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New Stanford Hospital gets funding boost from tech companies

By Molly Merrill

Apple, eBay, HP, Intel, Intuit and Oracle have joined to provide $150 million to help support the building of the New Stanford Hospital, which is being called a global model for patient-centered and technologically advanced healthcare.

The six companies are founding members of the Stanford Hospital Corporate (SHC) Partners Program. Their contributions are projected to provide as much as $150 million over the next 10 years. SHC expects to raise $400 million or more in private donations to fund construction of the facility, on the campus of the Stanford Medical Center.

[See also: Stanford gets $20 million gift for research, construction]

"We are thrilled and deeply grateful to have the extraordinary generosity of Silicon Valley companies that have transformed how people live, communicate and work worldwide," said SHC Board Chairwoman Mariann Byerwalter. "Our corporate partners recognize that Stanford is uniquely positioned to lead in translating the next wave of medical breakthroughs into care that will benefit patients everywhere, and that by investing here, they can impact health worldwide."

In addition to supporting development of the New Stanford Hospital, the companies will collaboratively work with SHC to develop innovative approaches to patient access, information, education and navigation.

"There is no better time to invest in the future of healthcare than now, and no better place than here at Stanford, in the heart of Silicon Valley. By joining with us at this moment, these companies have demonstrated great leadership that reflects their ongoing commitment to improve the quality of life on a global scale," said Stanford University President John Hennessy.

The New Stanford Hospital is being designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects, working in association with Lee, Burkhart, Liu, Inc. The design features the latest in sustainable technology and anticipates an ever-accelerating pace of medical and technological progress, with flexibility to adapt to future innovations.

The project will increase the medical center's capacity to 600 beds and include new and expanded intensive care and emergency services. The design features a multidisciplinary, interventional platform in which radiology and surgical services and the Emergency Department will be co-located with imaging services to enhance care; upper-level residential pavilions with light-filled, single-patient rooms; and a mid-level garden floor.

The New Stanford Hospital will be located adjacent to the current inpatient facility and will be connected by bridges and tunnels to create an integrated facility. Portions of the medical center that were built in the Eisenhower era will no longer contain patient rooms and eventually will be demolished to make way for new outpatient clinics and related support services once the new hospital is completed.

"All of us are very fortunate to have Stanford's world-class medical center right here in Silicon Valley," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We are very excited about the development of their new hospital and really want to support their plans."

Planning for the New Stanford Hospital has been under way for five years. The new hospital will meet California's seismic safety requirements.

[See also: Stanford starts process to gain approval for project]

Construction of the new inpatient facility is expected to take six years and will be preceded by utilities upgrades and related work that could begin in 2011, provided that the project receives required approvals from the city of Palo Alto.