Dorchester County’s only hospital downsizing to a free-standing medical facility

CAMBRIDGE, Md. – The University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s Hospital in Cambridge is downsizing.

Officials tell 47 ABC the medical center got approval to convert its Cambridge hospital to a smaller facility, and move some of its existing services to the system’s larger Easton hospital. Instead of being a hospital, officials say it will be a free-standing medical facility with an emergency room department. Officials add that these changes will help with the ongoing plans to develop the Sailwinds Park property.

“The hospital beds can be moved to Easton. We can get the emergency room and the medical offices above it built, it looks like, in 2021 and get it opened. And that will also help us with the development of the Sailwinds,” says Cambridge commissioner Stephen Rideout.

Officials add that the new Cambridge facility will have 22 emergency treatment spaces and six observation rooms in its emergency department. The cost of the entire building is currently estimated to be more than $60 million.