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 to help offer needed services to our community such as the ones described below.

Access to care for Vulnerable Populations

MedStar Health is committed to providing care to the communities we serve when they need it most. Hospitals provide pathways for financial assistance for individuals that are unable to afford their treatment services. MedStar Health also provides innovative approaches to support District of Columbia and Maryland health goals.

Prescription assistance funding and assistance with accessing prescription medications for patients in need are available.
Patient Financial Services provides financial assistance to uninsured patients who reside within the communities we serve by assisting with enrollment in publicly-funded entitlement programs, refer patients to state or federal insurance exchange navigator resources and assist with securing funding that may be available from other charitable organizations.
Transportation in partnership with Uber, Medstar has created a convenient program with a reliable means of transportation for vulnerable patients to travel to and from medical appointments and health education activities.
Physicians in the Community MedStar Health invests in physicians, nurses, specialists and other clinical leaders to provide services in the communities we serve.

Health and Wellness

MedStar Health outreach teams offers classes, events and activities to support a healthy body, mind and spirit. We also recognize that at-risk, high -needs individuals living in our communities need access to peer outreach, chronic disease management, screenings and prevention education.

Chronic Disease Prevention & Management Programs are offered throughout the year at low or no cost to the participants to influence education, self-management and promote a living healthy.
- 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 to provide community members a forum increase awareness and the intention to quit among smokers
Cancer Screenings MedStar Health 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. Our community outreach teams focus on empowering the community with information and screenings for the most common types of cancer in the communities we serve.
Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) a universal screening program for screening and identification of substance use disorder; with a goal of providing referrals for substance abuse treatment. Peer Recovery Coaches provide brief intervention and referrals to community support services and treatment centers.
The Opioid Overdose Survivor’s Outreach Project (OSOP) a field based initiative, statistics show that those who survive an opioid overdose have a 60% mortality rate unless they are actively engaged in treatment. MedStar Health 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.
Support Groups MedStar Health offers many support groups for caregivers and the community to support each other and promote health, independence, and well-being.

Social Determinants of Health

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

Community Health Workers provides advocates who work with patients to connect them to resources in the community, such as food pantries, paying for prescription medications and transportation assistance.
Universal Social Needs Screenings MedStar Health’s social needs screening tool helps to identify the social issues that affect individuals health outcomes and facilitate sensitive conversations about nonmedical needs that maybe a barrier to good health.
Food as Medicine Initiatives address food insecurity and contribute to reducing hunger and improving health through joint programmatic solutions in the communities served by MedStar Health.

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: