Healthcare Construction Built on Experience and Trust

At Chesapeake, we’ve delivered quality healthcare construction for decades. As Chesapeake continues to build a credible reputation in this vital industry, we’ve seen healthcare design and construction evolve as shifts in the healthcare model happen over time. Chesapeake takes pride in building long-standing and high-quality projects which makes lasting impacts on the surrounding communities.

Current and Notable Healthcare Projects

Chesapeake’s leadership in healthcare construction is evident in the significant projects currently underway. The biggest, the UM Shore Medical Campus at Cambridge, includes a full 24/7 Emergency Department, medical services pavilion and helipad. The 88,000-square-foot project is scheduled for completion in late summer of this year. Rounding out the list of current healthcare construction projects are: the Easton Radiology Room Renovation, Easton, MD and the Carroll Skilled Nursing Facility in Westminster, MD.

Navigating Challenges in Healthcare Construction

The UM Shore Medical Campus at Cambridge project, which began before the COVID crisis, experienced the heightened the pressures of staying on track and on budget as material and supply chain shortages developed. “At Chesapeake we were determined to maintain our reputation for meeting our timelines and quality, regardless of the obstacles. For example, normal procedure for shielding a room is to lead sheetrock. When lead sheetrock became impossible to get – we ended up buying rolls of sheets of lead and installing it in between two sheets of sheetrock to provide the proper shielding required in order to get the equipment,” explained John Bond, Chesapeake’s Project Executive. “Our ability to be nimble and creative in developing solutions became more of an advantage for us,” he continued.

Building for Evolving Technology and Patient Needs

Bond, who started working in healthcare in 2000, described that keeping up with emerging technology and helping facilities plan is key to Chesapeake’s success in the field. “Medical equipment and technology are continually changing – all of the equipment is becoming more and more sensitive and precise. We work closely with structural engineers and design teams to make sure we understand how critical equipment such as surgical booms, catheterization lab equipment and MRI machines will work and need to fit into spaces”, said Bond. “Listening to requests and concerns from the end users, the doctors, is an important part of our process. Being a contractor who understands the equipment and the needs for that, allows for less mistakes and less need for changes,” he continued.

According to Bond, many opportunities exist in healthcare construction, as patient needs and expectations continue to drive plans of current health care facilities and systems. And healthcare construction is one of the few sectors expected to avoid a recession.*

Prioritizing Safety in Active Healthcare Environments

Another core strength for Chesapeake is our understanding of the sensitivity of active healthcare environments. “When we’re working in an active hospital, the safety of patients and staff is our top priority,” Bond explained. “We are extremely attentive to the three evils of healthcare construction: noise, vibration, and dust. Giving hospital leadership confidence that we’re an experienced, knowledgeable partner is critical.”

Supporting the Future of Healthcare Facilities

As healthcare organizations continue to evolve and expand access to care, Chesapeake looks forward to supporting these initiatives with dependable, high-quality healthcare construction services. “We hold ourselves to the highest standards, and our clients can expect our best work from the start of planning through project completion,” Bond said.

* Kermit Baker, Chief Economist for the American Institute of Architects (July 20, 2020).