General Hospital, the innovative, award-winning drama series, celebrated 43 years of broadcasting on April 1, 2006. General Hospital is the longest-running dramatic serial on the ABC Television Network, having aired its 11,000th episode on February 20, 2006, and is the longest-running Daytime drama produced on the West Coast. For the 2005 television season, the show won five Emmy Awards.

In April 2006, General Hospital made Daytime Emmy history - for the second year in a row - as the only Daytime drama to ever receive the prestigious Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama series a record nine times, seven times in the past 11 years (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005 and 2006). It had also garnered the Emmy Award as Outstanding Daytime Drama Series in 1980-81 and 1983-84. In 1993, the late Anna Lee (Lila Quartermaine) and the late John Beradino (Dr. Steve Hardy) received stars on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame for their work on the show. In the 40th Anniversary Special Edition of TV Guide, General Hospital was hailed as the "All-Time Best Daytime Soap." In March of 2000 it received the Favorite Daytime Serial award on the nationally broadcast Soap Opera Digest Awards for the fourth consecutive year. In addition, General Hospital has won the Directors Guild Award and the Writers Guild Award for Outstanding Achievement.

The General Hospital tradition of passion, intrigue and adventure takes place in the fictional town of Port Charles, set in upstate New York. The glamour and excitement of those who have come to find their destinies in this familiar seaport town intertwine with the lives, loves and fortunes of beloved, well-known faces. And, as always, love and danger continue to abound on General Hospital with contemporary storylines and unforgettable characters.

In the past several years, General Hospital has worked alongside and praised by national organizations for elevating the public awareness of several important social issues. Most recently, as part of the Lucas storyline, the drama produced a Public Service Announcement with GLAAD to promote tolerance and understanding for gay, lesbian and transgender people. For the work, the show is currently nominated for a GLAAD Award. In 2004, the show won a PRISM award - given for accurate portrayals of tobacco, drug and alcohol addiction in the media - for the storyline of Courtney's addiction to pain killers. In addition, the program received the Susan G. Komen Foundation Media Award in 1995 for the story of Monica's experience with breast cancer. It has received three SHINE awards (formerly the Nancy Susan Reynolds Award) for its continued contribution to the awareness of sexual responsibility. The Ryan White Foundation presented its 1996 Ryan's Angels Award to General Hospital for the moving and thorough examination of HIV/AIDS through the characters of Robin and Stone. The show was further honored by the American Red Cross for its HIV/AIDS-related storylines. Several other prestigious awards have been bestowed on General Hospital for confronting sexual child abuse, organ donation and other social issues as well.

General Hospital was created by Frank and Doris Hursley. Jill Farren Phelps is the executive producer. Carol Scott, Mary O'Leary, Mercer Barrows and Michelle Henry are producers. General Hospital airs Monday-Friday (3:00-4:00 p.m., ET/2:00-3:00 p.m., PT).