Groundbreaking Celebrates Start of Shady Grove Medical Center’s Tower Construction

Story by Adventist HealthCare Staff

Adventist HealthCare hospital leaders and caregivers welcomed community partners and government officials for a joyous groundbreaking event to mark the start of construction for the new patient tower at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center. The ceremony featured a commemorative set of shovels, each one decorated by a hospital unit with art symbolizing the themes of care, compassion and community.

Adventist HealthCare President and CEO Terry Forde discussed Shady Grove’s importance within the Adventist HealthCare system and acknowledged the work of numerous people in making the tower a reality. “Many committed team members have worked hard over the years to study our delivery of care in light of our community’s evolving needs. They listened, studied, proposed, designed and advocated for facilities to bring next-level care to Shady Grove.”

Shady Grove Medical Center President Dan Cochran affirmed this visionary planning saying, “When the pandemic came, it left no doubt: Hospitals needed to be ready to adapt to unpredictable emergencies. We need rooms that enhance the care and comfort of the critically ill. We need to create a healing environment that nurtures and supports our healthcare workers – because as the world worked from home, this hospital was their home.”

When the tower opens in 2025, it will feature:
• A modernized and more spacious Emergency Department
• A larger, state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit
• A new Medical-Surgical Unit with all-private patient rooms
• Updated patient units, including one for medical observation and one for emergency mental health conditions

• Repositioned critical care services, such as the hospital’s Cardiovascular Interventional Radiology Unit, that will create better efficiencies for patients and caregivers

• Relocation of the helipad to its rooftop

• Eco-friendly elements, including a 20,000-square-foot green roof and outdoor patios for families and team members