Howard University plans to build a new, $650 million hospital directly in front of its existing facility.
"At no point will the existing hospital cease to operate and deliver care to the community and to its patients while we go through this project of building a new facility," Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Howard University Rashad Young said. "They actually will be connected. And so the idea here, building this new acute care facility on the front of Georgia Avenue, connecting it to the existing facility, allows us to create that integrated academic medical center."
The university expects to break ground on the 200-bed facility late next year.
"We expect to see the first patient at the newly constructed facility in late 2028. And so everything is backing up from there. So we're preparing for the regulatory process. We have to go before the state health planning agency to get the permission and ability to construct a new health care facility. We have regulatory processes to go through from a land use perspective and, certainly, community engagement. So all of those things are starting in earnest now," Young said.
329 medal events. 32 sports. Endless drama. Catch all the action at the Paris Olympics. Sign up for our free Olympics Headlines newsletter.
Maryland-based Adventist HealthCare has been managing Howard University Hospital for the past four years, and was in talks to buy the facility. But those negotiations have since stalled.
Young told News4 the new hospital will go forward regardless of how negotiations with Adventist HealthCare result.
"We're still in conversations with Adventist. This is a very complicated and detailed transaction. And so, it moves a bit like a roller coaster sometimes, but it moves. But despite the direction of the partnership, and we're still optimistic about that ultimate partnership with Adventist, but despite wherever it goes, the message is that Howard University will be building a new level one trauma acute care hospital facility," Young said.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
“Adventist HealthCare and Howard University continue to carefully assess the possibility of a long-term partnership," Adventist HealthCare said in a statement to News4. "Both organizations are committed to exploring the best path forward for a strong future for Howard University Hospital.”
