A.G. Holley Hospital
| A.G. Holley Hospital | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1950 |
| Opened | 1950 |
| Closed | 2012 |
| Demolished | 2015 |
| Current Status | Demolished |
| Building Style | Single Building |
| Location | Lantana, FL |
| Alternate Names |
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History[edit]
From the Dept of Health website A. G. Holley State Hospital (AGH) was opened in 1950 as the Southeast Tuberculosis Hospital. It was originally built to serve 500 patients, with living accommodations for the physicians, nurses and administrative staff. It was the second of four state tuberculosis hospitals built in Florida between 1938 and 1952. The other hospitals have since closed. A. G. Holley is the last of the original American sanatoriums that continues to be dedicated to tuberculosis. With the discovery of drugs to treat tuberculosis patients outside of the hospital setting, the daily census at the hospital by 1971 dropped to less than half of the original 500. By 1976 the beds and staff at A.G. Holley were reduced to serve a maximum of 150 patients. As space became available, other agencies were invited to move onto the complex to utilize the unique environment.
As the incidence of TB declined, so did the number of beds. Although the hospital is currently licensed for 100 beds, it is only funded for 50. As the rate of tuberculosis continued to decline, the hospital was faced with closure. Tuberculosis in the United States and especially in Florida began to increase in the mid '80s. This was due to the emergence of HIV, an increase in homelessness, drug addiction, immigration from areas of high tuberculosis, the spread in institutional settings, and the spread of drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Closed on July 2, 2012 due to a mandate by the Florida state legislature through HB 1263.
- A New York Times article on the hospital: In Florida, a Lifeline to Patients With TB
Images[edit]
Video[edit]
The following video was created by the Florida Department of Health and documents the history of the hospital.
