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authority records
Human services

Misericordia General Hospital

  • F2
  • Corporate body
  • 1917-1998

In 1917, Misericordia General Hospital (MGH) was created to serve the growing surgical and health care needs of its surrounding neighbourhoods of Wolseley, River Heights, Crescentwood, and Fort Rouge in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Like its predecessor, Winnipeg Maternity Hospital, MGH was owned and founded by the Misericordia Sisters whose motherhouse was in Montreal. Throughout its existence, The Misericordia Sisters continued to be active in the operations of MGH. Over 45 sisters were involved throughout the 1950s, for example.

In 1917, MGH had 125 beds, fifty bassinets, and fifty medical practitioners. An additional 100 beds were added in 1927. With the addition of the Maryland Wing in 1950, the total number of beds became 305. In 1954, as construction began on the Cornish and Wolseley West additions, a total number of 418 beds and 60 bassinets were accommodated, and a full range of diagnostic services were available.

In 1922, MGH was awarded a Grade “A” facility approval from the Catholic Association of Federated Hospitals and the American College of Surgeons.

In 1971, a new Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit was added in the newly constructed Riverview Annex.

In 1993, Eye Care Centre of Excellence was consolidated and established at MGH, while pediatrics and Inpatient Psychiatry were removed from MGH’s purview, along with the Obstetrics Department in 1997.

In 1998, MGH's emergency room was closed, and it was re-established as the Misericordia Health Centre, which served as an urgent care centre, and houses a diverse range of health-care programs.

Misericordia Health Centre

  • F3
  • Corporate body
  • 1998-

In 1998, to reflect the closure of its emergency room and its change to an urgent-care centre along with continuing to offer diverse health-services, Misericordia General Hospital became The Misericordia Health Centre (MHC).

MHC provides several diverse acute-care programs, such as the Eye Care Centre of Excellence, Community IV Program, Oral Health/ Pediatric Dental, Ambulatory Care, Sleep Disorder Centre, Easy Street rehabilitation program, and others. MHC also offers clinical services, long term care services, and is home to the Provincial Health Contact Centre.

Ownership of MHC was transferred from its founders, the Misericordia Sisters, to the Misericordia Corporation members within the Archdiocese of Winnipeg. In 2004, the last two Misericordia Sisters residing in Winnipeg returned to their Motherhouse in Montreal. A brightly lit cross was added atop MHC to honour their legacy.

Eye Care Centre of Excellence began: PhotoDynamic Therapy in 2002; treatment of wet macular degeneration using Avastin™ injections in 2007 and using Lucentis in 2010; and the provincial Manitoba Retinal Screening Vision Program in 2007. In 2010, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons approved the University of Manitoba Ophthalmology Residency Program. In 2015, Buhler Eye Care Centre was completed.

In 1998, 174 long-term care beds opened, which, in 2008, was reduced to 150.

Wolseley Family Place, a family resource drop-in centre, opened in 1998 and incorporated in 2001.

In 2000, a 100-bed personal care home, Misericordia Place, opened.

In 2008, Sleep Disorder Centre opened in Wolsely 3 East.

In 2017, Urgent Care closed. A Community IV Therapy Program opened.

Funding for services and programs is administered through the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, and charitable donations.

Winnipeg Maternity Hospital

  • F1
  • Corporate body
  • 1900-1917

The Winnipeg Maternity Hospital was established in 1900 and was owned and operated by The Misericordia Sisters (Soeurs de Misericorde). In 1898, three nuns came from their motherhouse in Montreal, along with a trained nurse, to establish a mission in Winnipeg to care for unwed mothers and their babies. Between 1899 and 1900, funded through private charitable donations and private payment for services, a three-storey wood frame structure was built between Sherbrook Street and Maryland Street to serve as the Winnipeg Maternity Hospital. 1n 1907, a center wing and north wing were added to meet the increased demand for services. In 1917, in response to the growing medical and surgical needs of Winnipeg residents, the Winnipeg Maternity Hospital became Misericordia General Hospital and began to admit men.