Johns Hopkins Community Physicians Inc

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - JOHNS HOPKINS MEDICINE AND BALTIMORE MEDICAL SYSTEM (BMS), THE LARGEST FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER (FQHC) IN MARYLAND, DEVELOPED A UNIQUE COLLABORATION FOR CARE OF THE EAST BALTIMORE COMMUNITY. TOGETHER THEY TRANSITIONED THE EAST BALTIMORE MEDICAL CENTER (EBMC) INTO AN FQHC TO FURTHER THE COMMITMENT TO COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY CARE FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. JOHNS HOPKINS MEDICINE PROVIDES THE CLINICIANS AND STAFF WHO PROVIDE CARE AT THE SITE AND JHM ALSO PROVIDES A COMMUNITY BENEFIT GRANT TO BMS TO ENSURE ENHANCED SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE FOR EBMC PATIENTS. THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP, EBMC HAS INCREASED WRAPAROUND SERVICES INCLUDING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH/SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER COUNSELING, COMMUNITY NAVIGATION RESOURCES, CARE MANAGEMENT, NUTRITION AND DIABETIC COUNSELING, IN-PERSON TRANSLATORS, AND HEALTH BENEFIT ADVISORS. EBMC IS IN A MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREA IN EAST BALTIMORE. THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREAS SCORE FOR EBMC PRIMARY CARE IS 22, WHICH INDICATES IT IS AUTHORIZED FOR THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS SCHOLARS PROGRAM FOR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS/NURSE PRACTITIONERS. EBMC IS CURRENTLY STAFFED WITH NEARLY 20 PHYSICIAN AND ADVANCED PRACTICE CLINICIANS AND DELIVERS MORE THAN 60,000 VISITS PER YEAR TO MORE THAN 18,000 UNIQUE PATIENTS. OF THESE PATIENTS, 79% ARE EITHER UNINSURED, MEDICAID OR DUALLY ELIGIBLE (MEDICAID/MEDICARE). DUE TO THE TRANSITION OF THE CLINIC IN COMBINATION WITH THE ONGOING PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES FROM COVID-19, THE DEMAND FOR SERVICES HAS INCREASED, OUTSTRIPPING THE CLINICAL FOOTPRINT OF THE BUILDING TODAY. IN ORDER TO FURTHER EXPAND MUCH NEEDED CARE DELIVERY AND ACCESS, ADDITIONAL CLINICAL SPACE IS NEEDED. DOLLARS SUPPORTED THROUGH AN EARMARK WOULD ALLOW US TO REDESIGN THE 3RD FLOOR OF THE EBMC BUILDING, ADDING APPROXIMATELY 3000SQ FEET OF CLINICAL SPACE THAT WOULD BE RENOVATED TO ADD AT LEAST 8 EXAM ROOMS AND THE REQUIRED CLINICAL SUPPORT SPACE TO SERVE THESE NEW EXAM ROOMS. CURRENTLY THE 3RD FLOOR IS UNUTI LIZED RESEARCH OFFICE SPACE THAT IS INADEQUATE FOR CLINICAL PURPOSES. RENOVATIONS WOULD ALLOW US TO HOUSE A GROWING CLINICAL TEAM AND WRAPAROUND RESOURCES. THESE NEW EXAM ROOMS WOULD ALLOW THE ADDITION OF AT LEAST 4 MD/ADVANCED PRACTICE PROVIDERS PLUS WRAP AROUND SERVICES. THESE NEW PROVIDERS WOULD SERVE MORE THAN 5000 NEW PATIENTS IN THE EAST BALTIMORE COMMUNITY, PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED EXPANSION OF CARE.