History

The Vision

The 10 founders of Wichita Clinic (now Via Christi Clinic) were established physicians who changed their lives in mid-career to pioneer a new type of medical practice in Kansas. Their vision began in the early 1940s as these individuals talked in the halls of Wichita hospitals, discussing the prospect of combining their talents, experience and education into a multi-specialty group practice. All 10 physicians pledged that the welfare of the patient needed to come first.

The Pledge

In 1947, the original 10 partners voted to purchase the former Osteopathic Hospital at 3244 E Douglas, a decision which tested their commitment to the dream. Lending institutions doubted the stability of a ten-man partnership and were reluctant to foot the $275,000 bill for purchase and renovation of the building. To secure a loan, each partner pledged all of his personal assets and each man agreed separately to be responsible for the full debt.

“The clinic was founded on a great deal of mutual trust and cooperation,” co-founder Dr. Henry Tihen recalled. “The greatest risk was that we wouldn’t stick together. That we would disagree and separate as so many partnerships do.”

Moving Day

On a wintry December Sunday in 1947, a fleet of 24 moving vans rolled into downtown Wichita. As the trucks lined up on quiet streets, workmen labored carrying medical supplies from the offices of the ten physicians who had closed their private practices at Christmas. At the end of the day, the vans unloaded their cargoes into a building that held the dreams and aspirations of the founders of Wichita Clinic.

On January 2, 1948, Wichita Clinic opened its doors to its first patients and began a tradition that has weathered risk, criticism and growth to provide over 60 years of dedicated health care to its patients.

Growing to Meet Patients’ Needs

From the beginning, patients held an important voice in guiding decisions at Wichita Clinic. No growth goals were established by the founders. No projections were set for expansions or patient loads against which the clinic would measure its success. Instead, patient demands were to be the key to deciding the clinic’s future and growth.

As the years went by, patient demands showed a tremendous increase and the clinic responded with active physician recruiting efforts. By 1980, the benefits of participating in a multi-specialty group practice attracted many physicians, bringing the number of Wichita Clinic doctors to more than 70.

Offering Primary Care

A demand for primary care resulted in the establishment of the Mapleridge office in West Wichita in March of 1981. The Mapleridge office symbolized the clinic’s first steps in offering primary care to their patients. The office grew over the years to house more than 10 doctors, including services such as pediatrics, optometry, obstetrics and gynecology, mammography and a full-service laboratory.

Today, Via Christi Clinic’s many primary care offices offer patients convenient branches around Wichita and the surrounding communities. Our offices serve families around Wichita and the surrounding cities of Andover, Augusta, Derby, and Newton. Each clinic branch benefits from shared electronic medical records, online lab results, the latest in radiologic technology and the support and expertise of over 150 specialists — just a phone call away.

Continuing Expansion

To improve its scope of services and staff to meet growing patient needs, the main clinic on East Douglas was expanded and remodeled five times. Each expansion was made to enable the clinic to continue to meet its own goal of providing quality medical care for all patients who sought its services. However, by 1985 Wichita Clinic had again outgrown its original branch and moved to a new $13 million facility at 3311 E Murdock.

Many changes took place that year as the clinic grew into the new building. Eleven physicians at Bethel Clinic in Newton also saw the advantages of being part of a larger multi-specialty group practice. These additions symbolized a major commitment to Wichita and the surrounding areas. The community has shown a positive response as patient visits more than doubled between 1990 and 2000.

Mindful always of its heritage and its commitment to expansion based on patient needs, Wichita Clinic continued growing into the late 1980s when the clinic combined resources with two more established family practices — one in south Wichita and one in Augusta.

In 1997, Sleep Medicine Center of Kansas, a full-service sleep clinic and laboratory, was added to Wichita Clinic’s list of services. Today, East and West Wichita branches offer adult patients comfortable and convenient overnight sleep studies read by board certified sleep specialists.

Wichita Clinic Derby was built in 1998. Family medicine and pediatric services were much needed and welcomed in that community.

The year 2000 brought about the merging of the Northrock and Northeast branches to a new 22,000 square foot building near 21st St. and Webb Road. This beautiful facility houses over a dozen primary care providers with full-service x-ray and lab services, as well as digital x-ray technology that can be read instantaneously by radiologists at the Murdock office.

Occupational Health Services was added in 2003. Advanced Aesthetics by Wichita Clinic opened in 2004, to meet the growing demand for cosmetic procedures and services. In 2005, Wichita Clinic finished Founders' Circle, a 32,000 square foot ambulatory surgery center and an adjoining 93,000 square foot medical office building that includes lab and radiology services as well as many additional specialties. In November 2006, the Mapleridge branch was closed and the physicians who had occupied that building relocated to a new branch at Eberly Farm. In early 2008 Wichita Clinic Dermatology West opened its doors at 9000 W Central, and in September 2008 the Sleep Medicine Center of Kansas added a third Sleep Medicine Center in the city of Wichita.

Wichita Clinic developed a new office for cardiology in west Wichita. Cardiology began seeing patients at the office located at 14700 W St. Teresa, Suite 205 in December 2010.

Recent Partnership With Via Christi Health

On December 9, 2010, Via Christi Health and Wichita Clinic announced that Wichita Clinic will become part of Via Christi Health. Via Christi Health (viachristi.org) is a Catholic-sponsored health ministry affiliated with the Marian Health System and Ascension Health. The largest provider of health care services in Kansas, Via Christi Health serves the region through hospitals, senior villages, physician services and health services. Via Christi Health employs more than 9,000 in Kansas and northeast Oklahoma. On June 29, 2011, Wichita Clinic officially became Via Christi Clinic.

Via Christi Clinic Today

Today Via Christi Clinic has a staff of over 1,200 devoted to providing the best in patient care in Wichita and the surrounding areas. The clinic offers a full range of services by specialty and diagnostic capability. The latter includes ultrasound, nuclear medicine, CT scanning, MRI, digital radiology and bone densitometry.

With over 150 doctors practicing in over 40 specialties, Via Christi Clinic PA is one of the state’s largest outpatient multi-specialty group practices and is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.  Via Christi Clinic has 13 locations and currently operates in Sedgwick, Harvey, and Butler counties. 

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3311 E Murdock, Wichita, KS 67208 — 316-689-9111 Via Christi Clinic is a tobacco-free organization. Smoking and the use of all tobacco products is prohibited inside buildings and on all properties. © Copyright 2012 Via Christi Clinic, P.A. All rights reserved | Copyright and Disclaimer | Privacy Notice Website Developed by Insite Motion