Sharp Memorial Hospital expands Emergency and Trauma Center

Today, Sharp Memorial Hospital breaks ground on its expansion of the Cushman Emergency and Trauma Center. The center’s expansion will provide 31 new treatment rooms, a new CT room, two specialized rooms for patients with contagious diseases and an expanded quick-care pod to meet the needs of the growing San Diego community.

"Sharp Memorial is at the forefront of expert care, and we are thrilled to expand upon that legacy," said Tim Smith, senior vice president and CEO of Sharp Memorial Hospital. "Our Level II trauma center provides critical services to San Diego, and we've received two consecutive Lantern Awards for excellence in emergency services. This expansion is an investment in our community and furthers our commitment to patient-centered care."

Smith added that the expanded emergency department will foster the growth of the Generational Health Program to all areas of the hospital. The program was made possible by a generous donor’s gift and supports age-appropriate medical care for older adults with unique health needs.

The Emergency and Trauma Center expansion is part of the first phase of the largest set of transformational capital projects in the history of Sharp’s medical campus in central San Diego. Our investment will infuse the campus with new and enhanced clinical facilities and services; incorporate advanced medical and information technology; and increase capacity and ease of access for patients throughout San Diego.

The modernization will be completed in several phases over the next decade. Additional capital projects include:

• New patient tower at Sharp Memorial Hospital: The centerpiece of the transformation will be a new, seven-story tower for patient care. The tower — which will feature 152 beds in advanced medical and surgical units for Sharp Memorial — will include dining facilities and office and conference space for clinical and specialty programs.

• Expansion of Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns: A six-story addition on the north side of the hospital will add 15 beds for women’s services.

• Creation of a Critical Care Podium: A connecting platform will enhance the delivery of care and provide a more seamless experience across the campus. The podium will integrate all surgical and procedural areas at Sharp Memorial, Sharp Mary Birch and James S. Brown Pavilion (formerly Sharp Memorial Outpatient Pavilion) onto the same level. Enhancements will be made to increase safety, streamline operations, and improve the experience for patients, guests and team members.

• Additional features: The physical transformation will allow for expanded pharmacy services, an enhanced dining experience for patients and guests and a new central energy plant.

Through ENVISION, Sharp HealthCare Foundation has committed to raising $100 million in support the expansion of Sharp’s Serra Mesa medical campus and $10 million to further develop clinical centers of excellence. To learn more, visit sharp.com/envision.

“At Sharp, we believe a first-class health care system is a vital part of a community,” said Bill Littlejohn, senior vice president and CEO of the Foundations of Sharp HealthCare. “This is perhaps the most sweeping group of initiatives to enhance health care delivery in San Diego’s history.”

Littlejohn added that thus far, $15 million has been raised toward the $100 million ENVISION fundraising goal for the expansion. That total includes a $4 million gift from the Cushman Foundation, of which $3 million is designated for the Emergency and Trauma Center expansion.

"We are deeply grateful for the Cushman family, and their unwavering support ensuring San Diegans receive the best health care," says Dr. Joseph Bellezzo, emergency medicine physician at Sharp Memorial and chair of the Sharp HealthCare Foundation. "Elliott Cushman joined the campaign for the Donald N. Sharp Memorial Community Hospital, which opened in 1955, and his son Stephen has followed in his father's philanthropic footsteps, serving Sharp for five decades. Their acts of service inspire me every day."

Robert Betz, executive vice president of McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., in San Diego, which is overseeing construction of the project, said, “We are excited to be a part of the modernization of Sharp’s largest medical campus. For more than a decade, McCarthy has been a proud philanthropic partner to the Sharp HealthCare Foundation in support of the services they provide to our local community. We look forward to supporting Sharp HealthCare in the years to come as they transform the health care experience in San Diego.”

To learn more about how you can support the modernization of the Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus, contact Shawna Fallon.