Kent Hospital Plans Major Renovation to Modernize Campus, Expand Care

Project will modernize aging facilities, expand services, and upgrade care—while the hospital remains fully open throughout construction.

Care New England has announced a major, multi-phase construction project at Kent Hospital aimed at modernizing the Warwick campus, expanding clinical capacity, and bringing enhanced services to the community.

The project will create additional space to meet growing patient demand while strengthening access to comprehensive care. Plans include a new ambulatory services building, expansion of the Cardiac Catheterization Suite, upgrades and expansion to the Emergency Department, and a redesigned main entrance.

Subject to closing the financing, the project is planned to commence in April 2026. The project is being financed through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) FHA Section 242 Loan Program, which is designed to provide federal mortgage insurance to facilitate construction and refinancing for healthcare facilities.

“This investment reflects our deep commitment to the health and well-being of our community,” said Carolyn Jackson, President and COO, Kent Hospital. “As demand for care continues to grow, this project ensures we are prepared to meet that need not just for today, but for generations to come.”

What this means for patients:

• More appointment availability as new clinicians are added
• Expanded heart care with an additional cardiac cath lab
• Upgraded emergency department, including triage and behavioral health space
• More services in one location, reducing the need to travel elsewhere
• A modernized hospital experience—without interruptions to care during construction

Phase One

The new 90,000 sq. ft. Ambulatory Services Building will encompass three floors, including a new entrance and lobby space for Kent’s main entrance. This expansion will allow Kent Hospital to enhance its services on the Warwick campus. That includes:

• Creating a new OB/GYN practice by combining existing offices
• Expanding the Cardiovascular practice
• Relocating the Wound Center
• Integrating Pulmonary and Thoracic Surgery practices
• Implementing a Multidisciplinary Medical Specialties practice, including Dermatology, Neurology, and Endocrinology

By relocating these services, space will be freed up in the existing ambulatory building to accommodate a new primary care practice on the Kent campus. In total, 18 new clinicians will be recruited to meet patient demand and facilitate this critical growth.

Phase Two: Cardiac Expansion

• Adding a third cardiac catheterization lab
• Larger patient recovery area

Phase Three: Emergency Department Renovation

• Expanded triage, Express Care, and behavioral health areas
• Upgraded and relocated CT suite
• Upgraded MRI suite

Construction is expected to begin in April 2026, pending financing approval, with completion anticipated in the second half of 2027. During construction, Kent will remain fully operational.

About Kent Hospital

Kent Hospital, a Care New England facility, is a 359-bed, acute care hospital. It ranks as Rhode Island’s second-largest hospital, serving around 300,000 residents in central Rhode Island. As a teaching affiliate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kent provides training programs in emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, podiatry, diabetology, and gastroenterology. Its Emergency Department (ED), classified as a high-volume ED by CMS, handles roughly 55,000 patients annually and is one of four hospitals in Rhode Island offering emergency angioplasty for heart attacks. Additionally, it has been recognized as a verified geriatric surgery facility by the American College of Surgeons Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) program—the first hospital in New England and the 25th nationwide to earn this distinction.

Kent Hospital also maintains a longstanding clinical partnership with Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, providing excellent local care for conditions like cardiology, pulmonary issues, thoracic surgery, colorectal surgery, and other specialties. The hospital is dedicated to becoming age-friendly to deliver top-quality care for older adults. Its Silver-Level 2 Geriatric ED Accreditation, Geriatric Surgery Comprehensive Excellence Verification, and Acute Care for Elders (ACE) unit exemplifies Kent’s commitment to Healthy Aging and managing issues affecting the health and well-being of the aging community.