TACOMA, Wash. — A new state-of-the-art children’s hospital is coming to Pierce County.
On Wednesday, MultiCare announced it’s building a brand-new $300 million Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital separate from Tacoma General Hospital, which is where the children’s hospital currently resides.
“The new hospital will be designed and built to be one of the best and safest hospitals in the nation,” said Jeff Poltawsky, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital president.
In the current children’s wing, there are 82 beds and children use the same operating rooms as adults.
“This prevents us from providing the children who come to us with truly dedicated pediatric care,” said Poltawsky.
The population’s growing.
Close to half a million kids live in the Mary Bridge Children’s service area. Nearly 24,000 babies are born in the area each year, which breaks down to about 66 babies a day. The hospital is running out of space.
“We imagine a new hospital with the most advanced technology. We imagine a space that inspires hope and healing at every turn. We imagine a pediatric surgical program that rivals the best in the world. And we imagine opening our doors to more children and more families than ever before,” said Dr. Nicholas Rajacich, an orthopedic surgeon.
Technology, including telemedicine, will help keep people safe.
Doctors said COVID-19 cases in children have been remarkably low. Innovations ensure they’re prepared now and in the future.
“When children have been admitted they have been in the medical-surgical unit and not the intensive care unit and they have been less sick. We feel we are ready to handle a surge for children or adults,” said Poltawsky.
The new building will keep the current 82-bed license, but they’ll be private rooms.
Additionally, there will be 10 operating rooms, an intensive care unit, cardiology suites, as well as a mental health crisis center, cancer center and more.
The groundbreaking ceremony will take place in December 2021 or January 2022.
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital will open in the fall of 2024.