Our History
1918
Bishop Ward asked the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth to establish a new Catholic hospital in Kansas City, Kan. World War I was still in progress, and the Sisters lacked funds for the project, but Mother Mary Berchamans, Mother General at the time, placed her trust in divine providence. She said, "Providence can provide; Providence did provide; Providence will provide." This trust in God led to the naming and mission of the hospital.
1920
Providence Hospital opened at 18th and Tauromee on Dec. 27. The hospital at that time offered specialized programs for crippled children; an orthopaedic ward; and a school of nursing. The mission to the poor was demonstrated by providing free care and distribution of food from the kitchen to people in need.
1946
A new two-story wing, with a surgical and obstetrical unit, opened in August to serve the growing need for services.
1950s
A citywide campaign to increase hospital beds led to further expansion of Providence to a 200-bed capacity with 40 bassinets.
1958
The hospital added a new chapel, and enlarged and renovated several departments.
Early 1970s
Providence merged with St. Margaret Hospital to form Providence-St. Margaret Health Center, affiliated with the Archdiocese of Kansas in Kansas City.
1976
The center relocated to 89th and Parallel Parkway in western Kansas City, expanding services to the western region of the city.
1979
The continuum of care expanded with the addition of a medical building.
1987
The center opened Providence Place, a long-term care facility on the hospital campus. During the same year, the Centennial of St. Margaret Hospital was celebrated.
1991
Providence returned to its roots and joined the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System.
1994
Saint John Hospital became an affiliate of Providence to further expand regional healthcare delivery.
1999
Providence Medical Center partnered with a group of physicians to open the Heart of America Surgery Center.
1999
Bethany Medical Center joined the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System and became an affiliate of Providence Medical Center. July 10, 2001, Bethany Medical Center facility and Emergency services were closed. The Emergency Services transitioned to the Walk-in Health Clinic at Bethany Plaza and was closed closed on July 1, 2002.
2002
The Providence Diabetes Center was opened, offering resources on diabetes management on both an inpatient and outpatient basis.
2003
The Providence Joint Center was opened, offering the community free joint pain seminars and a new multi-disciplinary approach to joint replacement surgery.
2003
Providence embraced a $15 million construction expansion project that expanded the Operating Rooms and reconfigured and expanded inpatient bed capacity to enable Providence to accommodate an increase in expected surgical and obstetrical patients. The project also included updates to the central plant, the Family Care Center and other areas of the Medical Center.
2004
Providence installs a Trilogy™ system from Varian Medical Systems that lets doctors treats a variety of life-threatening conditions, including cancer, with image-guided radiation therapy. This five millon dollar investment provides advanced treatment.
2005
A new Providence Spine Center opens, offering the most comprehensive multi-disciplinary spine care program in the area.
2005
Providence Urgent Care opens in Shawnee, Kan., expanding the hospital's presence into Johnson County.
2005
A new Radiology Information System (RIS) provides an online repository of information on each patient, making radiology results available real-time.
View an Illustrated History of SCLHS.
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