MultiCare Health System, CHI Franciscan Health to Build Psychiatric Hospital

The Washington State Department of Health approved an application from MultiCare Health System and CHI Franciscan Health to jointly build and operate a $41-million, 120-bed not-for-profit psychiatric hospital in Tacoma, Washington.

The new psychiatric hospital will be built on the MultiCare Allenmore Hospital campus, located at 1901 S. Union Ave. in Tacoma. Construction is slated to begin in 2016, and it is expected to be completed in 2018.

To operate the new hospital, CHI Franciscan and MultiCare created an independent, not-for-profit organization, the Alliance for South Sound. The entity and plan for this joint venture were formed in response to an increasing need to provide mental health services in Pierce County and surrounding areas.

Locally founded and the largest health systems in Pierce County, CHI Franciscan and MultiCare have a history of successful collaboration to provide local solutions for improved healthcare in the community, including a jointly operated trauma services program and joint ownership of the Carol Milgard Breast Center in Tacoma, managed by TRA Medical Imaging.

Photo source: http://www.multicare.org.