The New Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital is replacing all of its inpatient care facilities at an estimated cost of more than $700 million. The new hospital’s healing environment will feature natural light, increased green space and environmentally sensitive elements. Its award-winning architectural design will be both patient- and family-friendly and representative of the Spanish Colonial style for which our community is so well-known.
Why rebuild the hospital?
All hospitals in California must be rebuilt or renovated to be able to withstand a major earthquake. Although the state is requiring the work, it is providing no funding to help hospitals reach this deadline goal originally set for 2013.
The new SBCH will feature
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337 spacious rooms |
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increased privacy |
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numerous meditation areas and gardens, including a “River of Life” flowing through the central gardens |
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tripled capacity in the Level II Trauma Center/Emergency Department |
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air ambulance services |
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consolidated pediatric services in Cottage Children’s Hospital, including a Pediatric Multi-Specialty Clinic |
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larger, state-of-the-art operating suites, with minimally invasive and robotic surgical services |
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sophisticated imaging and other diagnostic technologies |
Improvements in the new hospital include
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The Emergency Department and its Level 2 Trauma Center will double in size. The current Emergency Department was designed to accommodate 25,000 visits a year. But in recent years, the number of ED visits has hovered around 40,000 a year. The ED in the new hospital will be able to handle 80,000 visits a year. |
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Every patient room will have a family area with furniture that converts to beds to allow guests to stay overnight |
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A helipad for air ambulance transport of patients |
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Significant expansion of the Surgery Department, with room for new technologies such as robotic surgery to offer less invasive procedures and improved outcomes |
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Substantial investment in state-of-the-art technology, including imaging services and wireless technology |
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All children’s medical services will be consolidated on the third floor to create a hospital within the hospital -- Cottage Children’s Hospital |
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The design will focus on creating a healing environment, with more space for gardens, meditation areas, a spiritual center and even a “River of Life” flowing through the interior courtyard |
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Two new parking structures (already completed) |
How will Cottage pay for the new hospital?
With no local, state or federal funding provided to meet new state-mandated seismic requirements, Cottage plans to cover the $700+ million price through four sources:
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Operating reserves |
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Tax-exempt bond issues (debt) |
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Current SBCH Foundation assets |
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The $100 million Campaign for Cottage Health System |
How the community provided help
Cottage Health System embarked on an ambitious philanthropic campaign in 2004 to build a new, state-of-the-art Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. The goal was to raise $100 million in community support to help pay for the project. When the five-year Campaign concluded on Dec. 31, 2008, a total of $110,821,578 had been raised from the community. Get all the Campaign news here >>
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