UW Health announced upcoming additions to UW Hospital and East Madison Hospital, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. The health system already is opening a large clinic — the Eastpark Medical Center — on the east side of Madison this October, a new west side clinic, and a planned rehabilitation hospital in Fitchburg.
The cumulative investment for the hospital expansions and other projects totals over $900 million. UW Health’s facility footprint will subsequently increase by almost 1 million square feet.
UW Health cited growing demand for health care behind its decision, attributed to population growth, increasing need for care among baby boomers, rural hospitals’ transfer of more patients to Madison, and the closures of nearby hospitals in the state.
UW Hospital will get a $177 million, seven-story addition near its emergency room, between the hospital and the UW Medical Foundation Centennial Building to its southwest. The project, beginning in September, will add 48 beds to the hospital’s current 505, as well as 29 emergency department rooms, for a total of 92 ER bays. The addition will also include space for procedures that don’t require operating rooms. It is anticipated to be completed in spring 2026.
UW’s East Madison Hospital will get a $133 million, one-story addition that will add six operating rooms to its current 14, as well as 14 inpatient beds and 60 bays for post-surgery care. The addition will also increase the 20-bed ER to a 48-patient capacity. The project is expected to be finished by summer 2026.
