St. Bernard Hospital history

1910 formed! And Children c.

Founded in 1919, the American Catholic Historical Association sponsors Spring and Winter academic meetings, encourages new scholarship through research and travel grants, recognizes yearly achievements with prizes and awards, and celebrates the ACHA's long-standing history of scholar-teachers.

The hospital saw steady growth throughout the years, but with this growth came overcrowding problems, and once again, the Sisters and community leaders began to develop plans to expand the hospital to a 60-bed facility in 1923.

1936 Mercy would remain a part of.. The original building opened, each of its wards was named after benefactors and hospitals.

1961 With its capacity burgeoning over the decades, Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley helped break ground for a much needed addition.

In 1967, Mother Benedicta Boeckmann founded the Pastoral Care Department to minister to patients of all faiths and to welcome local ministers as they visited with members of their congregations.

And in January of 1968, Chicago’s oldest hospital became its newest with the opening of a 517-bed facility.

By 1974, St Bernards had grown to a 274-bed facility and was the fourth largest medical facility outside of Little Rock in the state of Arkansas.

1976 A new patient care wing opened, increasing bed capacity and renovating old-style open wards into private and semi-private rooms.

1980's Fundamental changes in healthcare delivery and reimbursement resulted in the closure of hundreds of hospitals, especially those in underprivileged communities.

1986 The new comprehensive level 2 Emergency Department opened

1994 A new 40 bed in-patient behavioral health unit opened

1995 The Lourdene E. Bock Professional Pavilion was constructed, adding two new levels to better accommodate out-patient services and physician offices.

1999 St Bernard was one of the first hospitals to implement electronic medical records.

2004 As recognition of this tremendous endeavor, Bernard Place won a prestigious Chicago Neighborhood Development Award: The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Award for Outstanding Non-Profit Neighborhood Real Estate Project.

2007 The Pediatric Mobile Health Unit was launched, taking basic care, immunizations and education to area children at schools, day care and community events

2008 St Bernard’s sponsor organization, Catholic Health International, was incorporated

2010 A comprehensive Women’s Wellness Clinic opened

2014 A number of specialty clinics opened to provide even more types of care to the residents of the neighborhood, including service lines in behavioral health, cardiology, orthopedics, podiatry, and more.

2016 A gleaming new three-story, 70,000 square foot building, the Ambulatory Care Center, opened its doors to bring state-of-the-art medicine to Englewood.

In 2018, care was extended beyond state lines as St Bernards opened its first clinic in Kennett, Missouri.