ABOUT US
Bethesda Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization established in 1983 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It serves as a supporting organization of Bethesda Hospital, Inc., the bi3 Fund, and the Bethesda Foundation, which provides philanthropic support for Bethesda hospitals, Hospice of Cincinnati and Fernside.
In 1995, Bethesda Inc. became a co-sponsor of TriHealth, Inc., an integrated healthcare delivery system, with more than 130 care sites in Southwest Ohio, responsible for operating Bethesda hospitals and subsidiaries on behalf of Bethesda Inc. Bethesda Inc. fulfills specific roles and responsibilities outlined in a joint operating agreement with CommonSpirit Health.
In 2010, Bethesda Inc. launched bi3—a grantmaking initiative to transform health. Over the past decade, the bi3 Fund, now its own registered 501(c)(3) organization, has awarded more than $100 million in grants to advance health equity and fuel innovation to improve health outcomes for all people in Greater Cincinnati.
OUR RICH HISTORY
The legacy of Bethesda Inc. dates to 1896. Since its inception, the Bethesda organization has been a leader in providing Greater Cincinnati the highest quality healthcare. We helped pave the way for new ideas and services in areas such as hospice and home care, as well as specialized services such as reproductive health and location-needed services near growing population centers.
Our complete history is now available as a beautiful book for purchase in the Bethesda North and Good Samaritan Hospital gift shops or online, with purchases benefitting the Bethesda Foundation.
The Bethesda tradition began more than 125 years ago when seven German Methodist deaconesses began to care for Cincinnati’s sick in their homes and the deaconesses’ own cottage in Mount Auburn.
During the early 1900s, Bethesda grew to include several facilities, including hospitals, a school of nursing, and a retirement home.
Bethesda Inc. was established in 1983 to serve as the parent company and oversee the operations of Bethesda Hospital and several other Bethesda subsidiaries. In 1995, when Bethesda partnered with Catholic Health Initiatives to form TriHealth, our focus moved away from healthcare operations and toward supporting the strategic and financial goals of the new integrated healthcare system.
In 2010, Bethesda Inc. began its health-focused grantmaking initiative, bi3, and announced its first major community grants to fund transformational projects with the potential to lead to better health outcomes in Greater Cincinnati.
OUR NAME
There is a pool in Jerusalem called Bethesda. There gathered crowds of sick people, blind, lame and paralyzed. – John 5:2
Bethesda Inc.’s heritage is rooted in the rich Christian tradition of providing for those in need. Its first physical presence in Cincinnati, the German Methodist Deaconess Home, was founded in 1896 as a house of mercy and service.
The Gospel of John refers to the Pools of Bethesda near ancient Jerusalem, where large numbers of infirm people would gather to be healed by its miraculous waters. The idea of a pebble dropped into a pool of healing water, with ripples flowing throughout the community, embodies the mission of Bethesda Inc. through its grantmaking initiative, bi3, which stands for “Bethesda-Investments-Ideas-Impact.”
bi3’s purpose is to lead the way to a day when every person has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible, when a person’s health can no longer be predicted by race, ethnicity, ability, or zip code.