Renovations are now in under way on the second floor of the Medical Office Building at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown as the hospital advances its plans to establish a dedicated Aging & Wellness Center of Excellence. The first phase of the project concentrates primarily on the second floor of the hospital’s existing Medical Office Building (MOB), making room for the relocation of several specialty practices (now located on Philosopher’s Terrace in Chestertown) at the end of this year.
During this time, the hospital’s west parking lot will be partially closed, with access limited to a small number of handicapped spaces for designated cardiac rehab patients. “We do not anticipate that this project will create significant disruption to patients,” said Dennis Welsh, Vice President of Rural Healthcare Transformation and Executive Director of UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown.
Subsequent stages of the project, being carried out by Willow Construction, will involve renovations to the first floor and Education Center of the existing MOB and will culminate in the establishment of the Aging & Wellness Center of Excellence, at an estimated total cost of $4 million.
With the support of the University of Maryland Medical System and in collaboration with community partners, UM Shore Regional Health continues to develop a comprehensive health care delivery model tailored to its rural community. In the past six months, the hospital has achieved accreditation as a Geriatric Emergency Department (GEDA) and designation as an Age-Friendly Hospital System (AFHS). The hospital’s Mobile Wellness and Health Education programs, also inaugurated within the past year, are providing outreach, screenings and health education both online and in community settings.