The La Source Foundation

Its history

In 1859, Countess Valérie de Gasparin, with the public support of her husband, Count Agénor de Gasparin, a French politician, opened the École normale de gardes-malades in Lausanne. It was the first independent lay nursing school in the world.

At that same time, a close friend of theirs, Henri Dunant, solicited their help to care for the wounded of the battle of Solferino. He later laid the foundations of what would become the Red Cross. This is the reason for the special relationship that exists between the two institutions to this day.

In 1890, Valérie de Gasparin set up the La Source Foundation to ensure the survival of her work and thus perpetuate the development of people wanting to dedicate themselves to caring for the sick and to protecting and promoting health.

Then, in 1891, the Clinique de Beaulieu was launched under the direction of Dr Charles Krafft. Created to provide “study material” for the students at the school, it is today one of the most prestigious private clinics in the area of Lausanne.

Founded in 1859, the La Source School is composed of two bodies:

The La Source Institute and School of Nursing

Its missions: education, research and service provision

  • 84 teachers and researchers
  • 58 administrative and technical staff members (including temps)

HES-SO faculty: The La Source School of Nursing

  • 877 FY and BSN students
  • over 350 post-graduate students (CAS, DAS)
  • over 6,000 graduates to date

Private entity: The La Source Institute

  • Organises seminars and conferences
  • Develops professional networks and promotes knowledge and knowhow (5-2-7) European branch of the SIDIIEF
  • Conserves and valorises the La Source historical archives (kept since 1859).

Clinique de La Source

  • 150 private and semi-private rooms
  • 592 collaborators
  • 527 independent associated physicians, including 41 adjacent physician offices

Main medical specialties:

  • Anaesthesiology (24 hours)
  • Interventional cardiology
  • Orthopaedic surgery and traumatology
  • Plastic and reconstructive surgery
  • Robotic surgery (Centre La Source – CHUV)
  • Visceral and thoracic surgery Gastroenterology
  • Obstetrics and gynaecology (maternity) Intensive care medicine
  • General internal medicine
  • Nuclear medicine Neurosurgery
  • Medical surgical oncology
  • Respiratory medicine
  • Diagnostic and interventional radiology Radiation oncology / radiotherapy
  • Interventional rheumatology
  • Urology

Clinic activities (including AOS and da Vinci patients)

  • 4,517 patients hospitalized (including AOS patients)
  • 8,242 patients treated at the day clinic
  • 100,000 patients treated at the outpatient clinic
  • 14,000 surgical interventions
  • Some 400 births

Accreditations and awards

  • ESPRIX Award in “Creating value for clients” category (March 2014)
  • European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) level 2 certification
  • Member of The Swiss Leading Hospitals
  • ISO 13485:2016 certification (quality of management of medical devices)
  • ISO 15189:2012 certification (quality and competence in medical laboratories)
  • Intensive Care Unit certified by SSMI

La Clinique de La Source is the large clinic in the Canton of Vaud and one of the best. For more than a century now, it has been recognized for its:

  • quality of care and reception;
  • cutting-edge medicine;
  • high technology; and
  • room comfort.

Learn more about Clinique de La Source.

Anecdotes

La Source owes its name to a small water spring that flowed in front of the school. Students were initially referred to as “Sourcières” (dowsers). However, as the name sounded too much like “sorcière” (witch), it seemed like a smart move to switch to “Sourcienne”. This is the very site where the Foundation continues to grow to this day under the name La Source.

An envelope containing the last wishes of Valérie de Gasparin regarding the future of her Foundation in the event of liquidation is passed down from president to president. On November 4, 2009, it was handed over to Georges-Henri Meylan.

 

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