Providence Health System history

Honoria Conway, a native of Galway, Ireland was born on June 18, 1815.

The Sisters of Mercy were founded by Catherine McAuley of Dublin in 1831.

Holy Cross Health System has its roots in the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, founded in 1841 by Father Basil Anthony Moreau.

In 1843, six Sisters of Mercy traveled to Pittsburgh to provide for the needs of immigrants.

They founded the first United States Catholic hospital, Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, in 1847.

In 1856, Mother Joseph and four Sisters of Providence established hospitals, schools and orphanages across the Northwest.

Within 15 years the sisters had made their way to Vancouver, Washington, where they formed St Joseph Hospital on June 7, 1858.

With support from Father Louis Rossi, who tirelessly appealed to members of the territorial government over the course of eight days, this organization was officially incorporated in the Territory of Washington on March 19, 1859.

The sisters' early efforts included the formation of a hospital for the mentally ill in Vancouver in 1861.

Délia Tetreault was born on February 4, 1865 in Marieville, a small country town near Montreal.

By April 1873, St Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Montana, was formed.

Four hospitals opened their doors during the following decade, beginning with St Mary Hospital (Walla Walla, Washington) in 1880.

In 1883, the congregation assumed responsibility for St Elizabeth Hospital in Boston, beginning their health care ministry, which has since extended into New York, New Jersey, and Florida, as well as overseas.

Sacred Heart Hospital (Spokane, Washington) followed in 1886, along with the sisters' first western Canadian facility, St Mary Hospital in New Westminster, British Columbia.

In the 1890’s the Sisters of Providence opened St Paul’s Hospital, a 25-bed “cottage” on the path to English Bay.The Sisters had arrived several years before, having been told the stories of suffering in this burgeoning coastal city.

An important development occurred on the organizational front when the sisters formed seven administrative provinces on March 29, 1891.

Responding to the Bishop Paul Durieu, OMI, of New Westminster, who urged the Sisters to consider the needs of a growing Vancouver, two representatives of the Sisters of Providence came north from Portland Oregon in 1892.

Finally, Colfax, Washington-based St Ignatius Hospital, which eventually became known as Whitman Community Hospital, opened its doors in April 1893.

That year, 1894, the great flood struck the Fraser Valley and gold was discovered on Lulu Island, foreshadowing the gold rush to come.

The Sisters of Providence began a new century on a high note when the Vatican granted approval of their constitutions in 1900, bolstering their efforts to develop new ministries.

Two years later, a significant loss was felt when Mother Joseph died on January 19, 1902.

The surge in Vancouver’s growth brought on by the Klondike gold rush severely tested that pledge but it wasn’t until later, in 1904, that the first of what seems an endless stream of additions was completed, adding 50 more beds.

In addition to laboratory testing, the hospital became one of the first to have its very own X-ray machine, circa 1906.

September 1, 1907 saw the official opening of a School of Nursing at St Paul’s Hospital.

Rosa Klorer who had purchased the former residence of United States President William McKinley, the Sisters were called to Canton (OH) to establish Stark County's first and only Catholic hospital in the historic home in 1908.

In 1909, the young congregation sent out its first missionaries, a group of six Sisters who journeyed to Canton, China, via Vancouver.

In 1912, a small group of Sisters of St Joseph landed on the rugged shores of Eureka, California, to provide education and health care.

Advancements in medical science occurred against the backdrop of standardization, which rose in importance with the formation of the American College of Surgeons (ACOS) in 1913.

Just 10 years after the first addition was completed, a modern fireproof structure with a new surgical department and 120 beds was added in 1914.

In 1919, the Sisters of Providence responded to the challenge of the American College of Surgeons and the Catholic Hospitals Association to standardize hospital services with those of the larger centres throughout the US and Canada.

So it was no surprise when she responded to Archbishop Casey’s request and sent four Sisters to Vancouver in 1921.

In 1923, the diocesan boundaries were redrawn and the Sisters of St Francis of Sylvania, Ohio, assumed sponsorship.

In May 1924, the Sisters purchased another house at 236 Campbell Avenue and opened a dispensary.

To site one example, in Radway, Alberta in 1926 when they opened the hospital it indeed was a challenge.

With the need for their services increasing tremendously, they built a new three-storey building next to their residence, and in 1928 opened St Joseph’s Oriental Hospital.

Vancouver’s Archbishop William Duke sent a request to the Grey Sisters to come and open a home for elderly and destitute men on “Skid Row.” In response, four Grey Sisters from Pembroke, Ontario arrived in Vancouver on September 11, 1931, and took up residence at 853 East Pender Street.

Their commitment to education resulted in the establishment of the College of Great Falls in 1932.

The opening of Providence Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1938 was the result of an extraordinary act of faith by an extraordinary collection of people.

In 1939 one hundred beds were opened, but that was not adequate to meet the demands of the day.

In 1941 the Sisters of Providence established what was, for its time, a truly progressive facility called the St Peter Claver Interracial Center, which offered cultural programs for Seattle's Asian American and African American populations.

In 1942 a new wing and chapel were added to the shelter, providing accommodation for an additional 51 men.

Holy Family Hospital was founded in 1947 by the Sisters of Providence of St Vincent de Paul, who came to Vancouver from Kingston, Ontario at the invitation of Archbishop William Duke of the Vancouver diocese.

1948: MSJ was recognized as a general hospital.

An early attempt to expand the nursing home failed in 1950 due to lack of funds.

Undaunted, the Sisters continued to pursue their goal, and in 1953 a 52-bed facility was built on the north side of the larger lot facing 62nd and Argyle.

Midway through the decade, their commitment to education was reflected in the establishment of Burbank, California-based Providence High School in 1955.

1956: a 50-bed wing was added, thanks in part to the work of the newly created Ladies’ Auxiliary.

In 1967, the sisters transferred ownership of Vancouver-based St Joseph Hospital to a community group.

Until 1968, the chief administrator at St Paul’s was a member of the Sisters of Providence.

1969 – A new three-bed Intensive Care Unit is created.

The sisters sold Astoria, Oregon-based St Mary Hospital in April 1970, concluding 90 years of ownership.

These one hundred bed opened in 1974.

In 1976, the Sisters created a health system, eventually called Mercy Health Services, to link and better support their hospitals.

1979: the Short Stay Assessment and Treatment Centre opened, establishing the first specialized geriatric service of its kind in BC.

Following the Sacred Heart Province's sponsorship of Seaside General Hospital in 1983, the sisters added Toppenish, Washington-based Central Memorial Hospital (Providence Toppenish Hospital) to their organization two years later.

The Good Work, Seattle, Wash.: Sisters of Providence, Spring 1984, Volume 11, No.

In 1985, Good Samaritan Hospital and Sandusky Memorial Hospital merged, becoming Firelands Community Hospital.

The establishment of Providence Milwaukie Hospital was made possible in July 1986, when Milwaukie, Oregon-based Dwyer Community Hospital also was made part of the organization.

In Centralia, Washington, the establishment of Providence Centralia Hospital came in the spring of 1988, when St Helen's Hospital merged with Centralia General Hospital.

1989: the Lifeline Emergency Response System was introduced.

1991: an addition to the fourth floor paved the way for the new pediatric unit; two years later the hospital joined forces with BC’s Children’s Hospital to share expertise and to jointly operate MSJ’s expanded pediatric wing.

These included the establishment of a holding company called Providence Services in 1992, which encompassed the sisters' healthcare, social service, and educational ministries within their St Ignatius Province.

In December 1993, the name Sisters of Providence Health System was adopted.

In 1994 the program was enhanced with the addition of the “Easy Street Environments,” the first installation of the program in British Columbia, and only the fifth in Canada.

Providence Health Care was formed through the consolidation of CHARA Health Care Society, Holy Family Hospital and St Paul's Hospital on April 1st, 1997.

Neurath, Peter, "Providence Sells Off Health Insurance Plan," Puget Sound Business Journal, September 11, 1998.

The sale of organization's largest medical group followed in 1999.

According to the March 6, 2000, issue of Modern Healthcare, the result was "a separate, jointly owned company to consolidate administrative tasks and develop new community healthcare services.

In 2001 Firelands Community Hospital and Providence Hospital merged to become Firelands Regional Medical Center—the largest health system in the five-county area.

Following the retirement of president and CEO Hank Walker in March 2004, John Koster, M.D., assumed these positions the following month.

"Providence Systems Exploring Merger," AHA News, October 3, 2005.

In June 2006, the health system opened Providence Newberg Medical Center in Newberg, Oregon.

Lent, Christina, "St Vincent Medical Center Celebrates 'Healing Space,'" Beaverton Valley Times, May 10, 2007.

In 2012, Providence Health & Services formed a unique affiliation with Swedish Health Services, a not-for-profit, community-sponsored health system.

Trinity Health was formed on May 1, 2013 by the coming together of two national Catholic health systems: Trinity Health and Catholic Health East.

In November 2015, the SCHS/UH 50/50 joint venture of St John Medical Center transitioned to full ownership by University Hospitals.

In February 2016, the Sisters of Charity Health System announced the completed acquisition of Providence Hospital by LifePoint Health.