A New Somerville Hospital

by Ilan Mochari

Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), owner of the Somerville Hospital campus (230 and 236 Highland Ave) has big plans. A $7-million renovation is underway. By September 1, the hospital will have a new look on the outside (see photo) and a wider array of services on the inside. There will be no disruptions to patient services during the construction.

So, what’s going to change? CHA’s eye clinic – currently at 65 Beacon St – will relocate to the renovated Somerville Hospital Campus. So will CHA’s primary care/internal medicine practice, which is currently based at 26 Central St. Administrative functions such as IT and human resources will also move to the Somerville Hospital campus.

The Central St offices will continue to house CHA’s mental health services. CHA will also maintain its offices at 300 Broadway and Union Square Family Health (337 Somerville Ave). But CHA plans to vacate 65 Beacon St – which it leases – by the end of the summer.

Dr. David Osler, CHA’s medical director of ambulatory services and a practicing pediatrician at 300 Broadway, is thrilled with the changes. “It’s fantastic to have updated facilities and state of the art IT in the city I’ve been practicing in for all these years,” he says.

He adds that CHA’s game plan for the Somerville Hospital campus is to make it a one-stop destination for medical services. The idea – still years away from implementation – is to reduce the need for patients to make separate follow-up appointments with specialists. “So if a PCP recommended, say, that you see a cardiologist or a mental health counselor, there’d be one already in the building,” he says. “Someone who could see you immediately.”