Hagerstown, MD (October 21, 2005)—Washington County Health System filed Thursday for approval from the Washington County Board of Zoning Appeals to develop a new hospital at the Robinwood Medical Center.

According to President and Chief Executive Officer James Hamill, the health system is asking for a modification to the special exception decision granted by the Board of Zoning Appeals in 1991 to allow the hospital at Robinwood. Hamill said, “The health system’s goal is to build a new hospital at Robinwood Medical Center that will provide state-of-the-art healthcare for our community. We believe having the hospital at Robinwood is in the best interest of long-term healthcare planning. It brings both acute care and outpatient services together in one place, benefiting our patients.”

Hamill reported that the health system will seek modifications to allow ambulances and helicopters at the replacement hospital. On average there are 41 ground transports each day at the current hospital site. The majority of them (76 percent) are basic life support transports that do not run with lights and sirens. On average, there is one air transport a day; some (many) of those bringing patients to the hospital’s trauma center. It will also ask for a modification to the restricted height of the building from 35 feet to 80 feet to accommodate patient care units, surgical services, outpatient services, and an emergency department.

In addition, the health system will ask for lot line variances to allow the hospital to connect with Robinwood Medical Center at the entrance near the John Marsh Cancer Center.

Hamill said, “The health system hopes for approval of our request by the Board of Zoning Appeals. Its consent will bring us another step closer to the completion of a regional medical center.”