The Ohio State University has received unanimous Board of Trustees approval to undertake the largest single facilities project ever in the university. At 1.9-million-square-feet, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Inpatient Hospital will enhance leading-edge research, clinical training and world-class patient care. This is the next step in the university’s long-term Framework 2.0 planning and the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center strategic plan.
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Inpatient Hospital
The hospital will have up to 820 beds in private room settings to elevate patient-centered care, safety and training for the next generation of health care providers. Renderings of the 26-story (24-floor) hospital reveal a sleek glass and brick structure designed to maximize light in patient rooms to improve outcomes. Scheduled to open in early 2026, the hospital has a total project cost of US $1.79bn. Planning is years in the making and advances Framework 2.0, the university’s long-term planning vision that outlines development planning across campus to advance health care, research and the arts.
The facility will provide students, faculty and staff with increased access to leading-edge digital technologies to advance patient care, teaching and research. The inpatient hospital will be located east of Cannon Drive and will forge stronger connections with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC—James), Rhodes Hall, Doan Hall, the Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital and the Brain and Spine Hospital.
The new inpatient hospital project will include: Up to 820 beds, replacing and expanding on the 440 beds in Rhodes Hall and Doan Hall; the OSUCCC—James will gain 148 beds – 84 new and 64 resulting from construction backfilling; 60 neonatal intensive care unit bassinets; State-of-the-art diagnostic, treatment and inpatient service areas; emergency department; imaging; operating rooms; and critical care and medical/surgical beds; Renovation of the OSUCCC—James and Ross Heart Hospital for blood bank, support services and building connections.
Each patient room will be a private space with a bathroom and pullout couch so that family members can be with their loved ones throughout their hospital stays. A bright indoor café, conservatory garden and outdoor park areas will provide restorative spaces where friends and families can eat, talk and recharge without leaving the medical campus. Conference facilities will serve as the intellectual center of the Wexner Medical Center and seven health sciences colleges, bringing together health care providers, research scientists, faculty and students.
The inpatient hospital joins other Ohio State Wexner Medical Center projects already underway to improve and expand access to academic health care in the region. Outpatient care centers are currently under construction in New Albany and Dublin. Program offerings will include outpatient surgery, endoscopy, primary care, specialty medical and surgical clinics and related support spaces. A third outpatient care center is slated for Ohio State’s West Campus Innovation District.
The approximately 385,000-square-foot, cancer-focused facility will include central Ohio’s first proton therapy treatment facility in partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital. This month the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center East Hospital opened a surgical expansion, the first phase of a complete remodeling of the facility.
An off-site Central Sterile Supply building at Kenny and Ackerman roads will also serve Ohio State Wexner Medical Center hospitals and outpatient care centers beginning in summer 2021. An inpatient hospital Garage will open in early 2021 and complement the new inpatient hospital with up to 1,900 spaces to serve patients and visitors by replacing the North and South Cannon garages. The additional, proximate parking will help create a more seamless and convenient patient experience.
According to Ohio State President-elect Kristina M. Johnson, the new inpatient hospital will serve as a model for 21st-century hospitals by further integrating research, diagnosis, treatment and education. “Ohio State is advancing the future of health care for a rapidly growing community, and this serves as an investment in the health and wellness of the state of Ohio,” he said.
“I am excited to move forward with the construction of an expanded state-of-the-art hospital facility that reflects the extraordinary care provided by our clinicians and staff. The pandemic has made clear that cutting-edge facilities are necessary to care for patients and families across our region,” said Dr. Hal Paz, executive vice president and chancellor for Health Affairs at The Ohio State University and CEO of Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.
“The new hospital will allow us to serve more patients and align hospital resources with an interprofessional education model and innovative research, allowing us to translate groundbreaking discoveries into patient care more quickly than ever before. Most importantly, this tower positions us to be a leader in the rapidly changing health care landscape by revolutionizing the way care is delivered,” he added.
