March 28, 2024

Lexington Park to Pilot New Health Care Systems in 2014

Posted by Medstar St. Mary’s Hospital
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Medstar St. Mary's Hospital President Christine Wray, left, and leaders of four other health-care coalitions are praised by Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown for innovations that won grant funding to launch Health Enterprise Zone for improving health care in their communities.

Medstar St. Mary’s Hospital President Christine Wray, left, and leaders of four other health-care coalitions are praised by Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown for innovations that won grant funding to launch Health Enterprise Zones for improving health care in their communities.

Within a year, health care in Lexington Park and its environs will be delivered in some new and amazing ways, the result of Maryland awarding the Medstar St. Mary’s Hospital led coalition one of the first Health Enterprise Zones (HEZ) in the state.

The goal of the program is to bring health care providers and culturally competent care to people without access in the Lexington Park area.

To summarize the grant, it will bring to the Lexington Park HEZ:

  • Increased access to health care
  • Reduced healthcare disparities for minority populations
  • Reduced health care costs by providing healthcare in the appropriate setting, for example, in a primary care office instead of the emergency department.

Year One

In the first year, the coalition plans to operate a 12-passenger van capable of carrying two wheelchairs on a health care route around the 16 miles of the Lexington Park HEZ. There will be stops at doctors and dentists offices, pharmacies, major housing developments, Nicolete Park, the gyms and grocery stores.

When this van is not full, people will be able to catch a ride for nominal fee and go to work or other places along our route. The Lexington Park Business and Community Association sees this as boon to businesses in the HEZ area.

The goal in the first year is to recruit the first two of six medical practitioners – five for primary care and one psychiatrist. Additionally, two social workers will begin training health providers in culturally competent care. Language assistance will be developed for physician and dentist offices, so those who do not speak English can understand their health care.

Also in the first year the hospital’s Get Connected to Health program will expand. In this program, patients are assessed by Walden staff for mental health needs when they come for physical care. Folks who come for mental health care will also be assessed for physical needs.

This combination of multiple health care options is the innovative drive behind the program. An ongoing, small scale pilot program of this type is showing very promising results.

Community health workers will be recruited from Lexington Park, adding new jobs in the area. The idea is to have these workers available in churches, barber shops and other community touch points to try to change the health habits and status of the community. For example, these workers could provide information on how to reduce risk for heart attacks, stroke and diabetes and other chronic illnesses. The program will also sponsor classes on how to live with chronic diseases to improve quality of life and reduce hospital use.

Year Two

In year two, the plan aims to set up the dental van, so folks in the HEZ can have access to oral care. Medicaid does not cover adult dental care in most cases, and only one dentist in the immediate vicinity honoring Medicaid coverage is not located in the Lexington Park area. This part of the program was inspired by the Mission of Mercy, an weekend program bringing free dental care to hundreds who need it. The event showed the need for a place for Medicaid patients get their dental care every six months, instead of only at the yearly Mission of Mercy.

In year two, the plan will also open an evening and weekend primary care practice with walk in hours, so folks have ongoing access to primary care, into the evening and on weekends.

It Takes Partnerships

In an open letter of appreciation, Medstar St. Mary’s Hospital praised their partners and the State of Maryland for the opportunity to significantly increase health care opportunities in Lexington Park and the surrounding areas.

The hospital credited Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown with the idea of using historic economic development incentives to bring health care into under-served areas of Maryland. Hospital officials also praised the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for “this wonderful opportunity” in Lexington Park.

An HEZ advisory board is being created to administrate the program. The board will be comprised 51 percent of residents in the zone and  49 percent by the partners. A coordinator will be hired to oversee the tremendous amount of work to be tackled.

There are numerous local partners working with Medstar St. Mary’s including the local health department, also committed to reducing disparities in care in the  Health Enterprise Zone identified in the Lexington Park and surrounding area.

Walden Behavioral Health  already has a pilot program integrating primary and behavioral health care in the Lexington Park area in conjunction with Medstar St. Mary’s Hospital’s Get Connected to Health Program.

Other strong partners include the Minority Outreach Coalition and the Community Development Corporation which supports the Lexington Park Business and Community Association, another organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in the community.

Supporting the successful effort to win HEZ funding was the St. Mary’s County Housing Authority, which is also looking for grant funds to develop supplemental support programs and will be working with the Community Health Workers in the HEZ and the Department of Aging and Human Services, which assisted with brainstorming about programming.

The state  grant awarded to the Lexington Park HEZ coalition will soon bring Greater Baden Health Center Program services into Lexington Park. The local Department of Social Services has worked with the hospital to secure these funds and will have workers involved with Greater Baden Medical Services in the daytime and the MedStar primary care evening and weekend hours at the practice MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital will be bringing into the area.

In addition, MedStar Research Institute will assist with the evaluation of the programming.  The Southern Maryland Center for Independent Living was also helpful to ensure the programming matches the needs of those with disabilities.

Cedar Cove development plans will dovetail with the programming and anticipate building some of the physical structures that will contain the growing services to be offered. Brian Norris at Cherry Cove has been an engaged and willing partner all along the way.

medstarstmarys.org

 

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