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That's why Cambridge Health Alliance works for Massachusetts.
Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) is a vibrant, innovative health system that is built for the future. The sole public hospital in Massachusetts, CHA is a leader in primary care, behavioral health, and the other services people need most throughout their lives. A Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital, CHA has world-class clinicians, educators, and researchers who support patients during one million annual visits and strive to ensure equity and excellence for everyone, every time. 
  • CEO Perspective

    Portrait of Dr. Assaad SayahAs CEO of Cambridge Health Alliance, I'm proud to lead an organization focused on the needs of our patients and our communities. Over the past several years, we've implemented a bold plan to improve our efforts and I am happy to report we are seeing positive results. I encourage you to learn more about our transformation and find out why CHA is part of the foundation for a healthy Massachusetts, today and for the future.

  • Our History

    CHA was created in 1996 by the Massachusetts Legislature as an independent public authority and public safety‑net hospital system. This brought together Cambridge Hospital and Somerville Hospital to meet the healthcare needs of people across Boston's metro‑north region and to fulfill a shared community health mission.

    In 2001, CHA expanded its service area with the acquisition of Whidden Memorial Hospital (now CHA Everett Hospital), along with associated services in Malden and Revere. This growth strengthened CHA's ability to serve even more individuals and families who rely on access to high‑quality, affordable care.

  • Our Incredible Workforce

    Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) is more than a healthcare system. We are a community of more than 5,000 individuals with a shared purpose and shared values – to deliver exceptional care and help all our neighbors live healthier lives.

    Here are some aspects of our culture that resonate most strongly with our staff and providers:

    • Regardless of your department or role, your contributions can make a difference here. 
    • You can bring your authentic self to work each day. Our inclusive and supportive culture welcomes diverse thinking – and we continually measure employee experience to understand what our people are hearing and feeling. 
    • We are committed to the well-being of our team members, offering excellent pay, benefits, and help with career growth – including promoting from within.
    • We strive to help all our colleagues live healthier lives, thrive in a rapidly-changing environment, and have the tools and resilience to deliver exceptional patient care.
    • We aren’t as big as other Boston-area systems – and that’s a good thing. Being smaller allows people to be known, valued, and appreciated. It also gives employees the freedom to innovate.
    • Our strategic plan is transforming the way we deliver care. The results show that we are growing, improving quality, and becoming a place that staff and patients believe in. 
  • Accountable to Our Communities

    CHA was founded to ensure that everyone living in the Boston metro-north communities has access to healthcare. Our role has always been to serve the community, not to generate profit.

    As a public health system, we are deeply accountable to our patients, our communities, and our partners. Transparency and responsible stewardship of public resources guide how we operate and how we measure success. We are committed to using our resources wisely and in ways that best support patient care, community health, and long‑term sustainability.

    Because of our history and mission as a public hospital, we place special emphasis on helping the underserved. This includes people with financial, social, economic, or language barriers to care:

    • CHA has a high percentage of patients with public insurance (Medicaid/MassHealth) or who are uninsured
    • More than 40% of patients have a primary language other than English, including Portuguese, Spanish, and Haitian Creole
    • CHA was the first hospital in Massachusetts to have a medical interpreter service, and today, CHA patients communicate with their care teams during 650,000 annual interpreter encounters

    Inclusion and access are foundational to who we are and how we serve. That's why our vision is equity and excellence for everyone, every time.

A Teaching Hospital Focused on the Future

CHA is a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School and the Tufts University School of Medicine that is helping the next generation of providers become expert clinicians and compassionate caregivers.

As the founding site of the Harvard Integrated Clerkship, CHA faculty created a revolutionary new model for education that is now being used in medical schools worldwide.

As a research hub, CHA is working to advance the knowledge of health conditions, treatments, disparities, and the delivery of care. These insights are leading to more effective healthcare, in Massachusetts and across the nation.

Providing the Care People Need Most

CHA cares for people of all ages during one million visits a year, treating them when they are sick and providing support to keep them well.

> Primary care and behavioral health care at 15 locations

> Convenient surgical and specialty care from some of Boston's Top Doctors

> 24-hour emergency care at community hospitals in Cambridge and Everett, MA

> Award-winning pregnancy care from one of America's Top Maternity Hospitals

> Wellness and prevention services, such as community vaccine clinics, cancer screenings, and education

Committed to Behavioral Health Care

CHA has invested to meet the increasing Behavioral Health needs of its communities.

> A major expansion (74%) of psychiatry beds, including a new child/adolescent campus in Somerville. This made CHA the largest provider of inpatient psychiatry care for youth in Massachusetts.

> A Community Behavioral Health Center in Cambridge and Malden to expand access to routine and urgent care, with walk-in visits and 24-hour crisis services.

> New addiction programs, like a Bridge Clinic with walk-in services. This lets people access care where and when they are ready to accept treatment.

Keeping Communities Healthy

CHA works with and within its communities to build a strong foundation for people to live, learn, and grow.

> Teen Health Centers in four local high schools

> A WIC nutrition program for young families

> A mobile market to reduce food insecurity

> A Healthcare for the Homeless program working in shelters and on the streets

Much of this work is done by its regional Department of Community Health and municipal Cambridge Public Health Department (operated on behalf of the City of Cambridge for 30 years).

Investing in Expert Care Close to Home

CHA continues to invest in specialty and diagnostic services in the Boston metro-north region. This gives patients access to expert care closer to home, keeps care in lower-cost settings, and reduces pressure on downtown Boston hospitals.  

Recent CHA investments: 

  • Opened a new multispecialty care center in Medford in 2025 (CHA One Cabot)

  • Increased primary care access by streamlining operations, improving phone systems, and launching online scheduling. This has led to significant patient growth (15%) and improvements in patient satisfaction.

  • Invested in surgery to provide expert care, with fewer wait times - leading to a 30% increase in surgical volume year over year. With new specialists, new technologies, and high reliability methods, CHA earned Surgical Quality Partner status from the American College of Surgeons, a testament to our high quality care.

  • Built a world-class bone & joint team. With some of Boston's Top Doctors, a regional center for foot/ankle surgery, and robotic technology for joint replacements, CHA is becoming a destination for expert orthopaedic care.

  • Launched a Comprehensive Weight Management Program to address obesity, a leading cause of illness/premature death. As other health systems have closed programs due to declining profits, CHA is filling the gaps with a new Bariatric Surgery program led by a leading weight loss surgeon, pharmacology support for patients on GLP-1 drugs, and a Healthy Lifestyle Program (HeLP) to help patients navigate options and stay on track. 

  • Invested in radiology, including new MRI equipment to accommodate larger people and reduce exam times. Radiology has now achieved accreditation in eight testing modalities.

  • Invested in its midwife-led CHA Birth Center, reopening for deliveries in July 2026. As one of America's Best Maternity Hospitals, CHA is responsive to community and patient feedback and is working to reduce maternal health disparities.

  • Enhanced its nationally-accredited cancer and breast health services. Its new Breast Center director previously served as Director of Oncoplastic Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

  • Achieved Age-Friendly health system recognition for both Cambridge and Everett Hospitals to better serve older adults, the fastest growing age group in our communities. It is also expanding its PACE program to help low income older adults with serious health issues live safely in their own communities rather than in nursing homes. (CHA now has more than 700 PACE participants.)

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