09/21/2026
Why Can’t We Just Build Another Hospital in Southern Maryland?
It’s a question I hear more and more as Southern Maryland continues to grow.
With new housing developments, growing communities and increasing demand for healthcare services, it may seem like the answer should be simple: find some land, build a hospital and open the doors. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
In Maryland, building a new hospital involves a number of state regulations and healthcare planning requirements. One of the biggest is the Certificate of Need (CON) process administered by the Maryland Health Care Commission. A proposed new hospital generally has to demonstrate that there is a legitimate need for additional services and that the project makes sense from healthcare planning and financial standpoint.
The state looks at numerous factors, including projected population and demand, existing hospital capacity, accessibility to health care, financial feasibility, costs, and whether the proposed facility would unnecessarily duplicate services already available in the region.
And obtaining approval is only one piece of the puzzle.
A new hospital requires significant financial investment, along with physicians, nurses, technicians and other medical professionals to staff it. We already have a shortage of qualified nursing staff across Maryland. There are also requirements involving emergency services, medical equipment, building standards, licensing, infrastructure, utilities, transportation access and numerous state and federal regulations.
There is also the question of where a hospital should be located. Southern Maryland covers a large and rapidly developing area, and a location that works well for one community may not provide the accessibility or regional coverage needed for another.
That doesn't mean another hospital in Southern Maryland is impossible. It means that building one requires a much more extensive process than simply having available land and a willing developer.
As Southern Maryland continues to grow, the discussion about future healthcare capacity is important. But the solution may involve not only building new facilities, but also expanding existing hospitals, increasing access to outpatient and specialty care, attracting additional medical professionals, and determining where future healthcare demand will be greatest.
