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Holy Cross Hospital intends to build a new hospital
in Germantown, Md., make new investments in its current hospital in
Silver Spring, and expand its network of community-based primary care health
care centers.
“Holy Cross Hospital is deeply committed to access
to high quality health care services for our community, today and tomorrow.
Our plan makes a major contribution toward that goal by improving primary
care access and expanding hospital capacity to serve the needs of our
growing and aging population,” said Kevin J. Sexton, president and
CEO of Holy Cross Hospital, “and we are excited about our role in
the future of health care in our region.”
Analyses show that the
Silver Spring and Gaithersburg/Germantown areas of Montgomery County
are particularly impacted by these demographic trends and at risk in terms
of future access to needed health care services. New investments in
the Silver Spring hospital include the construction of all private rooms
and enhancements to emergency and surgical services.
The new hospital’s
location – on the Germantown Campus of Montgomery College – will
enable a large number of patients to seek care closer to home. Currently,
28 percent of patients at Holy Cross Hospital live in the northern and
western regions of the county and choose to travel all the way to Silver
Spring. Reducing their travel is not only a convenience for patients – it
will make care more accessible and reduce the impact on the transportation
infrastructure.
The problem of healthcare workforce shortages exists
today and is projected to increase dramatically. “Another key ingredient
in ensuring access is educating a sufficient supply of nurses and skilled
healthcare professionals,” said Sexton.
With Holy Cross Hospital
and Montgomery College sharing one location, the possibilities for
expanding the number of caregivers to meet future needs are extraordinary.
Some of the areas already discussed as opportunities open to this partnership
include shared clinical and educational space such as laboratories
and classrooms, expanding faculty and mentors, increased support for students,
and continuing education for mid-career professionals. The hospital
and the college already provide a unique training and community care model
on the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus of Montgomery College, and
therefore, are well prepared to jointly expand health-related educational
opportunities and contribute to the economic development of our area.
“I want
to congratulate Holy Cross Hospital and Montgomery College on this unique
partnership placing a hospital on a community college campus in the State
of Maryland,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “This exciting
venture will offer the residents of Germantown and Montgomery County access
to quality, affordable health care, and provide great partnerships for
training the next generation of health professionals in our state.”
Holy
Cross Hospital is also constructing two additional primary health care
centers for uninsured adults in Gaithersburg and Wheaton as well as
a planned obstetrics/gynecology clinic on the Germantown campus. This
network of three primary health centers and two obstetrics/gynecology
clinics will help ease crowding in emergency centers while improving continuity
of care. At Holy Cross Hospital alone, the demand for emergency services
rose by 13 percent last year. The health centers also will help control
overall health care costs by redirecting primary care away from very
high-priced emergency care to a lower cost outpatient alternative.
Holy
Cross Hospital will be able to electronically link this entire system
of health care because on September 12, 2008, it is installing a robust
information technology system that allows direct physician ordering
and related record keeping – the
first in the county. Quality, safety and efficiency will improve as patient
clinical information is linked, whether in the hospital, primary care
health center or physician office.