Hospital History

The Good Samaritan Hospital at Fourth and Walnut Streets was founded on June 11, 1889 by the Guild of St. Katharine of St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Today, The Good Samaritan Hospital is a modern, fully-equipped, fully-accredited 172-bed acute care facility that offers complete inpatient and outpatient care, an inpatient rehabilitation program and numerous ancillary services, including those provided by affiliated organizations such as GSH Dialysis Inc.

The Good Samaritan Hospital operates as a not-for-profit community hospital governed by a board of trustees composed of business and community leaders. Now into its second century of service, The Good Samaritan Hospital's commitment to the community is the same as the day it was chartered: "To provide care of the sick and suffering and further, that no distinction shall ever be made in the reception or treatment on account of creed, race or nationality."

The Hyman S. Caplan Pavilion of The Good Samaritan Hospital at Fourth and Willow streets, originally the Lebanon Sanatorium and formerly known as the Lebanon Valley General Hospital, was founded in 1904 by Dr. Andrew Gloninger as a for-profit hospital. Dr. John L. Groh and his family operated the facility from 1917 until 1979 when it was acquired by a Florida for-profit hospital chain.

The Good Samaritan Hospital purchased the facility in February of 1988 and re-named the facility to honor the late Hyman S. Caplan, a community leader, Good Samaritan trustee and hospital benefactor. The facility is home to our transitional care unit and in patient rehabilitation program.  The hospital's family practice residency program is located on the second floor.