Synapse: November 16, 1989

From 25 Years Ago:

Vol. 34, No. 12, Nov. 16, 1989:

To many students at UCSF today, Mount Zion is simply another campus, but until 25 years ago it was wholly separate, with more than 100 years as an independent, Jewish hospital.

In “Mount Zion-UCSF merger discussed at public hearing,” by Charles Piller, we get to see how this then-proposed merger was being viewed at the time: “Most speakers, including those from the Chamber of Commerce, the Westside Community Mental Health Center and the Asian Business League, were highly supportive of the merger, although representatives of several community groups expressed doubts about aspects of UCSF’s plans to handle growth at the site.”

The article explains, “The arrangement offers great advantages to both institutions. UCSF would gain badly needed clinical space, while Mount Zion, which faces serious financial problems, could remain open and continue to provide its respected, community-oriented services. Mount Zion’s geriatric and cancer research would also be enhanced under the plan.”

After the merger, the Mount Zion site gradually changed to its current state. It shed some of its services, such as its emergency room, which closed in 1999. However, it gained others, such as it cancer center.