Historic Gift Leads the Way to the Future of Heart Care in San Diego

As a young boy recovering from a heart infection, local philanthropist Conrad Prebys never dreamed that one day he would help fight against the disease that once threatened his life.

In July 2011, Conrad did just that by donating $45 million to Scripps Health — the largest donation in our history — to help build the premier destination for heart care on the West Coast. In recognition of this generous gift, the seven-story center currently being built on the La Jolla campus will be named Prebys Cardiovascular Institute.

Scheduled to open in 2015, the 383,000-square-foot tower will usher in a new era of medicine and transform heart care for generations to come. At the groundbreaking ceremony in June 2011, more than 300 donors, physicians and community leaders gathered on the Scripps La Jolla campus to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter in Scripps history.

“Conrad Prebys’ ongoing generosity to Scripps Health and the entire San Diego community is reminiscent of the same spirit of philanthropy established by Ellen Browning Scripps when she founded Scripps Memorial Hospital and Scripps Metabolic Clinic 87 years ago,” said Scripps President and CEO Chris Van Gorder. “This donation will further Miss Ellen’s legacy by helping build a center for innovation that will bring together leading physicians and premier cardiovascular services to provide the best in heart care for all of San Diego and beyond well into the future.”

Support for integrated cardiovascular center

With your help, the the Prebys Cardiovascular Institute will continue to build on the philanthropic legacy of community leaders like Miss Ellen and Conrad. Serving as a destination hospital for cardiac care on the West Coast and unparalleled in its kind, the Prebys Cardiovascular Institute will offer people throughout San Diego, and beyond, the most progressive cardiac care available.

The cardiovascular institute will combine all of the well-respected cardiology programs at Scripps hospitals under one roof to provide patients with cardiovascular diseases the most advanced treatment options, as well as serve as a center for medical research, clinical trials and graduate medical education. Every year, more than 55,000 patients choose Scripps for their cardiovascular care — making it the largest heart care program in the region. In addition, under an agreement with Kaiser Permanente, Scripps provides cardiac care to the more than 500,000 Kaiser members across San Diego. And Scripps is the only cardiovascular program in the region consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best in the country.

Slated for completion in 2015 at an estimated cost of more than $456 million, the cardiovascular institute will be centered in the first tower of the new campus of Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. It will include 168 inpatient beds, cardiac catheterization labs with the most advanced medical technology, centralized cardiovascular research labs, and a center for graduate medical education for physicians.

For more information

The Prebys Cardiovascular Institute is largely supported by philanthropy from our community. Please contact Mary Braunwarth at 858-626-6357 or e-mail braunwarth.mary@scrippshealth.org to learn more about how you can support Prebys Cardiovascular Institute.