ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor Wes Moore today joined elected officials and leadership from the University of Maryland Medical System for the groundbreaking of the UM Shore Regional Medical Center. The groundbreaking and major investment reinforces the Moore-Miller Administration’s commitment to improving healthcare access and support for Maryland’s rural communities.

“We are all here because we each share a simple but powerful belief: Everyone deserves access to health care. This isn’t about politics – this isn’t about ideology – this is about basic, foundational principles of a functioning society,” said Gov. Moore. “We will not stop until that future is a reality for the 456,000 Marylanders who call the Shore home – and the millions more who live all across our state. Not just because we ‘say so,’ but because we are proving what it means to make it so. Together, we will leave no one behind.”   

“I was proud to attend the groundbreaking for the University of Maryland Shore Regional Medical Center in Easton today,” said U.S. Congressman Andy Harris. “As a physician, I understand that medical care has advanced and my constituents on the Eastern Shore will benefit greatly from the University of Maryland’s expertise in delivering first rate medical care in this expanded facility. It is also important that rural America is not left behind and as the Chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development, I was glad to secure the installment of funds needed to get this project off the ground. When it comes to first rate medical care, my constituents need it, deserve it, and I will continue working to make sure this facility gets off the ground.”

Upon completion, the UM Shore Regional Medical Center will replace the existing hospital in downtown Easton. The new facility will house 147 licensed beds and will provide a comprehensive array of emergency, behavioral health, and cardiology services. The facility’s location will also offer easier and safer access for ambulance and helicopter transport, in addition to ample parking for patients, staff and visitors.

“Today has been a long time coming and is truly a historic day for the future of health care on the Eastern Shore,” said University of Maryland Medical System President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mohan Suntha. “Our System and UM Shore Regional Health together have pioneered innovative solutions for the challenges of rural health care and we look forward to the new Regional Medical Center opening to continue meeting the needs of residents across the region. Health care has come a long way since Emergency Hospital opened its doors in 1907 in Easton, and 117 years later we are committed to giving residents of the region served by Shore Regional Health the state-of-the-art hospital that they deserve. We are incredibly grateful for each and every donor who has contributed to this project and for those who will contribute in the future -- without their philanthropic support we could not have made today happen. We are also grateful to Governor Moore for joining us today, and to the state of Maryland for their financial commitment to making sure this new hospital will finally be built.”

The $540 million estimated cost of the project will be covered by bonds, public and private philanthropy, federal grants, and $100 million in state funds committed under the Governor’s Capital Budget through FY2028. The new facility is expected to open by the end of summer 2028. 

“Expanding access to healthcare across our 2,000 square mile region – with the goal of providing the ‘right care at the right place at right time’ -- has required us to think outside the box,” said University of Maryland Shore Regional Health President and Chief Executive Officer Ken Kozel. “Our medical pavilions and freestanding emergency care centers, along with programs designed to achieve equity in health care access for our diverse communities, have enabled us to dramatically expand access to preventive care and chronic disease management outside the walls of the hospital. Now, thanks to the support of University of Maryland Medical System and scores of our Shore team members, the State of Maryland, our town and county governments, civic groups and private citizens, we look forward to realizing our vision of our new, state-of-the-art Shore Regional Medical Center.”

The Moore-Miller Administration is committed to increasing health equity through enhanced access to care and through sustainable funding for health care services. Maryland’s unique Total Cost of Care and All-Payer models help improve rural population health, in addition to promoting hospital budget stability and predictability. Both models are critical drivers in improving patient outcomes—especially as rural hospitals have continued to close in other states.

"The Shore deserves access to world class health care,” said State Senator Stephen Hershey. “I'm proud of the work that the Governor and Eastern Shore legislators have done together to secure funding for the new Shore Regional Medical Center."

The Maryland Department of Health is also engaged in a number of partnerships to advance key initiatives in rural health, including with the Maryland State Office of Rural Health to build local resources and expand health care access; with Area Health Education Centers to enhance training, recruitment, and retention of future and practicing health care providers in rural Maryland; and through more than $20 million in behavioral health investments across the Mid-Shore to build a more robust continuum of behavioral health care.

“The groundbreaking marks a project that has been years in the making,” said Talbot County Council President Chuck Callahan. “The new facility will expand access to critical healthcare services, and improve the well-being of communities across Maryland’s Eastern Shore. We are grateful for Governor Moore’s unwavering support for this project.”