BALTIMORE — Mercy Medical Center has completed construction on a brand new $12.5 million unit on the 17th Floor of the main hospital in downtown Baltimore.
The hospital says the new 32-bed acute care unit was completed ahead of its set 75-day deadline, and has been fully operational in treating COVID-19 patients since June 1.
In mid-March, Governor Larry Hogan called for an increase in hospital bed capacity to handle a potential surge of COVID-19 patients. Mercy was the first Maryland hospital to respond and receive state approval to build a new unit.
Whiting-Turner provided critical short-term financing to allow the project to move forward, and finished the work in just 64 days.
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The new unit includes advanced technology, physiological monitoring, and expanded medical gas capabilities for all 32 beds to offer ICU quality care. The physiological monitors include alarm notifications directly linked to nursing communication devices. Enhanced HVAC systems provide negative pressure throughout the floor and 12 additional designated isolation rooms.
As of June 5, there are 1,076 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Maryland, 455 of which are in intensive care. So far 4,159 people have been released from isolation.
