New G.U. Hospital Building Closer to Approval

As part of its recommendation to approve the plans for a new MedStar Georgetown University Hospital building, the D.C. Primary Care Association is requiring MedStar to provide cancer screenings and follow-up care for a minimum of 500 uninsured and underinsured D.C. residents per year. MedStar agreed to the terms and will design a care model to identify patients beginning in July, if the plans are approved. Final approval now lies with Amha Selassie, the director of the D.C. State Health Planning and Development Agency, who said he expects to make his decision by the end of March. The 477,000-square-foot, $567-million building would include modern operating rooms, a larger emergency department, a helipad and private patient rooms, according to MedStar officials.