Community Health | MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital

MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital

We recognize that health plays an important role in building and sustaining vibrant and strong communities. Based on our Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), we have developed programs and services that address key areas of health for members of our community.

Improving community health

As a healthcare leader in the region, we play an important and significant role in advancing health and partnering with others to facilitate community health improvement.

Our efforts are guided in large part by the results of our CHNA, which we perform every three years. These efforts focus primarily on improving the health of underserved populations and addressing health disparities with the goal of achieving health equity.

Community Health Outreach Request

Thank you for considering MedStar Health as your community partner. We truly value the work of community-based organizations to build healthier communities.

MedStar Health’s Community Health department develops, partners, and supports local programs and activities that lead to community health improvements. Our services include reaching out to the community through involvement in local activities, finding expert speakers for presentations and collaborating with other organizations.

Community Health is dedicated to improving the health of our communities through partnerships, and the delivery of accessible, evidence-based education and wellness services. Classes and services are designed to provide information and resources for informed health decisions.

As part of our mission, MedStar Health supports a wide range of organizations in their efforts to provide health education and health promotion. Community Health is unable to accommodate requests that are primarily for marketing purposes.

MedStar Health Community Health Outreach Request Form

Community Partnership Guidelines

Request and approval process:

Complete the online request form in its entirety.
MedStar Health’s logo should be included on advertising materials, when possible.
A minimum of 6-week notice is required for any event request.
After the request is submitted, a member of our team will contact you to discuss the specifics of the event/program.

Participation consideration will be dependent on the following:

Support of health programs that benefit the underserved and underinsured;
Alignment of programs with MedStar Health’s mission and vision;
Alignment of program with the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA);
Support of residents across MedStar Health’s service areas.

Preference will be given to those requests that provide health improvement outcomes.

MedStar Health Community Health Outreach Request Form

Behavioral health resources

We are partnering with the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) to deliver information on mental health conditions and resources available within our community.

To curb deaths from opioid overdose, we are joining efforts with the Baltimore City Health Department in the quest to train as many people as possible to administer naloxone, a life-saving medication that rapidly reverses opioid overdose.

Alleviating barriers

We know that health is a complex interplay between multiple variables of physical, social, and economic factors. We are proud to work with a number of community-based organizations to alleviate barriers to improving health status, such as addressing lack of access to healthy food, transportation, and job opportunities.

These initiatives collectively allow us to focus on population health—the improvement of health outcomes for the residents and surrounding areas that we serve.

Community program resources

Our work involves addressing chronic disease prevention and management for heart disease/stroke, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. We offer evidence-based courses that focus in on helping you manage chronic diseases such as hypertension, pain, and arthritis. You can also find opportunities to participate in smoking cessation classes.

Classes and events

Community health events

MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital frequently hosts events aimed at promoting better health in our community. Find an event that interests you.

For more information about connecting area residents to services and resources that can help them live better and healthier lives, call 443-695-7813.

MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital’s 340B Program

Congress created the 340B drug savings program to help those hospitals serving vulnerable communities expand access to prescription drugs and support essential services for their communities. The savings generated from the 340B drug discount program are used by MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital to help keep pace with the rapidly rising costs of prescription drugs, as well as to offer additional needed services to our community such as the ones described below.

Access to Care for Vulnerable Populations

MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital recognizes the importance of early detection for cancer and has programs available for those who may not be able to afford these lifesaving screenings on their own. The hospital also provides pathways for financial assistance for individuals that are unable to afford their treatment services and provides innovative approaches to receive continued care in a home setting.

Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program provides free breast and cervical cancer screening programs to uninsured Baltimore City and County residents. MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital partners with its three Baltimore regional hospitals to screen women – most of whom are Hispanic/Latina.
Colon Cancer Screening Program provides free colon cancer screening programs to uninsured Baltimore City and County residents. MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital partners with its three Baltimore regional hospitals to screen individuals. A majority of those screened are Hispanic/Latino.
Prescription assistance Funding and assistance with accessing prescription medications for patients in need are available.
Palliative Telemedicine Program helps transition individuals on palliative services from the hospital to home by providing continued education, comfort, and care assistance via an electronic platform.
Patient Financial Services provides financial assistance to uninsured patients who reside within the communities we serve by assisting with enrollment in publicly-funded programs, refer patients to State or Federal Insurance Exchange Navigator resources and assist with other funding resources that may be available from other charitable organizations.
Bedside Rx Delivery Service is a free service to eliminate barriers such as transportation, to help patients take prescribed medications as instructed, to improve health outcomes and avoid readmission.

Health and Wellness

MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital serves as the front door to the opioid epidemic and provides comprehensive behavioral health resources through a variety of different programs. The organization also recognizes that at-risk, high-needs individuals living in our communities need access to chronic disease management and prevention education.

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is a program for screening and identification of substance use disorder, with a goal of providing referrals for substance abuse treatment. The program serves MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital’s Emergency Department and select outpatient primary care offices. Peer Recovery Coaches provide brief intervention and referrals to community support services and treatment centers.
Opioid Survivor Outreach Program (OSOP) statistics show that those who survive an opioid overdose have a 60% mortality rate unless they are actively engaged in treatment. MedStar’s field base initiative, sends peer recovery coaches in the field to see recent overdose survivors and link them to treatment services, naloxone trainings and provide a consistent point of contact should someone wish to enter care.
Mental Health and Substance Use Education In partnership with community organizations, such as the Baltimore City Health Department and Mosaic Community Services MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital offers free education courses on mental health awareness and naloxone administration.

Chronic Disease Education programs are offered to support healthy lifestyle changes for community members:

Living Well Self-Management Programs offers evidence based six-week workshops for adults who have long lasting health problems with ideas to help them take charge of their health and live active and enjoyable lives. Family members and caregivers are also welcome.
Diabetes Prevention Programs offers evidence-based year-long programs to help community members prevent diabetes through life balance and weight management.
Smoking Cessation Programs are offered on a quarterly basis to provide community members a forum to receive support to stop smoking.
MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital is an active participant in providing health education at Health Fairs across its community benefit service area. Free flu shot clinics are also provided at a wide range of churches and community-based organizations.
Free Support Groups for stroke, alcohol anonymous, aphasia, caregiver, and amputee are provided as safe havens for continued support and well-being.
Yoga and Tai Chi are provided as part of the Good Health Center’s regular offering of services.

Social Determinants of Health

MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital invests in programs and partnerships that address the social needs of patients and community members.

Workforce Development MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital hires and trains individuals from high poverty and high unemployment zip codes to expand its population health workforce of Community Health Workers and Peer Recovery Specialists.
Housing in Collaboration with the City of Baltimore and Health Care for the Homeless invest in the Supportive Housing Investment Fund to provide housing case management and tenancy support services to adults who are high utilizers of emergency departments or have co-occurring chronic health conditions, and who are experiencing housing instability or homelessness.
Vivian T. Thomas Academy and Mercy High School serve as key partners to provide internships to expose local high school students to careers in healthcare, as well as hands-on experience in a hospital setting.
Transportation in partnership with Uber, MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital has created a convenient ride option program with a reliable means of transportation for vulnerable patients to medical appointments and health education activities. In addition to services through Uber, the hospital provides funds for patients with transportation needs through case management department.

Community Health Needs Assessment

Our 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and 3-year implementation strategy identify our hospital's community benefit service area, the most important health priorities, and activities with measurable outcomes.

The CHNA uses a community-driven approach that supports the hospital in planning and carrying out community-based programming. This approach helps us to more effectively handle the health needs of underserved and vulnerable populations.

View the 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment

View the 2018 Community Health Needs Assessment

View the 2015 Community Health Needs Assessment

View the 2012 Community Health Needs Assessment

Reports to the community

Our reports to the community demonstrate the impact our classes, events, and programs are making in the Baltimore area: