The hospital was founded in 1926 by Drs. William S. Mortensen and August B. Hromadka. In 1942, the hospital was acquired by the Lutheran Hospital Society of Southern California, who also owned
California Hospital Medical Center. In 1988, it joined UniHealth America. In 1986, the $36 million six-story
Merle Norman Pavilion addition was constructed, which held 107 beds and two thirds of them being private rooms. In 1988, LHS merged with HealthWest, the parent company of
Northridge Hospital, to form UniHealth. In 1995,
UCLA Medical Center bought Santa Monica Hospital from UniHealth. In 2007, the 16,000 square foot Nethercutt Emergency Center was opened and contains 22 beds, named after
J.B. Nethercutt. In 2012, the hospital replacement project was finished which started in 2000 the new replacement wings opened. The tower built in 1967 was torn down and made room for a new courtyard. The north wing and central wing make up of the old tower and the only original building existing is the Merle Norman pavilion which is still in use today. ==Orthopedic hospital==