More Community Benefit than Any Other Hospital in Montgomery County, Among Top 5 in Maryland

Washington Adventist Hospital has served the Greater Washington metropolitan community for more than 100 years, and we believe that everyone – insured, underinsured and uninsured – deserves access to high-quality health care. Part of our mission is to provide quality and compassionate health-care services and proactively meet the health-care needs of our diverse community.

One important way we fulfill that mission is through the charity, or free care and community benefit we provide annually. Community benefit consists of Washington Adventist Hospital’s programs and activities that provide treatment or promote health and wellness as a response to identified community needs. In 2009, Washington Adventist Hospital provided $25 million in charity care, bringing our total community benefit to more than $33 million - greater than any other hospital in Montgomery County. Washington Adventist is also ranked among the top 5 hospitals in Maryland for community benefit.

The plan for our relocated hospital in White Oak and the continued use of our current campus will allow us to remain financially strong in order to continue providing these levels of charity care and community benefit each year.

In addition to the charity care or the access to care we provide to those who would not otherwise be able to afford it, our community benefit addresses community needs and priorities through disease prevention and improvement of health status. Our community benefit activities include public events such as free cancer and vascular screenings, free flu shot clinics and health education seminars.

The Adventist HealthCare Center on Health Disparities, through research, innovative training, partnerships, local outreach and services, allows Washington Adventist Hospital and other health-care and community organizations to provide quality care to everyone by bridging the health-care access gap and building health-care equity for minority and underserved populations in the region.

One of Washington Adventist Hospital’s important community partnerships is with Mary’s Center, a federally qualified comprehensive health center which offers a full range of vital health-care services to local residents regardless of their ability to pay. Mary’s Center will play an integral role in the continued use of the Takoma Park campus when Washington Adventist Hospital relocates to White Oak.