It was founded as a specialty hospital for the treatment of patients with orthopaedic ailments.
But at some specialty hospitals, he added, autologous giving is nearly 100 percent of donations.
An existing specialty hospital could continue doing business but could not expand or offer new services.
It plans to open eight more specialty hospitals by next summer.
Eye and Ear is a 42-bed independent specialty hospital founded in 1824.
But the specialty hospital seemed to make a lot of administrative sense, too.
That is why many surgeons have invested in specialty hospitals, he said.
At present it is a 900-bed multi disciplinary super specialty hospital.
Columbia operates 94 general and specialty hospitals with 21,627 beds.
From 1975 to the mid-eighties, four specialty hospitals were built in succession.