History
Bayfront Health Brooksville was founded in 1926 as Hernando General Hospital. The beginnings of the hospital were small, like the rural county it served. A home in Brooksville was converted into a ten-bed hospital, with an operating room, anesthetizing room, nurses’ quarters and a kitchen. By the end of the first year, 114 patients had been treated at Hernando General Hospital. During the decade that followed, the facility moved several times and expanded to include a children’s ward, an X-ray department and fourteen patient rooms.
As the county grew to 7,057 residents, the hospital’s board decided to build a 24-bed facility at a cost of $40,000. On October 1, 1936, the hospital’s doors opened. In 1943, another expansion included an operating room, a delivery room, emergency room and a nursery, giving the county a 32-bed hospital. In 1967, the name of the hospital changed to Lykes Memorial Hospital.
In 1968, voters approved a $300,000 bond issue, which coupled with money from the state, allowed a $1.1 million dollar facility to be built on Ponce De Leon Blvd. In the early 1980’s additional room was again needed, and trustees decided to expand the facility to 120 beds.
Lykes Memorial Hospital operated under the supervision of the Hernando County Commission until December 31, 1983. Converted to a not-for-profit organization on January 1, 1984, the hospital obtained independence from Hernando County, with certain limitations as provided in a lease arrangement between the county and the hospital.
In 1991 Lykes Health Systems changed its name to Regional Healthcare, Inc. (RHI). In October, 2005, the new, Brooksville Regional Hospital opened on Cortez Blvd., surrounded by 130 acres which can be used for future growth.
Decades ago, a heritage of healing was started in Hernando County. At Bayfront Health Brooksville, we are proud to continue our dedication to caring for the health of all our residents.