MedStar seeks $35 million state contribution for 32‑bed ICU at Southern Maryland hospital

Steven Michaels, president of MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, told the Prince George's County House Delegation that the hospital is seeking $35,000,000 in state funds to build a 32‑bed advanced intensive care unit as part of a roughly $93 million capital project.

"What we're proposing is building a 32 bed advanced clinical care tower," Michaels said during a Friday briefing. He described a hospital that has added advanced cardiac, cancer and gastrointestinal services and now treats sicker patients locally, increasing demand for intensive care capacity.

Michaels provided figures the hospital uses to justify the project: roughly 13,500 annual observation and inpatient cases, about 44,000 emergency department visits and more than 7,400 surgical cases a year. He said the hospital's case‑mix index — a measure of patient acuity — has risen steadily and that the current ICU was built in 1977 and cannot accommodate modern equipment or family‑centered care.

MedStar has invested about $157 million at the Clinton campus to date, including a recently expanded emergency department and a renovated behavioral health unit, Michaels said. The proposed ICU addition would be about 70,000 square feet; current capital estimates are $93 million and Michaels said MedStar is "looking for $35,000,000 from the state" to make the plan viable.

Michaels told delegates MedStar already has $12.5 million secured, $8 million included in the governor's budget and that the hospital has submitted a further $5 million request. He said MedStar plans a phased, three‑year approach and cannot begin construction until the requested state contribution is in place, with a target to start in December 2027 if approvals and funding align.

Delegates asked about workforce and access. Michaels described partnerships with Prince George's Community College, apprenticeship and internship programs (surgical tech, patient care technician, pharmacy technician) and outreach to local high schools to diversify recruitment for clinical and technical roles.

The chair thanked MedStar for the presentation and asked that the hospital share its slide deck with the delegation. Michaels agreed to post materials in the meeting chat and to follow up with staff. The presentation and any project start dates remain contingent on zoning, regulatory approvals and the availability of state funding.