History of the MS Center at Swedish

Timeline for the MS Center at Swedish

1878 - Three Sisters of Providence open Swedish's first hospital — Providence Hospital (now Swedish Medical Center/Cherry Hill).

Mother Joseph and Sisters of Providence

Providence Hospital, 1900   

1910 - Swedish Hospital (now Swedish Medical Center/First Hill) open on Belmont Avenue and Olive Street. Founded by Dr. Nils Johanson, a surgeon and Swedish immigrant, the 24 bed hospital is destined to grow into the premier hospital of the Pacific Northwest.

Nils Johanson, MD

     Swedish Hospital 1917     

1975 - Swedish Hospital merges with Seattle General Hospital and The Doctors Hospital, creating the largest hospital in Seattle.

     Seattle General Hospital, 1917

2000 - Swedish Medical Center acquires Providence Seattle Medical Center (now Swedish Medical Center/Cherry Hill) and Providence Medical Group (now Swedish Physicians).

2004, October - Swedish Neuroscience Institute (SNI) forms to improve the quality of care for neurologic diseases in the region. Starting with only three physicians, the institute has grown rapidly, and is now the largest provider of neurological care in the Pacific Northwest. The Swedish Neuroscience Institute is located on the Cherry Hill Campus, which includes the newly-renovated former Providence Hospital building.

2008, January - Three Swedish Hospital neurologists are added as a subspecialty clinic within SNI and begin caring for patients with multiple sclerosis.

2009, January - Additional multiple sclerosis specialists join SNI and the MS Center at Swedish Neuroscience Institute is formed.

2010 - MS Wellness programs are launched including MS physical therapy, exercise, nutrition, psychology, social work and vocational counseling.

2011, November - Construction begins on a new 11,700 square-foot facility to house the growing program.

Construction begins on the new MS Center

2012, February - Swedish and Providence Health finalize an affiliation agreement, forming the largest healthcare network in the region.

2012, April 9 - The MS Center at SNI opened its doors to its first patients in the new facility.

The MS Center at SNI is now the largest and most comprehensive center for multiple sclerosis care in the region, and one of the largest in the US.