University of Maryland’s Capital Region and St. Joseph Medical Centers Set to Become Kaiser Permanente Premier Hospitals
Rockville, MD – Two of the Mid-Atlantic region’s largest medical systems – Kaiser Permanente and the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) – today announced an expansion of their relationship. In mid-2022, two UMMS hospitals in Maryland – University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center in Largo and University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson – will become Kaiser Permanente premier hospitals. These new hospital relationships will add more options for Kaiser Permanente’s more than 800,000 members across the region to access outstanding hospital-based care from their Permanente physicians.
“It is clear that Kaiser Permanente shares an aligned mission and commitment to delivering high-quality, inpatient care with the University of Maryland Medical System,” said Ruth Williams-Brinkley, regional president, Kaiser Permanente. “We are pleased to expand inpatient access to healthcare that is aligned with our geographical footprint, and with a first-rate health system by adding UM Capital Region Medical Center and UM St. Joseph Medical Center who will be joining our network of premier hospitals. I am confident that our members will value these additional options for superior hospital care in our region.”
Since 2018, the UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie has been a Kaiser Permanente premier hospital. UM Capital Region Medical Center will join the Kaiser Permanente premier hospital list in July 2022, with Permanente physicians providing hospital based medical care. Also, in September 2022, UM St. Joseph Medical Center will be added as a premier hospital, with Permanente physicians at this location offering several specialties including but not limited to labor and delivery, cardiology, neurology, urology and orthopedic surgery to Kaiser Permanente members.
“This designation, which is afforded only to hospitals who meet high standards for patient safety, quality of care and patient comfort and experience, deepens the partnership between our two organizations and reflects UMMS’ reputation for safety and quality,” said Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, President and CEO of UMMS. “As two of the leading healthcare providers in the region, we are both committed to the transformation of healthcare by improving access to high quality care while providing an efficient, service-friendly patient experience.”
With the recently opened Kaiser Permanente Lutherville-Timonium Medical Center as well as the addition of UM St. Joseph Medical Center in mid-2022, Kaiser Permanente’s members in Baltimore will have even more access to award-winning care provided by Permanente physicians.
“Our physicians are excited to care for our patients at these exceptional hospitals,” said Dr. Richard McCarthy, medical director, Kaiser Permanente in the mid-Atlantic region. “The University of Maryland shares our dedication to medical excellence. Our patients can rest assured that if they need hospital care, we will make certain they get the best care throughout their hospitalization, recovery and beyond.”
Kaiser Permanente’s integrated delivery system receives regional and national recognition for its high-quality ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as well as the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). With 35 medical centers in the region and five more new facilities opening in 2022, Kaiser Permanente’s more than 800,000 members receive care from the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, which includes over 1,700 physicians in more than 50 medical specialties. Permanente Medicine physicians are recognized nationally for success in disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, resulting in longer and healthier lives for Kaiser Permanente’s members.
In the Mid-Atlantic region, when Kaiser Permanente patients need hospital care, they can select from several premier hospital options that offer dedicated wings for Permanente physicians to provide care exclusively to the health system’s members.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.4 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/
About the University of Maryland Medical System
The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is a university-based regional health care system focused on serving the health care needs of Maryland, bringing innovation, discovery and research to the care we provide and educating the state’s future physician and health care professionals through our partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore professional schools (Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry) in Baltimore. As one of the largest private employers in the State, the health system’s more than 29,500 employees and 4,000 affiliated physicians provide primary and specialty care in more than 150 locations, including 12 hospitals and 9 University of Maryland Urgent Care centers. The UMMS flagship academic campus, the University of Maryland Medical Center in downtown Baltimore, is recognized regionally and nationally for excellence and innovation in specialized care. Our acute care and specialty rehabilitation hospitals serve urban, suburban and rural communities and are located in 13 counties across the State. For more information, visit www.umms.org.
