Campaign to Rebuild Children's Hospital Oakland
Frequently Asked Questions
January 15, 2008
We’re rebuilding Children’s Hospital. Costs to construct the new hospital building are estimated at approximately $700 million. Children’s will finance the new medical center through past and future state bonds, reserves, and private donations.
Why does Children’s Hospital Oakland need to be rebuilt?
California law requires inpatient areas of hospitals to be built to withstand strong earthquakes by 2013. This triggered Children’s Hospital Oakland’s decision to rebuild. Rebuilding hospitals periodically also assures advances in medical technology are incorporated into the new or retrofitted buildings. It’s also important for Children’s, an East Bay icon since 1912, to be able to meet the future needs of Northern California’s growing population of children.
Why does Children’s need to expand the number of patient beds?
As Northern California’s population grows, the number of hospital beds at Children’s must also grow. For example, it’s estimated that our core service area population will grow by about 10 percent by 2014.
When will the new hospital open?
Construction of the new medical center is expected to begin in 2010 and must be completed by 2013 to meet the state’s deadline for seismic upgrades.
What are some of the distinctive features of the new hospital?
While the plans for the new hospital are still being developed, the new hospital will be designed so that all 250 patient rooms will be private, giving children and their families more privacy to heal, and helping control and reduce infection transmission. Emergency services will also be improved—with the helipad on the roof, patients can be taken down a special elevator directly to the Emergency Department.
Will the new hospital be a green building?
The new hospital will incorporate current best practices in sustainable design and energy management. Children’s selected the architectural firm partly because of their expertise in delivering sustainable design solutions.
Will there be any disruption to services while the new hospital is being built?
Children’s will continue to operate in its current facility during construction. There shouldn’t be any disruption or displacement of services.
What will become of the current hospital facility?
The current hospital will continue to be used for services and offices. Children’s has many clinics and off-site programs. The hospital anticipates bringing these back on campus into the current hospital.
