HCA Plans for Hospital on Route 50

The proposed StoneSpring Medical Center would be constructed on a 50-acre property purchased by HCA in 2007. The completed facility would include a four-story building with 337,000 square feet of space, including a 124 acute-care beds, 40 child and adolescent psychiatric beds, diagnostic services, cardiac catheterization lab and seven operating rooms.

If approved, StoneSpring could open in December 2015.

HCA is a well-known entity in Loudoun County. In addition to owning Reston Hospital, HCA was also the applicant behind the proposed Broadlands Regional Medical Center (BRMC) facility. BRMC was denied a special exception to build at its proposed Ashburn location after several years of litigation, public debate and a long road through the zoning process. The final decision was made in February 2009 in a vote by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.

Mark Faust, vice president of communications at HCA, told the Independent that the StoneSpring would be “identical in services” to the proposal for BRMC. Also included with the new proposal is the ongoing partnership with Children’s Medical Center, a highlight of the BRMC proposal.

One exception is a helicopter pad, a feature that caused waves of debate and objection from the Broadlands community during the BRMC proposal. Removed from the plans for BRMC, the heli-pad has been reintegrated into the design for StoneSpring.

However, given the proximity to Dulles International Airport and the fact that the former owner of the property used the area to store small aircraft, it is not anticipated that StoneSpring—more distinctly separated from residential development—will face significant opposition over this feature.

HCA has already received a Certificate of Public Need (COPN) from the Virginia Health Commissioner for the BRMC location in Ashburn. Since the decision was made to pursue the Route 50 site, a significant change request has been submitted to reflect the change in location.

It is uncertain how this request will affect the recent COPN submitted by Inova Hospital System for a Route 50 facility. Much of the debate surrounding BRMC focused on the need for a hospital along Route 50, and Inova did submit a request to build a full hospital center after the Board of Supervisors denied the BRMC application.

However, during the public debate over BRMC, Inova did indicate that they would withdraw their plans for Route 50 if HCA pursued this option. It remains to be seen whether or not this will be the case.

A prepared statement by Randy Kelly, CEO of Inova Loudoun Hosptial, from earlier in 2009, stated, “We will not oppose HCA in moving to the Route 50 location.”

The debate over the future location of Loudoun’s next hospital was a heated one during the BRMC application, with HCA and BRMC supporters vocal in their belief that the Route 50 corridor was unable to support a hospital. When asked about the shift in position, Faust responded, “We took a hard look at what Loudoun County wants and needs.”

Faust also indicated that the 2015 target date played heavily into the decision as the population along the Route 50 corridor is expected to have expanded by this point.

Faust remains optimistic that the StoneSpring facility will endure a much easier road to construction than did BRMC, noting his belief that the need for another hospital in Loudoun County is evident—along with the need for another hospital system in Loudoun.

In addition to a significant change request on the existing COPN, HCA has also submitted a special exception request to the county.