About Us

History & Mission

When the Alliance Agreement was signed on April 30, 1998, a partnership was created between Public General Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Sydenham District Hospital. To support this new Alliance, the foundations of the three hospitals established an umbrella foundation that would oversee the fund raising for future projects.

CKHA's goal was to expand quality care and service, share resources and work together to acheive:

• strong public and private sector partnerships 
• highly developed integrated delivery system 
• research-based practice 
• integrated community information systems 
• strong community linkages supportive of care continuums 
• accountability for efficiency, quality and access determined by "outcome based" criteria 
• innovation in utilization strategies 
• best practice benchmarks

During our 10 year history as an Alliance, CKHA:

• Developed its first Mission, Vision, Values and strategic plans 
• Planned, designed, built, orientated and occupied new and renovated facilities at our Chatham campus
• Was certified as an Ontario Breast Screening Program satellite
• Received designation as a District Stroke Centre
• Earned more than a dozen awards for excellence in patient care, technology, communications, safety, and energy conservation
• Committed full-time talent and resources to physician recruitment
• Opened one of Ontario’s first fully digital (filmless) Diagnostic Imaging departments
• Consistently scored solid performance results in Ontario’s Hospital Report Cards
• Opened the Patient Appointment Office to facilitate telephone and electronic requests for hospital appointments
• Established a Cardiac Rehab Program and Secondary Stroke Prevention Clinic
• Reduced debt and balanced our budget
• Expanded complex continuing care at Sydenham campus
• Invested in new equipment, training, and technology
• Maintained patient satisfaction levels of over 90%

Public General History

1888 The Ladies Assisting Society was formed to raise money for a public hospital in Chatham. They continued to support Public General Hospital for the next 100 years.

1890: A bequest of $5,000 was the first major gift towards the new hospital.

1893: A three-story building to accommodate twenty patients was completed. The first patient admitted had malarial fever.

1903: A new wing opened with an isolation ward for patients with typhoid and other contagious diseases. A maternity ward, surgical ward and nursing residence followed.

1921 and 1935: PGH added the East Wing in 2 stages, initially with 16 new wards within two levels, and later 15 more rooms on the third level.

1939: 3-storey new addition houses 58 more beds.

1940: New nursery opens – with air conditioning!

1954: Completion of the Center Wing

1965: The School of Nursing was built, educating almost 1,200 graduates until St. Clair College assumed this function in 1973.

1968: The new West wing was officially opened.

1970: Renovation of the East Wing was completed, bringing the hospital’s bed capacity to 348 including 95 beds for long-term care patients. PGH employed 640 people.

1973: Paediatrics moved to St. Joseph’s Hospital and PGH became the sole provider of Obstetrical Care.

1978: The School of Nursing was converted to the Mental Health Clinic

1983: Public General Hospital Foundation was formed.
The average hospital stay was 8.2 days.

1990: PGH celebrates its centennial year of service.

1996: PGH becomes a partner in Chatham-Kent Health Alliance

1998: The Health Services Restructuring Commission directs St. Joseph’s to move to a shared campus with Public General Hospital.

St. Joseph's Hospital

1890: Three Sisters of St. Joseph established the first 16-bed hospital on Centre

1891: The cornerstone was laid at the King Street West property.

1901 & 1912: Wings were added.
1901: St. Joseph's School of Nursing opened.

1930s: SJH has 11 nursing graduates, 34 nurses in training, technicians, laboratory, an x-ray department, and a dietitian working together to meet the needs of its 100 patients.

1939: East wing opened.

1950s and 1960s: Growth continued with a new Emergency Room, third Operating Room, enhanced services in the North Wing and addition of the Intensive Care Unit.

1974: The original east/west wing was demolished with the new facility constructed at a cost of $7,000,000.

1976: Chronic Care Unit opens.

1981: Nuclear Medicine service opened.

1993: Chatham’s first CT Scan is installed.

1996: Dialysis service is locally available at SJH.

1996: SJH Emergency Department closes to merge with E.R. at PGH.

1998: SJH becomes a partner in Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.

2004: As directed by the Health Services Restructuring Commission, St. Joseph’s Hospital on King Street West closes and its services move into new construction adjacent to PGH on Grand Ave.

Sydenham Campus

Sydenham District Hospital is a story of community commitment, dedication and support.

1921: The War Memorial Hospital Committee formed and more than $37,500 was raised to build a local hospital. With no government assistance available for operating costs, the project was abandoned until the late 1940s.

1952: The First Board of Directors officially incorporated.

1955: Official sod turning.

1956: Sydenham Hospital Auxiliary formed.

1957: Sydenham District Hospital officially opened with 73 beds.

1967: Addition of the Centennial wing increased capacity to 124 beds and added space for laboratory, physiotherapy and radiology.

1973: Intensive Coronary Care Unit opened.

1980 and 1990: Community fundraising campaigns supported SDH.

1991: Burgess Birthing Centre opened.

1998: SDH joined Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.