Pediatric transport teams move 61 patients from existing facility into new 250,000-square-foot hospital.
TACOMA, Wash. — MultiCare Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, Western Washington’s only Level II Pediatric Trauma Center, successfully moved operations from its existing facility at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital to its new freestanding pediatric hospital across the street (305 South L. St., Tacoma, Wash.)
The new 250,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility is located at the hospital’s original 1955 location and expands access to acute and specialty care for children across the Pacific Northwest.
“From the time I joined MultiCare in 2014, I believed deeply that a children’s hospital is not just a service, it is a promise to a region,” said Bill Robertson, CEO, MultiCare Health System. “Today, our new Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital fulfills that promise for children, for families, and for the future of pediatric care across our growing region.”
The hospital’s new pediatric emergency department opened its doors at 6 a.m., followed by the transfer of patients from Mary Bridge Children’s pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and medical-surgical units.
“We begin an important new chapter in the 71-year history of Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital by opening our new, freestanding children’s hospital and expanded outpatient center on the site of our original campus in Tacoma,” said Jeff Poltawsky, president and market leader, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Network. “This hospital comes at a critical moment as we expand to meet growing demand for children’s specialty care and serve as the referral center for some of the most complex pediatric cases in our region.”
The new six-story hospital is designed to serve the unique needs of infants, children and adolescents across the full continuum of care – from rapid access for critically ill and injured patients arriving via the rooftop helipad, to coordinated complex care for those living with chronic conditions. By concentrating pediatric specialties within a single city block, the new hospital expands access to care while reducing visit frequency and miles traveled by families.
Recognizing that play and movement are essential to children’s healing, the hospital layout prioritizes areas for discovery and rehabilitative movement. Patients can access playrooms on every inpatient floor, as well as an outdoor garden area and the hospital’s first-ever therapy gym to help children build strength and confidence before returning home.
The hospital features:
- 82 licensed inpatient beds on medical-surgical and pediatric intensive care units
- Emergency department with 29 exam rooms, 10-bay treatment-in-process and results waiting area, a dedicated ambulance bay, and four behavioral health reduced risk rooms
- Eight operating rooms supported by a new, all-in-one hybrid catheterization/ interventional radiology suite and all-pediatric Surgical Center of Excellence
- Dedicated neonatal and pediatric transport team for fixed wing, rotor-wing and land transport
- Three patient play and activity rooms
- A 400-space parking garage for patients and visitors
- Kite Café bistro and coffee shop featuring Dillanos Coffee
Located at the corner of MLK Jr. Way and Division Avenue, the new hospital is adjacent to the Tacoma Link Light Rail and easily accessible from public transportation.
Discover more about the new Mary Bridge Children’s hospital.
About Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital
Founded in 1955, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital is the state-designated Level II Pediatric Trauma Center for Western Washington. Offering comprehensive care and resources for critically ill and injured children, Mary Bridge Children’s is the only pediatric hospital in Southwest Washington. Mary Bridge Children’s also provides primary, specialty, therapy and urgent care services at its outpatient centers and clinics across the Puget Sound region, including Tacoma, Puyallup, Gig Harbor, Olympia, Auburn, Covington, Maple Valley, Federal Way, Renton, Bonney Lake and Silverdale.
Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Network believes that kids should be at the front of the line. More than a place of hope and healing, Mary Bridge Children’s is a place where expert care helps kids get back to doing what they do best: being kids. Mary Bridge Children’s serves children and families, regardless of ability to pay, thanks to generous contributions to the Mary Bridge Children’s Foundation.
Mary Bridge Children’s is a part of MultiCare Health System, the largest community-based and locally governed health system in Washington state. For more information about Mary Bridge Children’s, visit marybridge.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, or our Kite Strings blog.
