Mount Alvernia Hospital was founded in 1961 by a group of Catholic Sisters from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM). The history of Mount Alvernia Hospital began in 1949 when a small group of Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood Sisters arrived in Singapore by invitation from the local government. They were to take up nursing posts in the Tuberculosis Section of Tan Tock Seng Hospital while waiting for Mandalay Road Hospital to be handed over to them to manage as a separate unit of Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Here the Sisters started a training school for nurses (Tuberculosis certificate). Within months, the Sisters were also nursing leprosy patients at the Trafalgar Home, and staffing the School for leprosy children.

In response to requests from several quarters, and foreseeing the time when Singapore's recovery from the Japanese Occupation would mean that the government would no longer need their services, the Sisters saved their hard-earned salaries to build up a Fund for the eventual building of a private Catholic hospital. These savings amassed over 10 years were augmented by generous donations from both companies and individuals. In addition, there are two Medical Centres, tenanted by consultants providing a wide spectrum of specialist medical and surgical services.

Mount Alvernia Hospital is a general hospital that aims to deliver compassionate and high quality holistic care regardless of race and religion. We are guided by Christian values and the moral teachings of the Catholic Church.