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Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center set for April 15 opening; UMC to scale down admissions, officials say
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Summary
Officials told the D.C. Council—s Committee on Health that Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center is slated to start accepting patients April 15, 2025, but that DC Health inspections, CMS and DEA approvals, licensing and hiring remain to be completed.
Deputy Mayor Wayne Turnich and hospital oversight staff told the Committee on Health that the Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center is scheduled to begin patient care on April 15, 2025, contingent on a set of outstanding approvals and operational milestones.
"We will open April 15 as the mayor announced," Turnich said, adding the construction project had reached "virtual completion from a construction standpoint" and that the facility had a conditional certificate of occupancy for stocking and training. However, Turnich said more approvals remain: "We have over 20 approvals and milestones to complete. They include DC Health Inspections, Federal CMS, and DEA approvals. We have to finalize some hiring and obviously, SHIPTO has to, give the facility a license to operate."
Ben Stutz, director of hospital and health system development, told the committee the new hospital is being coordinated with United Medical Center and GW (George Washington University) Health System under the operator UHS. He said the freestanding emergency department planned for Ward 7 is expected to have 14 beds; freestanding EDs elsewhere range from 10 to 30 beds.
Committee members raised staffing, hiring and board appointments. Turnich said the mayor had filled at least one of three mayoral seats on Cedar Hill's board; two seats remained to be appointed but the board had already met for an initial organizing session. Stutz described recruitment efforts: Cedar Hill held five job fairs east of the river and received about 700 applications, and the hospital is subject to a first-source hiring agreement with D.C.—s Department of Employment Services.
United Medical Center will continue to receive patients until the new hospital is ready, Turnich said; after opening, UMC will scale down operations and the city will coordinate transfers for patients who need ongoing placement or supportive services. Turnich noted that some UMC patients are hospital-appropriate but are remaining in place while awaiting supportive environments and said the city has placed 10 to 15 of those complex cases in recent months.
Why it matters: The Cedar Hill opening affects access to acute care and nonemergency urgent care in Wards 7 and 8, job opportunities east of the river, and the future role of UMC.
What—s next: Officials committed to provide updated timelines for remaining approvals and hiring, and council members asked for follow-up on board appointments and plans for staff transitions from UMC to Cedar Hill.
