A hospital planned for the southeast side of Washington, D.C., could be smaller and include more emphasis on outpatient resources than the existing District-owned hospital it would replace, according to a new report released by the District on Tuesday.
According to the report created by Langhorne, Pennsylvania-based Healthcare Building Solutions, district officials are considering building a new $248 million hospital that would be 180,000 to 200,000 square feet with 106 private patient rooms, as well as an emergency room and urgent care services
First reported by the Washington Post, the campus would also include an 80,000 square foot ambulatory care pavilion and an 800-car parking garage. Officials have previously said they were considering a 144-bed hospital that would cost upwards of $300 million.
While still early in the process, the latest report reveals in new detail the vision for a future replacement hospital of embattled safety-net hospital United Medical Center, which has 234 beds.
Last fall, health officials temporarily shuttered the hospitals' obstetrics unit due to safety and quality concerns and the hospital's board later opted to make the closure permanent. The D.C. Council also voted to cut ties with Veritas of Washington LLC, the operator who was hired by the District to run the hospital.
Earlier this year, officials brought on Mazars USA LLP to run United Medical Center even as they seek a long-term partner that will ultimately run the planned replacement hospital and get the District out of the business of operating the hospital.
In the district's report, officials said the new health campus needs to take into consideration the development of the nearby Entertainment and Sports Arena as part of a campuswide infrastructure update that is already underway. They expect the parking garage would be complete in 2020 and both the hospital and the ambulatory facility would open by 2023.