Suburban Hospital Files Plans with County Officials for First Major Campus Enhancement in 30 Years

New building addition and facility improvements will allow hospital to remain a leader in quality, state-of-the-art healthcare

BETHESDA, Md. (Mar 26, 2008) –Suburban Hospital announced today that it has filed its enhancement plans with the Montgomery County Board of Appeals. This modification marks the first major upgrade and enhancement of its clinical facilities and campus in nearly 30 years. The new campus design – which was unveiled to the public in early February – will allow Suburban to remain a leader in providing quality, state-of-the-art medical services to the community.

Hospital officials expect to break ground on the project in 2011, with a completion date estimated in 2013. The project will be paid for through a combination of cash reserves, operating income, tax-exempt debt financing, and private donations. Major features include improved access to the emergency/trauma center; more private patient rooms; larger, state-of-the-art operating rooms and related surgical functions; onsite physician office space; and more parking. Details include:

• A new building addition consisting of approximately 300,000 square feet. The building will house a new surgical wing, physician office space and private patient rooms and be four stories in height.
• A new surgical wing containing 15 state-of-the-art operating rooms to replace existing operating rooms. Each operating room measures approximately 700 square feet and is designed to accommodate important technological advancements, such as MRI-guided surgery. All of the new operating rooms will be located on one floor, near the emergency/trauma center, allowing for greater efficiencies and better patient flow.
• Improved vehicular and pedestrian circulation, including orientation of traffic to Old Georgetown Road.
• Improved emergency and trauma access, including a new main entrance that will separate the pedestrian and private vehicle entrance from the helipad and emergency vehicle entrance.
• A sustainable design that incorporates green building initiatives.
• Separate elevators for patients and non-patients.
• Replacement of the existing parking garage with a new 1,196-space parking garage to address the parking needs of the new building and the current parking shortage.
• A high-quality landscape program to include an attractive array of gardens, greenways, trees and paths that will unify the campus and be enjoyed by residents, staff, and visitors alike.
• Mechanical systems housed below grade to minimize noise and enhance aesthetics.

Suburban Hospital was built in 1943. The last major upgrade to its facilities was in 1979. The proposed improvements will be built on Suburban’s existing campus at 8600 Old Georgetown Road, across from its key clinical partner, the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Through an overwhelming show of support, more than 5,000 Montgomery County residents have signed statements and written letters of support for the proposed enhancement project.

Suburban Hospital is a not-for-profit hospital in Bethesda, Md., that has served Montgomery County and the surrounding area for close to 65 years. Suburban Hospital is distinguished by a certified Primary Stroke Center; state-designated level II trauma center; the NIH Heart Center at Suburban Hospital; and centers of excellence in orthopedics and joint replacement surgery, neurosciences, and oncology; state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment tools; and affiliations with world-class institutions, including the neighboring National Institutes of Health and Johns Hopkins Medicine. More information is available at www.suburbanhospital.org.