The Bothin Burn Center was opened in 1967, the first specialized burn facility west of the Rockies.  It evolved from a four-bed ward that was established in 1955.  Over these past years the Center has earned an international reputation for its highly skilled staff and commitment to quality care.  The Center enjoys the full support of Saint Francis Memorial Hospital and Catholic Healthcare West, along with support from grateful donors and civic organizations.  The Center is the only acute care burn facility within the 40-hospital system of Catholic Healthcare West and it is the first burn center in the Bay Area to be verified by the American Association and the American College of Surgeons, Trauma Division.

Quality burn care goes beyond simple wound care.  A major burn causes stress to the entire body, affecting every organ as well as the patient's ability to function physically and socially.  The burn team treats the patient with a holistic approach - mind, body, spirit and environment.  Data collected by the National Burn Information Exchange on more than 20,000 burn patients underscores the importance of hospitalization in specialized facilities with multidisciplinary care.  Further studies substantiate the need for comprehensive burn care in a self-contained, aseptically controlled facility staffed by burn experts.

Our People
The Bothin Burn Center team includes attending plastic surgeons, physicians, registered nurses, physical and occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, dieticians, psychiatrists, case managers, pharmacists and art and play therapists.  All personnel are highly trained to meet the complex needs of burn patients from critical care through rehabilitation.

The Facility
The Bothin Burn Unit is a closed, isolated unit with independent ventilating system to minimize the risk of outside contamination and maintain strict control of room temperature and humidity.  The Center has its own fully equipped operating room and state-of-the-art life support and monitoring equipment and ultrasonic hydrotherapy for bathing wounds. 

Community Outreach
The highly trained staff visits local schools and organizations to educate the community on burn prevention and treatment.  The staff believes their work is an integral part of their commitment to enhancing the quality of life in the community. In 2004, the Bothin Burn Center was featured in  a PBS documentary on Kids Camp, a special camp for children who are burn survivors.