About CHA

Cambridge Health Alliance was created in 1996 by the Massachusetts legislature as an independent public authority and public safety net hospital (see Ch. 147 of the Acts of 1996). This effort allowed CHA's two founding entities - Cambridge Hospital and Somerville Hospital - to join together to better meet the needs of patients across the Boston metro-north region and fulfill a shared community health mission. 

In 2001, CHA acquired the former Whidden Memorial Hospital (now CHA Everett Hospital) and associated services in Malden and Revere, MA. This expanded CHA's service area to help it serve even more individuals and families in need.

In 2013, CHA entered into a clinical affiliation with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) to further coordinate delivery of health care services, develop a preferred provider relationship and jointly invest in and develop coordinated clinical programs. This gives CHA patients direct access to specialized care for rare or highly complex conditions. 

We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to be healthy.

Our providers and staff provide outstanding health care to our communities and are committed to improving access to care, while pursuing health equity and social justice. 

We support policies that protect and improve the health of all, with a special focus on underserved people in our communities and across our nation. This is core to our mission. 

We find new ways to bring care to the people

• Access to care during COVID-19. CHA provided expert care with telehealth visits, COVID testing in the community, and a community management model to provide expert care while keeping people out of the hospital. 

• Expanded Primary Care teams. Today, every CHA primary care patient has a multi-functional team to help them manage their health. Teams are led by primary care doctors and include nurses, behavioral health clinicians, pharmacists and other providers. 

• Improved access to behavioral health care. CHA is emphasizes whole person health, including bringing behavioral health services to people in more accessible ways: 

• • CHA was one of 25 Community Behavioral Health Centers in Massachusetts, opening daily walk-in care for mental health needs in Cambridge and Malden, and offering 24-hour crisis services.
  • Every CHA Care Center has integrated behavioral health clinicians on its care teams and provides suboxone treatment. This lets us meet patient needs in a safe, familiar location and reduces stigma associated with behavioral health. 
  • CHA has a Health Integration Program (Mental Health Home) for patients with intensive or chronic mental illness. This service is a home base for patients, meeting their outpatient behavioral health needs while providing primary care.
  • CHA is helping address the opioid crisis by placing Recovery Coaches in its Emergency Departments. This engages people at the initial point of contact to help them access recovery services.

• Supporting patients who need it most. CHA is committed to helping patients with multiple health conditions who need more support. This may include regular phone calls and help navigating the health system. CHA is also identifying social determinants of health, and connecting patients to resources that can improve their health and their lives.
• Building a Population Health infrastructure to adapt to new health care financial models that use global payments.

Mission: To improve the health of our patients and communities.

Vision: Equity and excellence for everyone, every time.

Values: To Make a Positive Difference - Community, Integrity, Respect, Compassion, Learning, Excellence (CIRCLE).

Cambridge Health Alliance prohibits discrimination based on age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression.

CHA System-Wide Awards

> One of the Top 10 hospitals in the nation in Avoiding Overuse according to the Lown Institute (2026)

> The #1 hospital in Massachusetts for Health Equity and Community Benefit according to the Lown Institute (2026)

> One of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Culture, Belonging & Community by Newsweek (2026)

> One of the World's Top Disability Inclusive Businesses by Disability:IN (2026)

> An "LGBTQ Health Care Equality Leader" by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (2026)

> One of the Best Employers in Massachusetts by Forbes (2025)

> A Leading Disability Employer by the National Organization on Disability (2025)

Service and Location Awards

> An American College of Surgeons Surgical Quality Partner, recognized for committing to the highest quality care (2026)

> NDNQI Award for Outstanding Nursing Quality in Psychiatry by Press Ganey (2026)

> One of America's Best Maternity Hospitals by Newsweek (2026)

> Recognized for Age-Friendly Care by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) for services provided at CHA Cambridge Hospital, CHA Everett Hospital, and the CHA Broadway Care Center in Somerville (2026)

> The CHA Windsor Street Care Center received the MHQP Patient Experience Award for both Patient-Clinician Communications and Coordinating Patient Care (2026)

Staff Awards

> 29 CHA Physicians Named Boston Magazine Top Doctors (2026)

> Dr. Hannah Galvin (Pediatrics, Health Information) received the 2026 HIMSS Changemaker in Health Award for Health Equity, recognizing leaders working to improve care using information and technology.  

> Dr. Fa’Iz Bayo-Awoyemi (Family Medicine), received the 2026 Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) Educator of the Year Award. 

> Dr. John Ahern (Family Medicine), received the 2026 Amos Deinard Award from the American Association of Public Health Dentistry for championing medical-dental care integration.  

> Dr. Michael Payne (Gastroenterology) received the 2025 Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) Award for Outstanding Service in recognition of his extraordinary efforts to support Harvard University through leadership and engagement activities. 

> Dr. Hjalmar Zambrana-Bonaparte (Neuropsychology) received the 2025 Judy E. Hall Early Career Psychologist Award for his work on culturally responsive psychology practices. 

> Recent Harvard Medical School (HMS) teaching awards:

HMS Sandra and Arnold Gold Award for Humanistic Teaching - Dr. Alison Rapoport (2024), Dr. Moon Kwoun (2025)

HMS Outstanding Core-Clerkship Site Director Award - Dr. Yamini Saravanan (2024), Dr. Lenna Finger (2025)

HMS Charles McCabe Faculty Prize for Excellence in Clinical Teaching - Dr. Tara Singh (2024)

Stuart T. Hauser Mentorship Award - Dr. Sandra DeJong (2024)

HMS Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership Faculty Fellowship - Dr. Azeesat Babajide (2023)  

> Dr. Elizabeth Gaufberg, director of the CHA Center for Professional and Academic Development, received the 2024 Pearl Birnbaum Hurwitz Humanism in Healthcare Award from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation for scholarship, advocacy, and leadership.

> Valeria Chambers, senior community researcher, and Paul Bradford, peer support specialist, were honored at the Certified Peer Specialist Award Ceremony at the Mass. State House. Valeria received the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Paul received the In But Not Of The System Award. 

> Stefanos Kales, MD, MPH, division chief of occupational medicine, received the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine’s Excellence in Mentorship Award at the 2024 American Occupational Health Conference.

> Roopali Bhargava received the Lucille Fusaro Meinsler Award from the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training (AADPRT for her outstanding leadership, interpersonal skills and innovative approach. 

CHA is a leader in providing essential health services to all members of the community and is committed to offering patients the highest quality care and the best possible experience.

Clinical Care

CHA is affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), one of the nation's preeminent academic medical centers. Adult patients who need advanced specialty or high acuity hospital care have direct access to the outstanding physicians and facilities of BIDMC. Learn more about BIDMC at www.bidmc.org

CHA and BIDMC are working together to expand access to care in local communities and offer convenient, high quality services, both in and out of the hospital setting. CHA and BIDMC have implemented a shared medical record that is available to our providers through a secure electronic link. This ability to share information allows both institutions to coordinate care and provide the best treatment for each patient -- letting patients focus on getting well instead of making appointments and repeating tests.

Children who need advanced specialty care have access to our partners at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children.  

Academic Affiliations

CHA a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Harvard School of Dental Medicine and the Tufts University School of Medicine. We are also proud of our teaching partnerships in Nursing, Pharmacy and other fields. 

CHA is an academic health system with outstanding physician-teachers and strong training and research programs. It is the only healthcare system that is a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Harvard School of Dental Medicine and the Tufts University School of Medicine.

CHA offers a variety of undergraduate, graduate and continuing medical education efforts. These include the noteworthy Harvard-Cambridge Integrated Clerkship, an alternative experience for third year Harvard Medical students with an innovative “continuity of care” curriculum. CHA also sponsors Harvard affiliated training programs in internal medicine, adult and child psychiatry, psychology and dentistry, the Tufts family medicine residency and a Pharmacy residency program.