Our roots extend deep into the community and history of this area.

• Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver was founded in 1873 and is the oldest private teaching hospital in Colorado.
• Exempla Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge was founded in 1905 as the Evangelical Lutheran Sanitarium to treat tuberculosis patients.
• Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette opened its doors in December 2004 to serve the growing northwest metropolitan area.
• Exempla Physician Network, a network of clinics in the Denver area providing primary care, occupational medicine and rehabilitation services, has been caring for the community for more than 20 years.

Exempla Healthcare was formed in 1998 bringing together Saint Joseph Hospital, Lutheran Medical Center and the Exempla Physician Network in a commitment to provide responsive health care to our communities. Exempla opened Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center to meet the needs of the northwest metropolitan area.

Exempla is a not-for-profit organization sponsored by Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System and Community First Foundation.

Exempla Healthcare and all three hospitals have reputations for excellence. Exempla co-authored the 2006 Colorado Hospital Report Card Act passed by the Colorado legislature which requires all Colorado hospitals to report data related to the quality of health care they provide. This will help consumers decide where to obtain the safest medical care.

In 2006, all Exempla hospitals earned accreditation as chest pain centers by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. This accreditation confirms Exempla's multidisciplinary commitment to quality and safety through rapid diagnosis and treatment of heart attack symptoms.

Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital performs more open-heart surgeries and delivers more babies than any other hospital in Denver. Saint Joseph Hospital received the 2007 and 2005 Voluntary Hospitals of America (VHA) Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence for its Rapid Response Teams who treat acute patients and for improving the quality of patient care. VHA awards honor organizations that differentiate themselves on nationally accepted indicators of quality.

Exempla Lutheran Medical Center has one of the busiest emergency departments in the Denver area. Lutheran Medical Center has been recognized seven times as one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the nation by Solucient Institute. Lutheran received the 2007 VHA Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence for treating congestive heart failure. Lutheran's Sleep Center was accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and is one of only two accredited sleep centers in the Denver area.

Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center provides comprehensive medical services in a uniquely designed healing environment. Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center received Avatar International's 2006 National Award for Exemplary Service - Overall Best Performer. This award recognizes health care service quality. In 2006, Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center was the first hospital in Colorado to be awarded the Baby Friendly designation by UNICEF and the World Health Organization. This designation recognizes the commitment by staff and physicians to promote breastfeeding with all new mothers.