The formation of Kelsey-Seybold Clinic began in 1949 when Dr. Mavis P. Kelsey left the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., for his home state and the newly emerging Texas Medical Center. Similar to the Mayo Clinic model of combining primary and specialty medical services in one location, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic was the first of its kind in the Houston area to bring specialists, general practitioners, nurses and other care givers together as a team to provide the best possible care.
In 1949, Dr. Kelsey, an internal medicine specialist, leased space in the Hermann Professional Building and set up his practice. Over the next two years, he would welcome two of his Mayo friends, Dr. William D. Seybold, a surgeon, and Dr. William V. Leary, another internist, to the practice.
Dr. Kelsey’s brother, John R. Kelsey, Jr., another Mayo-trained physician and specialist in gastroenterology, joined the practice in 1953. Also joining the multi-specialty team in the 1950’s were a psychiatrist, cardiologist and rheumatologist. In 1953, Clinic doctors began serving rotations at area hospitals, including Hermann Hospital, Baylor Medical College and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
On Dec. 15, 1956, the Kelsey and Leary Foundation for the Advancement of Medicine was established to provide scholarships and financial support for research. The Kelsey Foundation, as it is known today, is involved in a variety of research projects with universities, pharmaceutical companies, government bodies and hospitals in the Texas Medical Center. Research areas include cancer, epilepsy, cardiology, diabetes and obstetrics.
On March 6, 1957, the Clinic moved into a new building at 6655 Travis with ample space for exam areas, X-ray room and laboratory. Dr. William Seybold, who had left the practice for a few years, returned in 1961, and the Kelsey-Leary-Seybold Clinic was established.
In 1964, Dr. Mavis Kelsey hired Agnes (Aggie) Greer as his nurse. She met Dr. Kelsey four years earlier when she worked for Texas Governor William P. Hobby, one of Dr. Kelsey’s patients. Aggie remained with the Clinic for 22 years – even after Dr. Kelsey retired in January 1986. Like so many of the original doctors, nurses and support staff, Aggie stayed with the Clinic for most of her medical career.
During the 60’s, the Clinic added more specialists and more departments. The rapidly expanding Radiology Department added lab technicians, while the multi-specialty team continued to grow with the addition of a pediatrician and otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose & Throat specialist). New departments included Pediatrics, Rheumatology, Dermatology, Urology, Ophthalmology and Dentistry.
In 1964, the Clinic moved into new facilities at 6624 Fannin. That building is now the St. Luke’s Tower. Dr. Leary joined the staff of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in 1965 and the Clinic’s name was changed to Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. For over half a century, the Kelsey-Seybold name has been synonymous with multi-specialty healthcare in Houston.
In 1966, the Clinic became the first contract medical service provider for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Dr. Stanton P. Fischer, a pulmonologist, joined the staff a year earlier and assisted in providing executive physical examinations on NASA employees and other contractors.
Dr. Fischer served as Chief of Staff from 1979-1983 and is still on active staff. Kelsey-Seybold also continues to serve NASA.
Throughout our long association with NASA, we have contributed medical support services to the Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz and Space Shuttle programs. In order to provide a western-style of medical care to all NASA-affiliated personnel, we provide a NASA Support Physician in Moscow. Dr. Jose Flores has served in that capacity for the past three years. We also provide contract medical services in six locations in the U.S.
Among the many patients who came to Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in the late 60’s and 70’s were entertainers like Roy Rogers and international patients from Saudi Arabia, India and Africa. More Latin Americans visited Kelsey-Seybold Clinic than any other U.S. clinic during this period.
In 1971, KSC opened its first neighborhood health center on Post Oak in the Galleria area. The success of that health center resulted in other locations being operated in downtown Houston, Sugar Land, The Woodlands and by Intercontinental Airport. Today, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic operates more than 20 neighborhood health centers in the Houston area.
In 1978, Dr. James C. Hoyle joined the staff of Pediatrics. Dr. Hoyle is currently our Medical Director, Clinical Operations. In 1980 and 1981, two more distinguished physicians would join the Clinic: Dr. Spencer R. Berthelsen, an internist and current Chairman of the Board, and Dr. John I. Hughes, a gastroenterologist and current Chief of the Gastroenterology Department.
Dr. William Seybold retired in 1979 and Dr. Mavis Kelsey retired in 1986. The Clinic they founded continued to flourish.
In 1986, KSC sold its 6624 Fannin building to St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital and moved into a temporary location in the Doctor’s Center.
In 1999, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic moved into its state-of-the-art Main Campus at 2727 West Holcombe Blvd. The 400,000-square-foot Main Campus building provides primary and specialty care in a single location, an outpatient surgery center, an urgent care center, on-site pharmacy, spacious waiting areas, expanded Radiology Department with MRI, a full-service cafeteria and free parking.
In April 2002, St. Luke's Episcopal Health System finalized the purchase of Kelsey-Seybold's management company, bringing administrative support to Houston's largest community-based multi-specialty physician group and solidifying the strengths of two preeminent healthcare organizations. The physicians, however, remain employees or contractors of the Kelsey-Seybold Medical Group, which allows them to retain all medical decision-making authority for their patients.
Kelsey-Seybold physicians continue to manage all aspects of patient care and access to services, as they always have.
Today, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic combines the expertise of over 250 physicians in 39 areas of medical specialties and sub-specialties and offers a full range of diagnostic testing services and treatments. Kelsey-Seybold operates more than 20 neighborhood locations in the Houston area, serving over 300,000 patients. Among our patients are members of managed care plans, employer groups and the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
In October 2002, our founder, Dr. Mavis Kelsey, celebrated his 90th birthday. His vision of combining the expertise of specialists, with the close personal care of a family doctor has become a reality. Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is a renowned multi-specialty practice and one of the largest and most experienced providers of medical care in Houston and the Southwest.
Thank you, Dr. Kelsey, for your vision and your leadership. We are proud to continue your tradition of excellence in healthcare.
