Founded in 1920 by Admiral Mark L. Bristol, American Hospital was the first non-profit private hospital of Turkey. The early Hospital was subsidized by the Red Cross and began service in a wooden mansion. At the time, the hospital was located in the historical peninsula of Istanbul and was owned by a New York based company called "American Hospital of Istanbul Inc". In 1939, the Hospital moved to its current location, in Nisantasi, a historical, yet renovated high profile area in the city center of Istanbul.
In 1995, Vehbi Koc Foundation acquired the American Hospital. Since then, there have been several expansions including additional buildings and floors as outlined in the timeline below.