Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Healthcare topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Shore Regional says Chester River earns five stars; Easton gets four as construction on regional medical center continues
Summary
Shore Regional Health told the Talbot County Council that Chester River Hospital received a five-star CMS rating and Easton Hospital four stars; the system has signed a purchase-and-sale agreement for the Easton Hospital property and described construction milestones for the new regional medical center with a target patient date in late summer/early fall 2028.
Shore Regional Health representatives told the Talbot County Council on June 9 that the system’s Chester River Hospital earned five stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, while Easton Hospital earned four stars.
“Chester River Hospital up in Chester Town received five stars out of five, and our Easton Hospital here in Easton received four stars out of five,” said Ken Gazelle, speaking for Shore Regional. He explained CMS rates use measures of mortality, safety, readmissions, patient experience and timely care and noted that the data windows behind the May 2026 ratings stretch back as far as mid-2021 for some metrics.
Gazelle also told the council Shore Regional has entered a purchase-and-sale agreement with Bluepoint Living for the hospital property at 219 South Washington Street. Under the terms described at the meeting, Shore Regional will retain the property until it relocates into the new regional medical center. Closing is expected to occur within 60 days of that relocation and, as presented, on or before December 31, 2028.
On construction, Gazelle said work continues to progress: all 1,728 geothermal wells for the hospital’s well field are dug, crews are connecting vertical bores to horizontal infrastructure, and concrete floors across the multi‑story east and west towers are being poured. Exterior panels are going up and are expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year; interior fit-out would follow enclosure of the structure. He said the project team is planning for a first‑patient day in late summer or early fall 2028 but stressed that date depends on building turnover and a roughly 14‑week activation period.
Gazelle told the council 99.9% of bid packages carry guaranteed maximum prices, which he said reduces the risk of further cost overruns. He also said the project is exceeding its 32% MBE participation target and is close to meeting a 25% local subcontractor goal.
Council members responded with congratulations and questions about schedule and workforce needs; Gazelle said the new facility will require more staff because it will have more beds and that the visible progress is helping recruitment.
The council thanked Shore Regional for the update and for ongoing coordination with county leadership.
