Kaiser Permanente has broken ground on a new hospital tower at Clackamas, Ore.-based Sunnyside Medical Center, in what the health system says will be the state’s “first fully electric and sustainable” hospital.
Construction on the seven-story, 615,000-square-foot hospital tower is expected to be completed in 2029. Kaiser Permanente told Fierce Healthcare it “has a standard practice of not disclosing project cost until after construction close-out,” when an accurate total can be provided.
The facility will offer private patient rooms, in-room telemedicine capabilities, advanced robotics and image-guided surgical equipment, an expanded emergency department along with additional features.
“Hospitals are more than buildings. They are where science meets compassion and where some of life’s most important and caring moments unfold,” said Leong Koh, M.D., Northwest Permanente executive medical director, in a statement. “For more than 50 years, Sunnyside has been a place where our physicians, nurses, and care teams have delivered exceptional care to this community, and this new hospital tower is a direct investment in their ability to continue that work.”
Sunnyside Medical Center first opened in 1975 and serves tens of thousands of patients annually.
“As Oregon’s first fully electric hospital, it also reflects our belief that environmental health is public health, and demonstrates our responsibility to build a healthier future for the communities we serve,” Koh said.
The existing hospital building on the medical campus will be replaced with additional parking, walkways and outdoor spaces upon construction completion, the announcement said.
The health system said the facility will also seek LEED Gold certification, which is a global sustainability rating program. A Gold certification is the second-highest tier within the program. The facility would be Kaiser Permanente’s 87th LEED-certified building, per the release.