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Holy Cross Hospital is bursting at the seams, delivering more babies than any hospital in Maryland. The hospital serves many from the fast-growing county, including the poor and uninsured.
"It's busy, very busy. And we do prioritize being able to serve the people of our community in their community, and that's the goal," said Dr. Judith Rogers, patient care services vice president.
As a result, the hospital wants to build another hospital on the grounds of Montgomery Community College's Germantown campus. It would be a partnership with the school's nursing and health care programs.
But Holy Cross's proposal has ignited opposition from some because Catholic facilities do not do abortions or provide other reproductive services.
"We are concerned that Holy Cross would not offer the full range of reproductive care services to women, including getting birth control services, fertility treatment and referrals for abortion care," said Jennifer Blasdell, NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland.
Adventist Health Care is also vying for a new hospital and medical campus farther north in Clarksburg, but while also faith-based, it allows abortions.
Holy Cross, however, notes that almost all abortions in Montgomery County are already done in a clinic or doctor's offices -- not in hospitals.
"About 5,000 or so abortions done in the county in a year, of them only 78 are done in in-patient facilities," Dr. Rogers said.
Both proposals, along with public comments, will go before the Maryland Health Care Commission, which is expected to make a final decision early next year.
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