New Babies Are Born Here: Better Maternity Care Coming To Prince George’s
Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center Receives Approval from the State to Add Obstetrics Services to Serve Prince George’s County Residents
With all the excitement of a New Year just weeks away, new and expecting mothers in Prince George’s will have one more thing to be excited about in the years to come: greater women’s health and obstetrics care will become a part of county living.
“Today marks an important milestone in Luminis Health’s effort to bring women’s healthcare closer to home in Prince George’s County,” read a December 14 news announcement from Luminis Health.
“The Maryland Health Care Commission voted to approve Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center’s (LHDCMC) request to add obstetrics services as part of its comprehensive women's health program on our Lanham campus.”
Prince George’s County has the second highest birth rate in the State of Maryland, yet there are very few options for women to deliver their babies in the County. LHDCMC is the only acute care hospital in northern Prince George’s County, serving more than a half million residents.
“This approval is a momentous occasion for Prince Georgians – and a critical milestone on our journey to create a comprehensive women’s health hub in the County,” said Tori Bayless, CEO of Luminis Health. “This new program serves as a beacon of hope, aiming to shrink health disparities that have disproportionately impacted black and brown women here in Maryland and across our country. We are grateful for the support and partnership of our communities and Prince George’s County leadership as we continue on this path.”
To accommodate the obstetrics services, LHDCMC will build a new patient care pavilion for state-of-the-art women’s and surgical services. The four-story pavilion, part of a multi-phased capital improvement project starting in 2024, will feature a family birth center that includes:
·Private rooms for labor and delivery and post-delivery suites
·Two dedicated C-Section operating rooms
· Level II Special Care Nursery
·Access to family planning, lactation, mental health, and other supports maternal care
The family birth center is scheduled to open in 2028, and once fully operational, 2,000 babies are expected to be delivered each year.
By bringing these services under one roof, LHDCMC seeks to provide easier access, improve coordination of care, and strengthen the overall patient experience.
Deneen Richmond, president of LHDCMC. PHOTO: AMIR STOUDAMIRE // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE & MEDIA
“It is unacceptable that 8 out of 10 women have to deliver their baby outside of Prince George’s County because of a lack of obstetrical and other healthcare services,” said Deneen Richmond, president of LHDCMC. “It’s particularly alarming because the maternal mortality rate for Black women in Prince George’s County is 50 percent higher than the national average. As part of Vision 2030, Luminis Health’s 10-year strategic plan, we are committed to eliminating maternal and infant mortality by creating a healthcare environment that benefits all women.”
The full campus expansion and renovation, of which the obstetrics services are a key component, is scheduled to take place over the next six years, and will include the following phases:
Phase 1: Work is scheduled to kick off in early 2024 with site development including updating utility infrastructure for water, electric, wastewater systems, telecommunications, and improving the traffic flow and safety throughout the medical center campus.
Phase 2: In the second half of 2024, construction will begin on a new parking garage; adding an additional 350+parking spaces and charging for electric vehicles.
· Phase 3: The loading dock will be relocated to make way for the patient care pavilion
· Phase 4: In late 2025, construction is expected to start on the patient care pavilion, which will house the new obstetrics services and state-of-the-art operating rooms.
· Phase 5: Upon completion of the new pavilion, interior renovations to the medical center’s clinical infrastructure and support services will begin. There will be a redesigned front entrance and lobby, new pharmacy, cafeteria, and additional visitor facing services.
The entire project is expected to cost more than $300 million. Luminis Health plans to make a significant investment to fund the project, and is also seeking county, state, federal, and philanthropic support. The expansion will create 100+ full-time positions, including physicians, nurses, technicians, social workers and support staff.
When Luminis Health was formed, the health system made a commitment to increase high-quality, accessible, safe healthcare in Prince George’s County. Since 2019, approximately $110 million has been invested at LHDCMC, including our joint investment with Prince George’s County to open a new Behavioral Health Pavilion to provide comprehensive mental health services. LHDCMC has also expanded surgical services to include general abdominal, bariatric and bladder surgeries, and opened a new Ob-Gyn practice in Greenbelt.
“As we approach the 50th anniversary of LHDCMC, our commitment to Prince George’s County is stronger now than when we first opened our doors in 1975. These initiatives are a significant step forward in the journey of fulfilling Luminis Health’s mission of enhancing the health of the people and communities we serve,” said Richmond.
