Community Benefits: Community Services

	Community Services
	Suburban Hospital Reaches Out to Those Most in Need Through health partnerships and coalition advocacy, Suburban Hospital, in Bethesda has found one of the most effective strategies for improving community health and reaching at-risk and uninsured populations. Recognizing that there are many undocumented and uninsured residents throughout Montgomery County, Suburban reaches out to minorities and indigent communities when selecting venues for its health education and screening programs. All of these programs are conducted without regard to immigration or insurance status. For example, in partnership with the Montgomery County Cancer Crusade, last year, Suburban conducted 38 health education screenings for colorectal cancer, reaching more than 1,600 minority individuals who may not otherwise have known that they were at risk for this life-threatening disease. Likewise, thanks to a grant from the Quality Health Foundation, Suburban Hospital has partnered with Clinica Proyecto Salud in Wheaton to collaborate on a Latino Diabetes Education program. To date, through screening, outreach and education classes, more than 1,500 individuals have learned more about their individual risks, as well as lifestyle choices for diabetes prevention and management. In an effort to provide health services not only to those in the hospital’s backyard, but to impact individuals in need throughout the County, Suburban has worked with mobile Medical Care Inc. since 1995. Through this program, dedicated to providing free or low-cost medical care for the uninsured, Suburban has provided free cardiovascular diagnostics such as EKGs, MRIs, and CT scans, as well as interventional and diagnostic radiology, laboratory, and certain inpatient services to hundreds of thousands of people. Since 1995, MobileMed and its traveling Winnebago "Mody," has expanded its stops from 7 to 19 clinics, which in turn has grown Suburban Hospital’s contribution from an average of $150,000 in free diagnostic services to nearly $468,000 last year. In appreciation for the hospital’s continued efforts to support the growing population of those in need, MobileMed recently presented Suburban Hospital with their Outstanding Community Partnership of the year award. Suburban Offers Health Resource Guide Recognizing that many immigrants and uninsured county residents may be unfamiliar with vital resources available to them, Suburban Hospital’s community outreach team researched and assembled a 12-page resource guide that is now distributed to individuals at community health screenings and programs. This guide provides up-to-date contact information on a host of health and outreach organizations, as well as valuable tools for navigating the system, obtaining insurance through Medicaid, or identifying additional resources for free medical care. The guide is available in English and Spanish.

Community Services

Suburban Hospital Reaches Out to Those Most in Need
Through health partnerships and coalition advocacy, Suburban Hospital, in Bethesda has found one of the most effective strategies for improving community health and reaching at-risk and uninsured populations. Recognizing that there are many undocumented and uninsured residents throughout Montgomery County, Suburban reaches out to minorities and indigent communities when selecting venues for its health education and screening programs. All of these programs are conducted without regard to immigration or insurance status.

For example, in partnership with the Montgomery County Cancer Crusade, last year, Suburban conducted 38 health education screenings for colorectal cancer, reaching more than 1,600 minority individuals who may not otherwise have known that they were at risk for this life-threatening disease. Likewise, thanks to a grant from the Quality Health Foundation, Suburban Hospital has partnered with Clinica Proyecto Salud in Wheaton to collaborate on a Latino Diabetes Education program. To date, through screening, outreach and education classes, more than 1,500 individuals have learned more about their individual risks, as well as lifestyle choices for diabetes prevention and management.

In an effort to provide health services not only to those in the hospital’s backyard, but to impact individuals in need throughout the County, Suburban has worked with mobile Medical Care Inc. since 1995. Through this program, dedicated to providing free or low-cost medical care for the uninsured, Suburban has provided free cardiovascular diagnostics such as EKGs, MRIs, and CT scans, as well as interventional and diagnostic radiology, laboratory, and certain inpatient services to hundreds of thousands of people. Since 1995, MobileMed and its traveling Winnebago "Mody," has expanded its stops from 7 to 19 clinics, which in turn has grown Suburban Hospital’s contribution from an average of $150,000 in free diagnostic services to nearly $468,000 last year. In appreciation for the hospital’s continued efforts to support the growing population of those in need, MobileMed recently presented Suburban Hospital with their Outstanding Community Partnership of the year award.

Suburban Offers Health Resource Guide

Recognizing that many immigrants and uninsured county residents may be unfamiliar with vital resources available to them, Suburban Hospital’s community outreach team researched and assembled a 12-page resource guide that is now distributed to individuals at community health screenings and programs. This guide provides up-to-date contact information on a host of health and outreach organizations, as well as valuable tools for navigating the system, obtaining insurance through Medicaid, or identifying additional resources for free medical care. The guide is available in English and Spanish.