstance. With nearly 12,000 Associates and over 2,000 providers, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare continues to grow and evolve, yet we remain dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of our communities through high-quality, innovative, and compassionate care, regardless of socioeconomic factors.
Dedicated to superior service and a deep understanding of patient care, Methodist Hospital in Omaha sets the standards for health care to ensure you always have the care you need - when you need it.
Medical Services Commonly Available
The exact services depend on the particular hospital, but Methodist facilities can include primary care, specialty care, emergency services, surgery, diagnostic testing, rehabilitation, outpatient treatment, cancer care, cardiovascular care, neurosurgery, gastroenterology, orthopedics, diabetes care, transplant medicine, hospice, and pediatric services.
We offer a wide variety of care options from cancer care, emergency services, diabetes control and more for the whole family. Methodist Hospital has a tradition of providing quality health care to the region in cardiovascular surgery, neurosurgery, cancer care, gastroenterology, orthopedics, and comprehensive diagnostic services.
Department Directory . Acute Rehabilitation Center South Tower, Fourth Floor . Emergency Department North Tower, First Floor Open 24/7 . Palliative Care Clinic Outpatient Services . Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy North Tower, Second Floor
Methodist hospitals may also operate ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient facilities, imaging locations, primary care offices, specialty physician practices, home health programs, and hospice services.
| Type of care | Examples of services |
|---|---|
| Hospital and emergency care | Emergency services, acute care, surgery, inpatient treatment |
| Specialty care | Cardiovascular surgery, neurosurgery, cancer care, gastroenterology, orthopedics |
| Diagnostic care | Comprehensive diagnostic services, imaging, laboratory services |
| Continuing and supportive care | Rehabilitation, physical, occupational and speech therapy, palliative care, hospice |
| Family and pediatric care | Children’s hospitals, primary care, diabetes control, specialty treatment |
Examples of Methodist Hospital Systems
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare is an integrated healthcare delivery system based in Memphis, Tennessee. Methodist has grown from one hospital into a comprehensive health system that includes six hospitals, a home health agency, ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient facilities, hospice residence and physician practices serving residents in the greater Memphis area.
Methodist Memphis Hospitals have been consistently named a Best Regional Hospital in the Memphis Metro by U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News & World Report has repeatedly named Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital as one of the nation’s “Best Children’s Hospitals.”
Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute has been a nationally-recognized leader in the field of kidney, liver, kidney-pancreas and pancreas transplants for more than 40 years. Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital achieved the Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2021.
Methodist Hospital in Omaha
Methodist Hospital in Omaha is a not-for-profit, 423-bed acute care hospital serving the metropolitan-Omaha area. With more than 2,000 full-time employees and over 400 physicians on active staff, Methodist Hospital provides care in several major specialties.
Methodist Hospital admits approximately 22,000 patients every year. It was the first hospital in Nebraska to earn Magnet designation for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
The hospital provides cardiovascular surgery, neurosurgery, cancer care, gastroenterology, orthopedics, comprehensive diagnostic services, emergency care, rehabilitation, palliative care, and physical, occupational and speech therapy.
Houston Methodist
Houston Methodist Hospital is part of the Houston Methodist hospital system, which expanded in 1996 to provide care throughout the greater Houston area and beyond. Houston Methodist Hospital is affiliated with Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, two of the nation's leading centers for medical education and research.
Our combined hospital and specialty center campus offers you the support a team of experts in over 50 specialties. Houston Methodist’s stated mission is to provide high quality, cost effective health care that delivers the best value to the people we server in a spiritual environment of caring in association with internationally recognized teaching and research.
Houston Methodist Hospital has been named the Best Hospital in Texas for 15 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report and recognized on the Honor Roll 10 times.
Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park
Located in St. Louis Park, Methodist Hospital provides you with excellent care, close to home. Methodist Hospital has been recognized as 2025-26 Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News & World Report.
We were also recognized as High Performing in 13 procedures and conditions, including heart arrhythmia, kidney failure, and hip and knee replacements. These special honors show our commitment to improve the health and well-being of our members, patients and community.
Methodist Hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area
The Methodist name is also used by hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Methodist Richardson Medical Center, Methodist Southwest Medical Center, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, Methodist Midlothian Medical Center, Methodist Southlake Medical Center, and Methodist Celina Medical Center.
These facilities are presented as part of a broader network that includes Methodist Medical Group and multiple hospital locations. Their services and specialties may vary by facility, so patients generally need to identify the location and type of care appropriate to their needs.
Faith-Based Identity and Medical Care
A Methodist hospital’s religious history is usually reflected in its mission, values, service philosophy, and commitment to compassionate care. At MLH, we hold high standards for service, quality, integrity, teamwork, and innovation.
Our mission is to provide high quality, cost effective health care that delivers the best value to the people we server in a spiritual environment of caring in association with internationally recognized teaching and research. Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare is widely recognized for providing the highest‐quality of patient care and services.
A Methodist hospital can therefore offer advanced medical treatment while also emphasizing dignity, empathy, teamwork, integrity, and attention to the whole patient. The religious affiliation does not mean that the hospital provides only religious services or limits care to members of the Methodist Church.
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare believes strongly in providing high‐quality services to all patients, regardless of circumstance. Personalized care is also emphasized: Your health care should be personalized, and we are dedicated to establishing lifelong relationships, providing a consistent care team and building customized plans designed for your well-being.
Innovation, Education, and Research
Many Methodist hospitals participate in medical education, clinical research, and partnerships with universities or other healthcare institutions. Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare is a leader in promoting effective partnerships to support enhanced innovation and improved patient outcomes.
Methodist is home to the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, which provides preventative outpatient care, transitional care and conducts cutting‐edge research in collaboration with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital hosts the Biorepository and Integrative Genomics project - one of the country’s only pediatric biorepositories solely focused on genetic causes for childhood disease. Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital collaborates with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on many clinical and educational programs, including a successful brain tumor program with some of the world’s best-documented one‐year survival rates.
Houston Methodist Hospital is affiliated with Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, two of the nation's leading centers for medical education and research. These relationships can support teaching, specialist collaboration, research, and the development of new approaches to patient care.
History of Methodist Hospitals
Methodist hospitals have often developed in response to the healthcare needs of growing communities. The history of Houston Methodist illustrates how a church-connected hospital can evolve into a large medical system.
In 1919, Dr. Oscar L. Norsworthy transfers his reputable Norsworthy Hospital to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The 4-story hospital located on the corner of San Jacinto and Rosalie, near Downtown is formally chartered as The Methodist Hospital.
The original Norsworthy Hospital continues to operate while construction of a new building is underway and Norsworthy remains on staff to oversee the transition. Methodism is the leading denomination across the nation and in Houston at the time.
In 1924, The Methodist Hospital expands its footprint, adding another 72 beds in a 5-story facility located directly behind the original Norsworthy Hospital. The Methodist Hospital’s new building, located next to the original Norsworthy property, opens to the public and an additional 72 beds become available.
The first class of students graduated from The Methodist Hospital’s School of Nursing in 1927. The Methodist Hospital nursing school opened on Sept. 15 with eight students, five of whom complete the 3-year program in 1927. The program ran from 1924 to 1961.
In 1928, the Women’s Auxiliary to The Methodist Hospital begins a 100-year tradition of volunteer service. The Women’s Auxiliary, set up by Laura Ghent Graves, reaches 598 members in its first year.
Quality, Safety, and Recognition
Methodist hospitals may receive recognition for clinical quality, nursing excellence, patient outcomes, specialized programs, and the experience they provide to patients and families. Methodist is dedicated to creating better care, outcomes and experiences for you and those you love.
It was the first hospital in Nebraska to earn Magnet designation for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital achieved the Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 2021.
Examples of clinical recognition include Get with the Guidelines® - Target: Aortic Stenosis Honor Roll, Get With The Guidelines® - Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI Silver with Target Type 2 Diabetes, Get With The Guidelines® - Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Gold Plus with Target: Type 2 Diabetes, and Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke SILVER PLUS with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll.
U.S. News & World Report has named Houston Methodist Hospital the Best Hospital in Texas for 15 years in a row and recognized us on the Honor Roll 10 times. Methodist Memphis Hospitals have been consistently named a Best Regional Hospital in the Memphis Metro by U.S. News & World Report.
Facilities and Patient Support
In addition to clinical treatment, Methodist hospitals may provide amenities and services intended to support patients, visitors, and families during a hospital stay. We offer a variety of services and amenities to make your and your family's stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
Free, convenient patient and visitor parking is available in the Parking Garage. Valet parking is also available. Families want to stay connected when they are with a loved one in the hospital, and convenient access for internet and telephone services may be available.
The Methodist Hospital Gift Shop, located on the first floor, offers a wide selection of items for purchase. As a patient of Methodist Hospital, you have our commitment to meet your individual nutrition needs.
Hospitals may also provide patient portals and administrative tools. Access your medical records, schedule an appointment and more - all in one convenient spot.
How to Choose the Appropriate Methodist Hospital
Because “Methodist hospital” can describe different healthcare organizations, the most appropriate facility depends on the patient’s location, medical condition, insurance arrangements, physician referral requirements, and the services available at each campus.
Patients may need to distinguish among emergency rooms, hospitals, cancer centers, breast care centers, comprehensive care centers, continuing care hospitals, imaging locations, orthopedic clinics, outpatient laboratories, primary care group offices, same-day clinics, specialty physician group offices, and surgery centers.
When selecting a facility, it is useful to consider whether it has the relevant specialty, emergency capacity, diagnostic services, inpatient beds, pediatric or adult care, rehabilitation, and follow-up services. The location and type of care should be matched to the patient’s immediate needs.
- For a life-threatening emergency, use the nearest appropriate emergency department or emergency service.
- For a complex condition, identify the Methodist hospital or specialty center with the relevant clinical program.
- For routine care, consider primary care, outpatient clinics, same-day clinics, or physician group offices.
- For recovery after hospitalization, review rehabilitation, continuing care, home health, palliative care, or hospice options.
- For children’s treatment, identify whether the facility provides pediatric services or is connected with a children’s hospital.
Methodist hospitals can range from community acute-care hospitals to large academic and specialty systems. Their common connection is the Methodist name and a tradition of healthcare service, while the specific medical capabilities and organizational structure depend on the individual hospital or network.