About us

1922

Founding of the Privatklinik Obach by seven doctors

The history of the Privatklinik Obach begins in 1922. The clinic building, which was built in 1905, served mainly as a residential house at that time; only a small part of the premises was intended for clinical use. In 1922, the owner Dr. Paul Pfaehler sold the house and garden to clinic co-founder Dr. Ernst Forster.
Dr. Ernst Forster found six other doctors who were willing to contribute financially to a private clinic - thus founding the Verein Privatklinik Obach on the 25th of September 1922.

After the renovation work in Dr. Pfaehler's former residence, clinical activity in the Privatklinik Obach began on 30th of September 1922 with 6 patients.

1923

Conversion into a cooperative

As early as 1922, a considerable part of the hospital's activities consisted of administrative tasks. The board of directors at the time was concerned with recruiting staff, drawing up operating regulations, regulating finances and relations with the health insurance companies.

By the end of the 1920s, the clinic was bursting at the seams: Because of the limited space, patients had to wait weeks for an operation. In 1926, the general assembly therefore decided to convert the characteristic residential building and integrate it into the clinic.

1928

The next hospital extension

In 1928, another phase of renovation was completed, but already in the following year a bed lift was installed and further renovations were carried out. The aim was to compare to the impending competition from the Bürgerspital at Schöngrün; the latter opened its doors on 1.5.1930.

1933

Completion of the nursery for 6 newborns

In 1933, the long-awaited maternity was built. It offered space for 6 babies and one adult. The costs amounted to 12'000 CHF.
At that time, births took place primarily in the operating theatres. With this, the Privatklinik Obach laid the foundation for the next 93 years - the Obach became widely known as a maternity clinic.

1950

More construction - 40 new beds

Once again, lack of space and damage to the roof were the triggers for renewed construction work, which lasted from May to the end of September. Clinic operations continued unaffected, while the following new rooms were built:

• On the 2nd new floor: 14 staff rooms, 1 bathroom and 2 toilets.
• On the 1st floor: 2 single rooms and 3 three-bed rooms.

This meant that five additional patients could be admitted and the staff could enjoy additional rooms for themselves.

1973

Addition of 2 operating theatres

Although there was a lack of momentum and activity at Privatklinik Obach at the beginning of the 1970s, investments were again made in the extension. This was partly because the members of the cooperative decided to take on new doctors.

With the start of construction of the therapy wing in 1973, a modern surgery department with 2 rooms including preparation and side rooms was built on the ground floor. At the same time, rooms for physiotherapy and doctors' surgeries were created in the basement.

1978 - 1980

Renovation work on the old building and conversion of the 2nd floor

The activities of the clinic intensified - once again there was a considerable lack of space. In 1978, renovations began on the maternity ward and in the treatment wing, with the aim of gaining space for new beds.

In 1980, vacant rooms on the second floor were converted into two new medical practices and a second bed lift was installed on the outside of the clinic.

1994

Ground-breaking ceremony for new southern wing

Patients' demands for comfort in the hospital began to rise continuously. In addition, the bed capacity expanded again, which is why the cooperative decided on generous structural extensions to the clinic.

The ground-breaking ceremony took place on 30 May 1994, with the first stage of construction being completed at the end of 1994. With the partial completion of the work, the newly constructed south wing could be occupied at the end of 1995. In the meantime, construction work continued, and in November 1996 the western bed wing was ready for occupation. It was not until 1997 that all the work was completed - reason enough to celebrate the reopening of the clinic with a total of 52 beds at an open door day in June 1997.

1999

Emergence of the MDZ

On the land that the clinic acquired south of the Obach, two blocks are designed and the Medizinische Dienstleistungszentrum is founded. The MDC sees itself as an independent subsidiary of the cooperative and is to provide space for activities related to the Obach.

2012

Integration into Swiss Medical Network and conversion from cooperative to AG

In the course of the integration, the Privatklinik Obach, founded in 1922 as a cooperative, was converted into a public limited company on 9 January 2012 and integrated into the Vaud hospital group with headquarters in Genolier.
The 39 doctors and members of the cooperative sold their shares in the cooperative to the private hospital group. Swiss Medical Network integrated a total of three hospitals that year - in addition to Obach, the two Ticino hospitals Clinica Ars Medica and Clinica Sant'Anna are also integrated.

2015

Investments and structural measures

The new owner also continued to invest in the expansion and renovation of the clinic. The reception area was renovated and the Leopold's restaurant was given a new look. At the same time, wards C and D were renovated and modernised.

2016

Closing of the maternity at Obach

Obstetrics at the Privatklinik Obach was merged with its partner clinic Villa im Park, and no more babies have been born at the Obach since then. This step marked the end of an era. Even today, the Obach is still the birth clinic in Solothurn for the population and is associated with many fond memories from back then.

2021

Renovation work on the bathrooms in 4-bed rooms

The Privatklinik Obach is once again investing in its premises and is installing showers and toilets in the 4-bed rooms that previously had the bathrooms on the corridor, thus improving the stay in the general rooms with 4 beds.