Methodist Hospital was the first hospital established in the South Texas Medical Center, opening in 1955. The Five Oaks, a group of businessmen, donated 40 acres for the creation of a world-class medical facility. The world’s first nuclear-age hospital, with two floors built completely underground to ensure vital services were available in the event of a nuclear attack, was dedicated in 1960 with a mock nuclear blast to showcase the hospital’s design plans: the world’s first nuclear-age hospital with two floors built completely underground to ensure vital services were available in the event of a nuclear attack. The Medical Center’s first infant was born in 1963, when the facility initially opened its doors.

Every year, more than 5,000 babies are born at Methodist Hospital. Methodist Hospital is noted for its excellent obstetrics program, as well as excellent neurology and neurosurgery treatment, orthopedics, bone marrow transplants, emergency services, and an oncology program that includes South Texas’ sole Gamma Knife Center. The Joint Commission has accredited Methodist Hospital for stroke care, and it is one of only two Texas hospitals to obtain the Texas Medical Foundation Gold Award for Health Care Improvement from the Texas Medical Foundation Health Quality Institute. 

Cardiology, cancer, emergency medicine, bone and marrow stem cell transplant, neurosciences, women’s health, and orthopedics are among the hospital’s specialties. A Comprehensive Stroke Center has been certified at the hospital.

The hospital is well-known for its neurology and neurosurgery services, and it has performed more back and neck surgeries than any other Texas hospital.