Doctors Community Hospital Names Surgical Wing For Albert Turner and Family

Legacies are most often built over a lifetime of dedication or influence in a particular area. Although builder Albert Turner still goes to work every day after at over 100 years old and his dedication has touched several disciplines, on June 15, it was his focus on Doctors Community Hospital System that drew attention.

Doctors Community Hospital System hosted a naming ceremony for the Albert W. Turner Family Surgical Services Pavilion—complete with new surgical facilities to extend the hospital’s top tier levels of care.

DCH President & CEO Phil Down (center) with Carrollton Enterprises' founder and DCH supporter Albert W. Turner (seated). County Council member Andrea Harrison stands for right. PHOTO: CAROL DAY

“This isn’t just an entrance,” said DCHS President and CEO Philip Down. “This is a new structure with five new operating rooms. We could not have done this without you.”

Turner and his family have also made possible a new Wellness on Wheels (WOW) mobile health clinic. The new Wellness on Wheels mobile health clinic made possible by a $100,000 donation from Carrollton Enterprises’ Albert W. Turner and his family. Additionally, they have given $400,000 in other donations to DCH in support of the hospital’s surgical services renovation and breast health program—making Turner the system’s largest single donor at $500,000. In 2013, Mr. Turner was awarded with the hospital’s “Passion for Caring” award in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the community.

“I’m very proud to have a building in this complex with the Turner family name on it. I couldn’t be more pleased if I lived forever,” said Turner who is also former first mayor of New Carrollton.

“[Al Turner] has built thousands of homes and created communities here over the years,” Down explained. “Then when all those people moved in, they needed places to shop. So, he built shopping centers for them. I like to think that now he’s taking it to a whole new level. WOW is bringing health care into their communities. It’s booked solid every day. We are at shopping centers, churches, health fairs all over the county. The DCH System is now in every part of the county.”

WOW is also sponsored by Capital One Bank and had early support from Walmart as well. Staffed by Doctors Community Hospital System clinicians, the clinic delivers free medical care in under-served areas of Prince George’s County. Some of the preventative health services provided include screenings (diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure) as well as medication reviews.

The hospital system is enjoying national recognition for first class health care and innovative initiatives. It has earned several U.S. News & World Report Performance Awards. It has been recognized for its Best Practices and Improvements in recent years as well. http://www.dchweb.org/about-us/awards-and-achievements

“The Doctors Community Hospital System is in every part of the county – north, south and central,” Down said of the 12 satellite facilities around the county in addition to its Lanham-based campus in the center of Prince George’s. “As a result we have patience from a broad area of the county coming into our system.”

Timothy Adams, President and Chief Executive Officer, Systems Application & Technologies, Inc., is a board member of DCH. Adams recognized the contributions of the Turner family.

“Thank you for you generosity to the hospital. As we look around now and talk about WOW, we talk about the surgical center, we talk about the breast care outreach that DCH has, and your generosity has enabled us to do that. It’s truly about the outreach. We appreciate your continued support,” Adams said.

The team at Carrollton Enterprises also supports DCH through an annual golf tournament led by the company’s community relations executive, William Steen. The tournament raised $115,000 this year.

For more about Albert W. Turner, see Prince George’s Suite Magazine “A Carpenter’s Life,” (Spring Summer 2016 Edition)