▁hospital ▁opened ▁a ▁w ard ▁exclus ively ▁for ▁the ▁treatment ▁of ▁te en aged ▁patients ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁its ▁kind ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁w ard ▁would ▁receive ▁coverage ▁in ▁the ▁Saturday ▁Even ing ▁Post ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁The ▁same ▁year , ▁the ▁hospital ▁officially ▁closed ▁its ▁pol io ▁w ard . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁the ▁hospital ▁begin ▁to ▁seek ▁expansion ▁options ▁to ▁mit ig ate ▁over c row ding , ▁and ▁h ired ▁a ▁consult ant ▁from ▁Minnesota ▁to ▁survey ▁the ▁land . ▁By ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁the ▁hospital ▁was ▁planning ▁an ▁expansion ▁plan ▁consisting ▁of ▁a ▁ 1 9 - block ▁medical ▁complex , ▁estim ating ▁a ▁$ 1 2 . 2 5 ▁million ▁cost . ▁Per ▁a ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁report , ▁the ▁hospital ▁had ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁obst et rics ▁practices ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁North west , ▁with ▁ 3 , 6 5 0 ▁birth s ▁taking ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁hospital ▁that ▁year . ▁▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁expansion ▁through ▁present ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁Phys icians ▁& ▁Sur ge ons ▁Hospital ▁and ▁E manuel ▁formed ▁Metropolitan ▁H osp it als , ▁Inc . ▁as ▁a ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁to ▁build ▁what ▁became ▁Leg acy ▁Mer id ian ▁Park ▁Hospital . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁the ▁hospital ▁was ▁expanded , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁process ▁ 3 0 0