Editing Main Line Health (section)

== History ==

Main Line hospitals developed independently through the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to serve the communities growing along the Pennsylvania Railroad's prestigious Main Line west of Philadelphia. Bryn Mawr Hospital, founded in 1893, Lankenau Hospital (established 1860, relocating to its Main Line campus later), and others emerged from community efforts to provide local healthcare rather than requiring travel to Philadelphia hospitals.<ref name="mainline"/>

These community hospitals operated independently for decades, developing reputations for quality care while remaining relatively small. The consolidation trend that swept American healthcare in the 1980s and 1990s prompted merger discussions. Main Line Health formed in 1985, bringing together hospitals that had competed for suburban patients into a coordinated system. The merged organization could share services, negotiate with insurers collectively, and invest in technologies that individual hospitals might not afford.<ref name="mainline"/>

Subsequent growth added facilities and services throughout the western suburbs. Riddle Hospital joined the system, extending reach into Delaware County. Outpatient centers, physician practices, and specialty facilities expanded Main Line's presence beyond hospital campuses. The system maintained nonprofit governance while growing into a major regional healthcare provider.<ref name="mainline"/>