Nancy Farber, CEO Washington Hospital Healthcare System

Hospital Construction Surges Forward

This next year will be very busy for Washington Hospital Healthcare System as we continue with construction of the next key elements of our Facilities Master Plan.  This fall, construction of the Morris Hyman Critical Care Pavilion will begin with a groundbreaking and extensive site preparation for the actual building construction.  And, in the fall of 2013, construction of our sorely needed parking structure will get underway.

The parking structure is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2014, providing parking relief for patients, their families and friends and other visitors to our hospital complex.  We currently are in the design phase for the parking structure and also in discussions with Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) regarding using a portion of its parking area for the project.  We are pleased that BART officials seem to support our proposal with the condition that we include an adjacent space for BART’s police department in the building.  

The three-story, 250,000 square-foot Morris Hyman Critical Care Pavilion will take three to four years to complete as it will be necessary to demolish the Whitaker Pavilion building before the required extensive site preparation work can begin.  We anticipate the Critical Care Pavilion will be completed by the late winter of 2016.  

This building is essential to the successful completion of the second phase of our Facilities Master Plan.  It will house the new expanded and upgraded Emergency Room, an expanded and upgraded Intensive Care Unit, expanded Cardiac Care Services and additional patient rooms, all of which will be private, single-bed rooms.  Additional operating rooms and an expansion of diagnostic capabilities also are included in the Morris Hyman Critical Care Pavilion.

The long-term Facilities Master Plan was approved by the Board of Directors in 2000 to meet California’s stringent seismic safety requirements and to meet the anticipated future health care needs of our community.  When Washington Hospital opened in 1958, we served a community of 18,000 individuals.  Today we serve more than 350,000 persons and we foresee an even higher volume over the next several years.

We have already completed, on time and on budget, key elements of the long-range master plan:  the Central Utility Plant and numerous upgrades to internal circulation routes, walkways and facility access zones were completed in 2011.  These projects were funded by Measure FF, approved by district voters in 2004.  The new Center for Joint Replacement building, which was not financed with taxpayer approved funding, also has been completed and is serving patients.  

The other elements of the long-range master plan will be financed by the balance from Measure FF as well as new bond funds approved by district voters in November 2012 (Measure Z).  These important initiatives will also be funded through revenue from operations and donations.  The overwhelming support of district residents and voters for the health care district is why we are able to provide our residents with the very best care possible using the best facilities and equipment available.  We thank you for your continuing support.

Sincerely,

Nancy Farber, CEO
Washington Hospital Healthcare System


We value your feedback. If you have questions about the topic of this column or about other WHHS services, please contact Community Relations at 510-791-3417. Additional information about the hospital and our services also is available throughout our Website.