When United Health Services was formed in 1981, it marked the coming together of two proud community hospitals with a shared purpose: providing exceptional healthcare close to home.
Forty-five years later, UHS has grown into the leading integrated healthcare system in the Southern Tier, consisting of four hospitals, physician practices, home care, senior living, outpatient and specialty services, graduate medical education and countless community partnerships.
Throughout those 45 years, many milestones have marked our progress. New facilities have opened. Innovative procedures and advanced technology have transformed how healthcare is delivered. Communities have gained access to essential services that once required traveling many miles from home.
But the story of UHS is not simply about buildings, programs or technology.
It is the story of our people.
The physicians, nurses, therapists, technicians and countless other clinical professionals who brought exceptional care close to home. The administrative teams, support staff, and employees in non-clinical roles whose dedication ensured our patients, families and caregivers had the resources they needed every day. The leaders who envisioned what healthcare in our communities could become. The volunteers, donors and board members, who strengthened our mission and expanded our impact. Together, they built a culture of compassion, innovation and service that has touched generations across our region.
As we celebrate the 45th anniversary of UHS, we reflect on the moments, milestones and people who shaped our organization—and who continue to shape its future every day.
A Foundation Built Before UHS
The roots of UHS stretch back long before 1981.
In 1888, Binghamton City Hospital welcomed its first patients on Court Street before moving to Mitchell Avenue, where UHS Binghamton General Hospital remains today.
Across the river, another healthcare legacy was taking shape. In 1904, George F. Johnson donated a home in Lestershire (now Johnson City) for use as a hospital, laying the foundation for what would become UHS Wilson Medical Center.
These institutions provided more than medical care. They also trained generations of caregivers through nursing education programs (which began in 1894) and inspired extraordinary community support through volunteer organizations (our Auxiliaries) that helped strengthen the hospitals’ connection to the communities they served.
Nearly a century before UHS existed, the foundation was already being built.
One System, One Mission
The defining moment in modern UHS history came on August 1, 1981, when the Ideal/Wilson Medical Center joined together with Binghamton General Hospital to form United Health Services.
This consolidation created more than a health system—it created an opportunity to strengthen healthcare throughout the Southern Tier.
In the decades that followed, UHS expanded services, welcomed new hospitals and physician practices into the System, developed senior living and home care programs, invested in outpatient care, modernized patient-centered technology through Epic and MyChart, and opened transformative facilities including the UHS Wilson Main Tower.
Each milestone was built upon a simple principle: meeting the needs of our communities today while laying the foundation for tomorrow.
The Visionaries Who Led the Way
Every chapter of UHS history has been shaped by leaders who challenged the organization to continuously improve to meet the evolving needs of the patients we serve.
Through the leadership of Byron Irwin, Gennaro Vasile, Mark O'Neil, Peter McGinn, Matthew Salanger and current President and CEO John Carrigg, UHS expanded services, strengthened physician partnerships, modernized facilities, advanced patient experience initiatives and invested in innovative technologies that have transformed healthcare throughout the region.
Together, these leaders helped shape an organization committed to excellence and care that is rooted in our communities.
The Pioneers Who Built UHS
In addition to the leaders who helped set the course, countless individuals have transformed UHS through their vision, innovation and dedication.
Among them are Kay Boland, RN, whose leadership helped shape a culture of nursing excellence; Rajesh J. Davé, MD, who helped establish the region's first Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU); Jagmohan Sidhu, MD, who advanced laboratory medicine; Iskandar I. Kassis, MD, who expanded maternal-fetal medicine services; Lawrence Wiesner, DO, who helped build a leading orthopedic program; Alan V. Miller, MD, who guided the growth of the UHS Medical Group; Hisham E. Kashou, MD and Leonard S. Anderson, MD, who strengthened clinical excellence and physician leadership; Jeffrey R. Gray, MD, who played a key role in advancing our hospitalist program and improving the patient experience; and Rolland “Boomer” Bojo, whose efforts expanded healthcare access in Delaware County.
UHS also would not be what it is today without the community leaders who have generously shared their time and expertise. Longtime board member Gary VanNostrand helped support the merger that formed the modern UHS System, while Sam Lupo and Peter Newman have helped guide the organization through periods of growth and transformation.
Of course, the story of UHS cannot be told through a handful of names alone.
Behind every successful patient outcome are thousands of employees—from nurses, providers and therapists to environmental services staff, security officers, engineers, food and nutrition teams, pharmacists, receptionists, volunteers and countless others. Their compassion, expertise and commitment define the patient experience at UHS every day.
Training the Next Generation
One of the organization’s most enduring legacies has been preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Graduate medical education has been part of UHS since 1957 and today includes residency and fellowship programs across multiple specialties. Many physicians and healthcare professionals who train at UHS choose to remain in the organization or practice throughout the Southern Tier, helping ensure access to high-quality care close to home.
Through partnerships with Binghamton University, SUNY Broome, and SUNY Upstate Medical University’s Binghamton Clinical Campus, UHS continues that commitment to education today, providing hands-on learning opportunities while carrying forward a tradition of mentorship and professional development that spans generations.
Innovation Close to Home
One of UHS' greatest achievements has been bringing advanced, state-of-the-art healthcare closer to home.
In 1989, UHS launched the first open-heart surgery program approved in New York State in 15 years, making highly specialized cardiac care available locally for the first time.
That commitment to innovation continues today.
Over the decades, UHS has introduced and expanded services that have transformed healthcare in the region. These accomplishments complement nationally recognized programs, including:
- The Southern Tier's only Level II Trauma Center
- First Comprehensive Stroke Center in Greater Binghamton
- New York State's first Core Certification in Spine Surgery
- Region’s only New York State Department of Health Designated Level 3 NICU
- Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons accreditation
- Patient-Centered Medical Home accreditation for UHS Primary Care and Pediatrics
- 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for UHS Senior Living at Ideal
- The first in Upstate New York to offer Focused Ultrasound treatment for essential tremor
For generations, receiving advanced care often meant traveling outside the region. UHS has helped change that reality, making innovative healthcare more accessible to local communities.
Caring Beyond Hospital Walls
For 45 years, UHS has recognized that improving health requires more than medical care. It requires strong partnerships, community investment and a commitment to meeting people where they live, work and learn.
One of UHS' long-standing partnerships is with Binghamton University, where collaborations support student-athlete health, nursing education, pharmacy training and research initiatives.
UHS also provides sports medicine and athletic training services for Binghamton University Bearcats Athletics and the Binghamton Black Bears.
Beyond these educational and athletic partnerships, UHS also works closely with public health organizations and community partners to address evolving healthcare needs across the region.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, UHS served as the Southern Tier Vaccination Hub lead, conducted hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 tests, administered tens of thousands of vaccines and cared for thousands of patients affected by the virus.
The organization is equally committed to addressing barriers that affect health. Through partnerships with organizations such as CHOW and VINES supporting initiatives like the UHS Food Pantry and Feed the Need Giving Garden, UHS helps combat food insecurity and supports individuals and families throughout the region. UHS has also worked to improve transportation access through its medivan program, helping patients get the care they need.
A Culture Built on Compassion
Perhaps no achievement has influenced UHS more than the creation of a culture centered on people.
The UHS Way—built upon the promise to listen, show respect and give hope—helps define the experience patients, families and employees should expect throughout the organization.
Recognition programs including the DAISY Award, Sunshine Program, LOVED Award, PHIL Award and UHS Laureate celebrate those who consistently go above and beyond in caring for others. Educational assistance, leadership development opportunities and clinical training investments reflect a long-standing commitment to helping employees grow professionally and personally.
The UHS Way serves as a reminder that exceptional healthcare is about more than medicine. It is about creating meaningful human connections built on compassion, trust, respect, teamwork and innovation.
The Next 45 Years
As we reflect on the past 45 years, we not only take pride in the achievements that have shaped UHS, but also find inspiration to continue building a healthcare system rooted in excellence, expertise and a commitment to putting patients first.
Today, UHS is investing in the future through the development of hospital-based medical neighborhoods in Chenango and Delaware counties, continued expansion of outpatient services, planning for the modernization of UHS Binghamton General Hospital, prioritizing patient privacy in inpatient settings and ongoing efforts to advance High Reliability Organization principles and nursing excellence through the Journey to Magnet.
For 45 years, it has been a privilege to serve our communities as a locally owned, locally operated healthcare system.
To all the patients, families, employees and community members who have placed their trust in UHS, thank you. Your support has shaped our past and continues to inspire our future.
We are proud to lead the way in care close to home and look forward to continuing this legacy of compassion, innovation and excellence for generations to come.