Saint Agnes Opens New Health Care Center

BALTIMORE — Project planners and officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 30 for Saint Agnes Hospital’s newest health care center 40 West Plaza.

Saint Agnes Hospital, based in Baltimore, converted the center, formerly a Room Store, into a 38,000-square-foot patient-centered medical home (PCMH). Designed by RTKL of Washington, D.C., the PCMH has a focus on on preventative health care, increased access to primary care physicians and greater coordination of care. Designers expect the PCMH will set a new standard for managing and improving health outcomes for the city and surrounding areas of Baltimore.

Federal and Maryland state health reforms, including recent changes to the Medicare Waiver, encourage adoption of the PCMH model, which should help lower hospital admissions, reduce the need for hospital readmission after discharge, improve health outcomes and increase overall patient satisfaction.

Under the traditional model, there is little coordination of care outside of the primary care practice, leading to delays and unnecessary costs. At Saint Agnes’ new facility the entire process is streamlined to improve patient privacy and decrease wait times. In addition, a care coordinator may assist with everything from check-in paperwork to booking referrals, all examinations are done in the same room and the patient’s privacy-protected electronic medical record follows them through every level of care.

“Given our experience in large, urban centers, 40 West Plaza embodies a sustainable and operationally-efficient medical center that not only supports an improved patient experience but serves as a new, transformative retail property anchor for the community,” said Eric Dingest, senior associate vice president for RTKL in a statement. “RTKL is honored to have had the opportunity to partner alongside Saint Agnes Hospital to bring a true game-changer to the industry and city of Baltimore.”

The facility is designed as a series of flexible clinical modules to improve patient privacy and decrease wait times. With 20 primary care providers, the multi-specialty facility will house a variety of medical services, including imaging, laboratory and physical therapy. The new facility will also have designated rooms for patient education on topics such as diabetes, weight management and heart health.

A significant step toward value-based care and making that care more easily accessible to people living in Baltimore and Howard County, 40 West Plaza aims to make health care more convenient by offering same-day appointments, pharmacy services, walk-in diagnostic imaging services, decreased wait times, extended hours and weekend care. Additionally, the new facility will utilize electronic medical records (EMR) through every level of patient care.

The facility will allow Saint Agnes to increase access to patients, expand new service lines beyond the main campus, ensuring a lasting impact on the community.

In partnership with RTKL, Whiting-Turner Contracting Company of Greenwood Village, Colo., provided a full scope of construction services.

“This new expansion underscores Saint Agnes’ commitment to person-centered healthcare. For nearly five years Saint Agnes has been dedicated to developing a multi-specialty ambulatory center. The new facility is a key part of Saint Agnes’ growth projection and will support the hospital’s desire to expand beyond the main campus and become more physically rooted in the community,” said William Greskovich, vice president of operations and capital projects at the hospital, in a statement.