MultiCare announced Monday plans for a hospital to be built in Covington over the next seven years.

The plan is to build the hospital on the site next to the existing MultiCare Clinic.

The hospital would provide residents of communities in South King County with access to emergency medical care and new services including a women’s and children’s center, labor and delivery department and expanded surgical services.

According to MultiCare spokeswoman Marce Edwards, the hospital will have a 24-hour emergency department and “34 inpatient beds.”

Edwards said a specific time line has not been set, the plan is for a seven-year phased building process with the emergency department to be constructed first.

The second phase construction would include the women’s and children’s center and labor and delivery department.

According to Edwards, MultiCare has filed two letters of intent with the state Department of Health. One letter proposed a facility with "34 licensed acute care beds" and the second letter describes a hospital with "58 licensed acute care beds."

MultiCare will file a certificate of need with the department describing the plans and providing reasons a new hospital is needed in the community.

According to a MultiCare release, the hospital would “allow for minimally invasive surgical services in orthopedics, general surgery, urology and other areas. Mary Bridge pediatric specialists also will bring their expertise to the community.”

MultiCare is a nonprofit organization and in the release stated the Covington clinic serves 30,000 patients a year at the Urgent Care clinic.