Adventist HealthCare Breaks Ground on D.C.-Area Hospital

WHITE OAK, Md. — Adventist HealthCare will create economic and job growth in the Washington, D.C., region as it breaks ground on the new $331 million Adventist HealthCare Washington Adventist Hospital in White Oak. The groundbreaking ceremony brought a crowd of more than 300 community members and elected officials, according to a statement.

The new hospital will be built in the center of the White Oak Science Gateway, a developing life sciences community that will include medical researchers, businesses and retail stores. The new White Oak Science Gateway is projected to contribute around $5 billion to the state’s economy.

“The groundbreaking for the hospital is another great milestone in the rejuvenation of the eastern part of our county. It will create thousands of jobs while the hospital is being built, and after it begins operations, it will also inject more than $800 million into the state’s economy in construction alone, with most of that going to our local jurisdictions,” said Ike Leggett, Montgomery County executive, in a statement.

The hospital will also provide around 7,500 jobs distributed between construction and hospital operations, according to a study by Stephen Fuller, PhD, director for the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University.

Washington Adventist Hospital will expand and provide better access to patient care in the Montgomery County region. The new facility, which is set to open in early 2019, will be a 170-bed acute-care hospital and medical campus located on 48 acres of land, according to Adventist HealthCare. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration headquarters is located near the hospital’s new location and will partner with the hospital on medical and scientific issues.

“I was honored to join FDA officials, Montgomery County Executive Leggett and Adventist HealthCare to break ground on the new Washington Adventist Hospital in White Oak. By bringing federal, state, local and private-sector resources together, we can expand access to high-quality health care in our community and bring more jobs and economic opportunities to Maryland,” said U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes.

The facility, as well as the location, will greatly benefit the services provided to the community. It is located off major roads, which will enhance public transportation options for patients going to and from the hospital. The hospital will also feature large, private patient rooms; a clinical area sized, organized and located to improve efficiency; space on the campus for outpatient services and private physician offices; and on-campus parking for staff, physicians, patients and visitors.

“This project means the region will have a thriving new hospital while also having access to key population health services in Takoma Park. I want to thank the community supporters who have worked with us to expand access to care,” said Eric Wangsness, hospital president, in a statement.

Although the new hospital will take on acute care and will provide an array of services, the current campus will still provide a 40-bed behavioral health unit, Adventist HealthCare Physical Health and Rehabilitation and the Women’s Center Clinic, according to Adventist HealthCare. The current location will also provide an urgent care center, physician offices and imaging, lab and ancillary services.