50 years of care for the South Bay

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Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center is celebrating 50 years of caring for patients in the South Bay.

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This aerial shot, taken in 1974, shows the original construction for what would become today’s Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center.

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Alfonso Valdez, a lead clinical nurse, standing in one of the beautiful and private patient rooms at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center.

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The Douglas & Nancy Barnhart Cancer Center brings comprehensive cancer services to the South Bay.

Fifty years ago, on May 24, Community Hospital of Chula Vista board members realized a dream to provide comprehensive health care services in what was once open farm fields. Today, as Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, as it’s now known, celebrates its 50th anniversary, leaders reflect on how far the hospital has come and celebrate how far it will go to ensure lasting, high-quality care in the South Bay.

A 449-bed hospital campus with the largest array of health care services in San Diego's South Bay, Sharp Chula Vista is a Magnet-recognized and Planetree Person-Centered Care Hospital. It is home to the region's most comprehensive programs for cardiovascular care, oncology, orthopedics and maternity care.

“For decades, Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center’s enduring commitment to the patients and families of San Diego’s South Bay has meant life-changing, compassionate care close to home,” says Scott Evans, PharmD, MHA, Sharp HealthCare’s chief strategy officer and market CEO. “As we move into a new era, we are proud to be able to make vital investments to add and expand services in our community.”

Enhanced cancer care

In 2012, Sharp Chula Vista opened the Douglas & Nancy Barnhart Cancer Center to bring comprehensive cancer services together in one location. More than 11,000 patients have been treated since, and new services have enhanced the care options available to patients close to home. These include a patient navigator, who provides comprehensive support throughout a patient’s care journey, and treatment options like brachytherapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy, which offer precise tumor targeting.

“Cancer treatment is difficult on its own,” says Dr. Andrew Bruggeman, co-medical director of radiation oncology at the Barnhart Cancer Center at Sharp Chula Vista. “If you add a commute — multiple times a week and sometimes even multiple times a day — that can be really burdensome for the patient and their family. We strive to offer everything a patient might need right here to minimize their stress and provide them with high-quality care.”

State-of-the-art care, technology and facilities

In addition to offering comprehensive cancer services, Sharp Chula Vista provides state-of-the-art surgical treatment options for patients. This includes robotic-assisted surgery, which has been available since 2010.

The hospital opened its beautiful Ocean View Tower in 2020, a $185 million historic effort that added 106 private patient rooms. And the 2024 decision to dedicate a unit to the post-operative care of orthopedic, spine and cranial surgery patients, as well as the $1.6 million investment in the StealthStation S8 navigation and O-arm imaging system, have added enhanced treatment options for patients needing orthopedic care.

Additionally, the Sharp Chula Vista Center for Women & Newborns bolstered its labor and delivery services in 2024 when other local health systems ceased services — an affirmation of Sharp Chula Vista’s commitment to the women and families of the South Bay.

Earlier this year, Sharp Chula Vista added an Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Healing (EmPATH) Unit to its emergency room (ER) to improve psychiatric emergency care. And today, Sharp Chula Vista is in the process of transforming its ER — a $6.8 million project that aims to ease waiting times, make care delivery more efficient, and provide more comfortable spaces for patients and loved ones as emergency volumes are expected to continue to increase.

Sharp Chula Vista is now the largest health care provider and one of the largest private employers in South County. It employs more than 2,000 staff and maintains privileges with more than 500 affiliated physicians.

Without philanthropy and the dedicated efforts of the Foundations of Sharp, these new technologies and groundbreaking expansions wouldn't be possible. Learn more or attend the upcoming Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center 50th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, September 27.