The University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved an expanded scope for Project Health, the future primary teaching hospital for Omaha-based University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine, raising the projected cost to $2.75 billion.
The board approved the revised program statement at an Oct. 9 meeting, according to an Oct. 12 news release from University of Nebraska Medical Center. The facility will now span 1.5 million square feet, up from the 1.25 million square feet originally planned.
The new estimate runs about $500 million above the original projection, driven by the larger footprint and rising construction costs, according to the release.
The added space will absorb higher patient volumes and projected enrollment growth at the medical center. It will also add beds and specialized care areas and allow for the retirement of aging facilities. The updated plan covers inpatient, surgical, interventional, laboratory, education and research capacity.
UNMC Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, said the facility will let students train alongside multidisciplinary teams and help bring new treatments to patients statewide. Nebraska Medicine CEO Michael Ash, MD, said the project will expand access to lifesaving services and create new opportunities for innovation and education.
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