GEORGETOWN, Del. - ChristianaCare's plans for a new health campus in Georgetown are facing opposition from three other health systems, with Bayhealth, TidalHealth and Beebe raising questions about whether the proposed micro-hospital can move forward under Delaware law.
ChristianaCare has proposed a $65.1 million, 42,000-square-foot health campus at 20769 DuPont Blvd. The project would include primary care, specialty care and behavioral health services, along with what ChristianaCare calls a neighborhood hospital or micro-hospital with eight emergency department beds and eight inpatient beds.
Bayhealth, TidalHealth and Beebe have each sent letters to state health care regulators raising legal, licensing and ownership concerns about the proposed hospital.
Bayhealth has asked the Delaware Health Resources Board to resolve legal and regulatory questions surrounding the proposed facility before conducting a substantive review of ChristianaCare's application.
TidalHealth has asked state leaders to deny, dismiss or pause the neighborhood hospital portion of the application. The health system argues the proposed facility may not meet Delaware's statutory definition of a hospital and says the state does not currently have a licensing classification for a micro-hospital. TidalHealth also raised questions about the proposed ownership and operational arrangement involving ChristianaCare and Emerus Holdings, a for-profit company.
Beebe has also opposed ChristianaCare's application for the proposed neighborhood hospital, arguing the proposed facility does not meet statutory requirements for a general hospital and raising questions about its proposed ownership and operational structure.
ChristianaCare said the proposed project is intended to address longstanding gaps in access to health care in Sussex County.
While health systems are raising concerns about the proposed hospital, some Sussex County locals said access to health care remains a challenge.
"It is challenging to find a physician, especially your specialist," said Donna Kirby, from Milton, "They're probably one of the most challenging things to try to find somebody local. I've gone back up to the Newark area for care to find a specialist to take care of me."
John Caldwell said says health care is extremely important.
"It's very important that people are given the opportunity to find the health care that they need.”
Kirby said the area's growing population, including many seniors, makes access to quality health care increasingly important.
"I think with the number of people that have moved into the area, a lot of them are seniors," Kirby said. "So it's really important to be able to have access to quality health care and not have to wait six months or eight months for an appointment."
The proposed campus could open in late 2028 if it receives the required approvals.
