Spectra Healthcare Alliance Inc history

The Thompson Street Mission Home was founded in 1886 by a small, but dedicated, charitable group to help these struggling women; providing shelter, encouragement and help in obtaining work.

Reuben Petersen, MD, a graduate of Harvard Medical College in 1889, was recruited as superintendent and secretary of the new St Mark's Home and Hospital.

By 1890, Grand Rapids was a growing city with 50 factories, 40 hotels as well as breweries, foundries, sawmills and flour mills.

In 1898, the hospital's name was changed to Saginaw General Hospital.

While most babies were still delivered at home in 1916, three kinds of mothers came to Blodgett Memorial Hospital: those who could afford the best care, those too poor to have adequate delivery space at home, and those with complications requiring specialized equipment and medical staff.

Formal internships began in 1919.

Some early milestones included Saginaw General Hospital expanding to include 100 beds and a 22-bed nursery in 1921.

Rather than being closed, it was taken over on May 1, 1932, by the Lutheran Inner Mission Society of Saginaw Valley.

In 1935, the Inner Mission Society passed control of the hospital to a new group - the St Luke's Hospital Association, a non-profit corporation comprised of interested segments of the area's Lutheran community.

In 1939, the hospital celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Butterworth Hospital saw 13,344 patients in 1947.

On October 16, 1949, the cornerstone was laid for the new St Luke's Hospital with the inscription: Soli Deo Gloria, meaning Glory to God alone.

Approximately a year and half later, on February 25, 1951, the ribbon was cut for the new 144-bed St Luke's Hospital.

On November 11, 1958, Doctor Rasmussen and Doctor Basinger used their own heart-lung machine to complete the first open heart surgery west of Ann Arbor.

Then in 1962, a $3.2 million building program was completed, which boosted bed capacity and included an intensive care unit.

In 1966, hospitals in Grand Rapids mutually agreed to start all full-time nurses at $6,000 a year.

In 1968, a landmark agreement was made between health care neighbors St Luke's and Saginaw General hospitals.

In 1986, St Luke's constructed the Surgicare building for outpatient ambulatory services.

In 1987, St Luke's purchased the Saginaw Osteopathic Hospital facility on Michigan Avenue allowing St Luke's to extend their health care capacity.

Also in 1989, Oliver Grin, MD, orchestrated the opening of the only neuroscience intensive care unit in the city.

Also in 1992, Blodgett Memorial Medical Center merged with Ferguson Hospital, which specialized in colon and rectal diseases, to form the premier Ferguson-Blodgett Digestive Disease Institute.

In July 1993, Saginaw General North opened its doors to serve the community.

On May 29, 1997, Saginaw General Hospital selected St Luke's Healthcare Association, a long-time neighbor, as the organization to merge with.

On July 1, 1998, the merger was completed and Covenant HealthCare was formed.

Spectrum Health Grand Rapids is named 2001 Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks by Thomson Reuters (later becoming Truven Health Analytics®).

A gift from Rich and Helen DeVos in 2002 enabled Spectrum Health to purchase the property for the pavilion.

CCA was incorporated on March 18, 2003, with $2 million in grants for initial capitalization

In 2004, CCA launched one of the Commonwealth’s first Senior Care Options plans

On January 17, 2007 these four hospitals came together for the first meeting of the Alliance held in the board room at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center.

The Alliance continued to form its foundations, share best practice and plan for roll out across the state through May 2008.

The first true Statewide Meeting of MHCA called by Doctor Stone was held at River Hills Country Club in Jackson on August 6, 2009.

CCA launched the Hospitalist program and Palliative Care program in 2011

In October 2012 Dee Howard, RN was named Executive Director, and Angie Carter was named Executive Assistant.

January 2013 MHCA received 501(c)3 designation with IRS in order to receive funding through the MS Legislature as a line item in the MSDH Health Bill.

MedNow™ launches in 2014, giving patients fast, convenient and affordable ways to receive care by connecting to Spectrum Health physicians and advanced practice providers through a smartphone, laptop or computer.

Spectrum Health’s adult blood and marrow transplant program reaches another milestone when it performs its 200th transplant on December 31, 2015.

In June 2016, the Montana Health Care Foundation (MHCF) brought together executives from addiction, mental health, and tribal behavioral health organizations to discuss the idea of forming a strong state association representing all behavioral health services.

CCA founded the Center to Advance Consumer Partnership (CACP) in 2018

The Boston Globe named CCA a Top Place to Work and a Top Place to Work for Diversity in 2020

CCA completes acquisition of majority stake in Reliance Healthcare in Michigan, including its Medicare health plan and ACO assets, and 600-doctor physician organization (2021)