Tacoma General Adds 65 Beds in Major Hospital Overhaul

Tacoma General Hospital is set to significantly expand its adult care capacity with a $54 million project that will introduce 65 new beds and four operating rooms. This major overhaul is being undertaken following the relocation of Mary Bridge Children's Hospital to a new, nearby campus.

The renovation includes remodeling existing patient rooms, trauma rooms, and treatment areas. Key improvements involve adding exam lights, dialysis connection boxes, and increased power outlets. Observation bays will be created from existing trauma rooms, and treatment rooms will be adapted for dialysis services. Some main units are slated to open in August, with additional inpatient beds expected by mid- to late-December.

Alden Bishop, chief operating officer at Tacoma General, stated the investment enhances adult care capacity and allows for better patient cohorting, grouping patients with similar conditions together. This strategic organization aims to improve the quality of care for cancer patients, trauma patients, and others. The expansion also boosts capacity for women's services, adding 12 new labor and delivery beds.

Scott Thompson, a MultiCare media representative, highlighted that the additional beds for the Women and Newborn unit will accommodate more families and facilitate accepting high-risk OB transfers from across the South Sound region. The hospital has been operating at high capacity, with Bishop noting it was at 109% capacity recently, leading to potential hallway beds or discharges from the ED.

Despite the expansion, the Washington State Nurses Association has raised concerns about ongoing understaffing in Mary Bridge's neonatal intensive care unit, which remains at Tacoma General. The hospital acknowledges recruitment efforts for NICU nurses and other network positions. Bishop emphasized that the expansion is crucial for creating necessary capacity, improving patient flow from the ED, and providing a better environment for physicians and nurses.