University of Maryland Shore Regional Health updates county on regional medical center, workforce and federal grant effort

Ken Kozel, president of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, told Caroline County commissioners on Oct. 28 that the health system is preparing for big changes driven by state and federal policy, workforce shortages and the system’s own regional medical center project on Route 50.

Kozel said Shore Regional Health and the University of Maryland Medical System are closely following the AHEAD payment model now under negotiation between Maryland and the federal government; Maryland’s proposed application for part of a $50 billion federal rural health allocation is expected to be submitted “by next week,” he said. That federal allocation, split into baseline and competitive components, could be used locally for recruitment, retention and innovative community care models if the state’s application is approved.

The briefing included construction and local service details: the new regional medical center is under construction off Route 50, with visible columns and cranes now on site. Kozel said the new facility will be licensed for 147 beds — up from Shore Regional’s current 118…