Approval for the relocation of Washington Adventist Hospital from its current Takoma Park location to the White Oak area may not come until next year, Maryland state officials said.

The 100-year-old hospital that announced plans to move nearly three years ago is awaiting approval from the Maryland Health Care Commission, the entity which regulates the state's hospital.

So far, the hospital has filed an application with the commission to relocate. A reviewer from the commission visited the hospital's current site and the proposed site in April.

Next, the commission will assess whether or not the proposal meets the  standards for Maryland's acute care hospital services. 

According to Pam Barclay, director for the center of hospital services, two other proposals will be seen by the commission before Washington Adventist's relocation proposal.

The proposal for the  planned Clarksburg Community Hospital and medical campus which is an Adventist Health-sponsored initiative as well as the propsal for the 100-bed Holy Cross Hospital in Germantown are slated to be reviewed by the commission by the year's ened.

Washington Adventist Hospital, said Barclay, is next in line.