Lahey's History
The Lahey Story
Lahey Clinic is one of the world's premier health care organizations. Through a consistent dedication to high-quality and compassionate patient care, we’ve continued to earn this standing every day, with every patient since 1923.
Learn more about the work we’re doing at Lahey.
Dr. Lahey's Innovative Vision
When Dr. Frank Lahey founded a group practice in Boston in 1923, his goal was to create a clinic where doctors with different specialties would work together under one roof. Dr. Lahey established the Lahey Clinic with an anesthesiologist, an operating nurse, a surgical assistant and a gastroenterologist. At the time, this approach was a revolutionary.
At first, the Lahey Clinic doctors saw only outpatients. They also traveled to New England Baptist, New England Deaconess and Brooks hospitals to perform surgeries and visit patients. It was grueling work, with shifts often in excess of 24 hours.
Demonstrating Lahey’s early commitment to staying at the leading edge of advanced technology, we were one of the first hospitals to acquire an X-ray machine, doing so in 1925.
Lahey Establishes Itself as an Early Leader in Health Care
By the 1930s and 1940s the hard work had paid off: Lahey Clinic was regarded as a leader across the nation, in part due to our very high rate of surgical successes.
As the Lahey Clinic grew, so did our use of leading-edge technology. In 1969, we added a state-of-the-art heart-lung machine, which enabled surgeons to perform open-heart surgery. In 1975, we acquired a whole body ACTA-scanner, a precursor to the modern CT machine. We also developed advanced treatments for thyroid, gastrointestinal and gall bladder disorders.
Driving Innovative Research & Technology
Along with innovative technology and groundbreaking medical treatments, the Lahey Clinic was a center for research and learning. We offered doctors-in-training a chance to polish their skills under the careful supervision of some of the nation's leading physicians.
In 1980, it was time to find a new location that could fit our growing footprint; the Lahey Clinic moved to its current location in Burlington and became the Lahey Clinic Medical Center.
Established Track Record of Success
As our clinic expanded into offices on Bay State Road and another location on Commonwealth Avenue, we continued to add services and departments, some led by pioneers in their fields. Our Division of Gastroenterology and Anesthesiology Department arose from the practices of two of the clinic's original physicians.
Growing Impact in Our Communities
In 1994, the Lahey Medical Center was established in Peabody. The Lahey Medical Center North Shore facility expanded services there in 2009. And the Sophia Gordon Cancer Center opened there in 2007, with advanced treatments for cancer.
We launched the Landsman Heart & Vascular Center at our Burlington location in 2010, adding services for people with cardiovascular conditions. Between 2012 and 2026, Lahey went by the name Lahey Hospital & Medical Center.
These modern facilities exemplify leading-edge health care. We are consistently recognized for quality by national publications and rating agencies. Dr. Lahey's vision of coordinated care was at first viewed with skepticism. But, he held firmly to his belief that patients received the best care and had the best health results when teams of doctors worked together to share what they knew. Every day we work together to prove him right and continue his vision.
Looking Ahead to the Future of Care
On March 1, 2019, Lahey merged with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) to form a new, integrated health system dedicated to creating healthier communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health’s (BILH) approach is rooted in seamless care and ground-breaking science and driven by excellence innovation and equity.
This new journey will enable us to continue fulfilling Dr. Lahey’s vision for many years to come.
