Health Care: A Good Year And Getting Better
HEALTH COMMENTARY
Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center President Reviews Year And Pledges New Health Care Initiatives for 2023
By Deneen Richmond // President, Luminis Doctors Community Health Care
Healthcare should be refreshingly easy. At Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center (LHDCMC), we are committed to building a brighter, healthier future for our community. We accomplished a lot in 2022, and we are on a mission to do more in 2023.
The Luminis Health system is determined to break down barriers of health and deliver more high-quality, equitable health care in Prince George’s County and throughout the State of Maryland. Three years ago, Doctors Community Hospital joined with Anne Arundel Health System to better meet the needs of patients, grow in a sustainable way, and provide greater access to care—closer to home. By forming Luminis Health, we are making major investments in our community and building upon our nearly 50-year legacy in Lanham.
One way to accomplish this is to address the unmet needs in the region. The pandemic showed us all the need for behavioral health services. With the help of a $20 million grant from Prince George’s County and County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, we opened a new behavioral health pavilion on the campus of LHDCMC. We’ve already treated approximately 150 patients in our outpatient mental health and urgent walk-in clinics, as well as our psychiatric day hospital. A new adult inpatient psychiatric unit and residential substance use program will open in early 2023.
We have also recognized there is a critical need for additional women’s health services in Prince George’s County, resulting in LHDCMC now offering a variety of minimally-invasive treatments, including Fibroids and gynecologic cancers. The health system has also expanded surgical services to include general abdominal, bariatric, and bladder surgeries.
In addition, Luminis Health is targeting chronic diseases like diabetes, from a preventive and primary care perspective. Our Community Health Team hosts weekly classes in Riverdale and College Park to help residents eat better and improve their sugar levels, commonly known as A1C. We are also committed to providing top notch care for your children. Thanks to an on-going partnership with Children’s National Hospital, we can treat pediatric patients in our emergency department. And, Luminis Health recently launched a new web-platform that not only includes a redesigned website, but easy, personalized online scheduling for in-person and telehealth visits.
While there is much to celebrate, we can’t overlook the on-going impact of the pandemic on the community and our workforce. The medical staff at LHDCMC has been on the front lines battling this virus for nearly three years. At times, it has been exhausting and emotionally overwhelming. The COVID-19 vaccine is our best shot to transition from a pandemic to an endemic. That’s why Luminis Health led the way by administering approximately 125,000 COVID-19 vaccines throughout our communities. We couldn’t do it without the help of community partnerships such as Reid Temple A.M.E. Church, First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville, the City of Hyattsville, Prince George’s Community College, the Prince George’s County Health Department, and many more.
In 2023, Luminis Health has plans to ignite a new era of health care. We are planning to submit a Certificate of Need to bring obstetrics services to our Lanham campus. More than 80 percent of babies are delivered outside of Prince George’s County. By bringing these services closer to home, we can eliminate maternal and infant mortality, which is one of the bold goals of our Strategic Plan called Vision 2030. Future investments include building a women’s health pavilion, adding more parking, and expanding clinical support services such as our pharmacy and lab.
While our name may have changed and our campus may expand over time, our commitment to providing high-quality, comprehensive, equitable and compassionate care will never change. It is an honor to live in Prince George’s County and serve as president of Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center. We are respectful of our legacy, and confident about our future. You can expect more progress next year and beyond as we fulfill our mission to enhance the health of the people and communities we serve.
