​ About Us

Our Mission

Prepare to deploy in support of operational forces
  • Deliver quality health services
  • Shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research

Our Vision

Be the nations premier Military Medical Center, providing world-class care; anytime, anywhere!

Guiding Principles

We believe:
  • Staff are our most important resource.
  • Patients are our focus.
  • Success is judged by those we serve.
  • Service, professionalism, respect, teamwork, safety and compassion are valued.
  • Building a healthy force, preventing casualties, and casualty care are the cornerstones of our practice.
  • Quality healthcare is centered on families and communities.
  • Structured and disciplined resource decisions lead to sound business practices.
  • Communication, coordination, and cooperation are critical to our success.
  • Continuous improvement is essential to quality healthcare and patient safety.

History

From the original tent dispensary established in 1914 to the modern facility of today, Naval Medical Center San Diego’s (NMCSD) mission has remained constant: provide the finest medical care in a family-centered environment to military service members, their families and those who served in the past.
Click to here view NMCSD's 25th Anniversary Factoids. 
1914 A tent dispensary manned by Navy personnel is established in Balboa Park to support the 4th Marine Regiment.
1917 Medical capabilities expand to support the newly commissioned Navy training camp in Balboa Park.
1919 Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels establishes war dispensary as a Naval Hospital.
1922 August 22, Naval Hospital opens with a 204 bed capacity.
1941 - 1945
World War II – More than 172,000 patients received treatment at the hospital. At the peak of WWII, as many as 5,000 patients were admitted each month.
1977 Congressman Bob Wilson authored and introduced legislation authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to negotiate with the City of San Diego to exchange existing properties in the hospital complex for other adjacent facilities.
1979 First public vote to approve hospital expansion failed to receive required two-thirds majority.
1980 Through Bob Wilson’s leadership, the Navy received approval and Congress appropriated $293 million for hospital construction at the present Florida Canyon site.
1981 October 3, Navy and local leaders break ground on Hospital site.
1988
January 23, Naval Medical Center San Diego is dedicated.
January 30, Hospital officially opens as 200 patients move from the old hospital to the new facility.

Services

NMCSD is accredited by the Joint Commission. More than 250,000 San Diego residents are eligible for care at NMCSD, with nearly 100,000 beneficiaries enrolled. NMCSD staff is comprised of more than 6,500 military, civilian, contractor and volunteer personnel. In addition , NMCSD has the only Navy Medicine amputee center in the Western Pacific, has been recognized for many of its clinical and research programs, including refractive surgery, post-traumatic stress, and hearing and balance disorders. NMCSD personnel proudly deploy to support US Military Hospital Kuwait, the I and III Marine Expeditionary Forces, numerous humanitarian missions afloat and ashore and as individual augmentees. Recently, the NMCSD staff has been recognized for excellence by such organizations as the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Athena International and the San Diego Business Journal.

NMCSD Snapshot

Facilities

  • A 272-bed multispecialty hospital and ambulatory complex
  • 1.2 million square feet located on 78.4 acres in the southeast corner of Balboa Park
  • 2 libraries
  • 250 seat auditorium
  • 200 seat worship hall/chapel
  • 18 operating rooms
  • 11 primary care clinics offering active duty and family care extending from Miramar to El Centro
  • 10 Dental Clinics caring for active duty
  • Helicopter Landing Pad for Medevacs
  • Medical and Surgical Simulation Center
  • Virtual Reality Lab for PTSD treatment
  • 2 Fisher Houses
  • Recreational facilities include: 2 gyms, 2 pools, volleyball and basketball courts and softball field

Staff of More than 6,500 Military and Civilian Professionals

  • 1200+ Officers
  • 2000+ Enlisted
  • 2100+ Civilians
  • 750+ Contract civilians

Medical Staff Comprised of:

  • 400 Physicians
  • 760 Registered Nurses
  • 50 Licensed Professional/Vocational Nurses
  • 150 Intern Physicians
  • 220 Resident Physicians
  • More than 20 Fellow Physicians
     
     

Serving Our Nation

  • NMCSD personnel deploy to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Djibouti and aboard the USNS Mercy
  • 24 Graduate Medical and Dental Programs, of which 97 percent of graduates become board certificated
  • NMCSD is affiliated with 19 civilian nursing schools, training more than 400 students per year in their clinical rotations
  • Only DoD site for Prosthetic student training
  • Full Blood Bank collecting 15,000 units per year, servicing all San Diego area commands, including Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton and Veterans Administration

Average Day:

  • 6,500 prescriptions filled
  • 4,000 outpatient Medical/Dental visits
  • 1,000 immunizations distributed
  • 170 Emergency Department Visits
  • 150 pairs of glasses made
  • 50 Operating Room cases
  • 45 new patients admitted
  • 10 babies delivered