BALTIMORE, July 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- University of Maryland Faculty Physicians has entered into an agreement to lease 17,000 square feet of space at The Village at Mondawmin, which would establish a new community "health village," University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD, and Faculty Practice President William F. Regine, MD, announced today. It is part of a larger effort to work in partnership with the West Baltimore community to develop and implement health care delivery based on neighborhood needs and to improve patient access to healthcare.

The Faculty Practice group of UMSOM is comprised of 1,300 physicians and providers in more than 80 medical specialties and subspecialties who lead the clinical education of future generations of providers; faculty are also involved in advanced research and clinical trials, while also delivering state-of-the-art clinical care to patients throughout Maryland.

"We are excited to create a health village that will provide medical, dental, and ancillary services to the Mondawmin community in a clean, safe, and peaceful space that promotes equity, health, and wellness," said Esa M. Davis, MD, MPH,Associate Vice President for Community Health at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and Senior Associate Dean for Population and Community Medicine at UMSOM. "We want everyone in the community to have a doctor and medical team they can work with and build a long-term relationship with to improve their health and support their well-being."

When the new Faculty Practice opens at The Village at Mondawmin next year, it will offer primary care services aimed at prevention including pediatrics, yearly wellness visits, and geriatrics. Faculty physicians will also offer advanced primary care services and subspecialty services such as cardiology, endocrinology and gastroenterology. Nutrition counseling, prenatal care, treatment of HIV and other infectious diseases, and mental health services will also be provided.

"Social determinants of health--where people live, learn, work, and play --account for 50 to 60 percent of health outcomes and are a key driver of disparities in health," said Dean Gladwin. "This partnership is a central part of our joint strategic plan and shared mission of the UM School of Medicine and the UM Medical Center, and will enable us to provide accessible and equitable healthcare by bringing our physicians directly into the West Baltimore communities."

The Village at Mondawmin redevelopment is being undertaken by TouchPoint Empowerment Center, LLC, an entity owned personally by Tim Regan, President & CEO of The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. 

"We're thrilled to have the University of Maryland Faculty Practice on board as a tenant at The Village at Mondawmin," said Mr. Regan. "Their world-class physicians and providers will significantly enhance the medical services available to the people of West Baltimore, reinforcing the Village's role as a comprehensive hub for health, wellness, and community resources. It's exciting to see this project continue to gain momentum as we welcome tenants who are committed to making a difference in this special community."

The University of Maryland Faculty Practice joins CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Whiting-Turner, an expanded and relocated TouchPoint Baltimore, and Edenbridge PACE of West Baltimore as future tenants in the building. These tenants represent 75 percent of the leasable space in the project. Discussions are ongoing with other potential tenants, including a daycare provider, restaurants, and retail establishments. Interested businesses are invited to consider joining the community. The Village at Mondawmin leadership along with community leaders will continue to work to lease space to tenants that fill important community needs. 

"Our goal is to provide the highest quality of care to our community in West Baltimore by meeting them where they work and live," said Dr. Regine. "By establishing this community health village, we want to ensure that every resident has easy access not only to medical services but to prevention and health education programs that help incorporate a person's individual culture and customs into healthier lifestyle choices."

Rachel Hoover, MS, MBA, Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer, Faculty Physicians, led the development of this initiative in partnership with Dr. Regine and other physician leaders. "The faculty practice is committed to long-standing and transformative partnerships in our community that will enhance the health of our neighbors and our patients," said Ms. Hoover. "We plan to develop a multi-service centralized health care delivery model to improve primary care, chronic disease management, and care coordination between providers and their patients."

The long-term vision for the community health village is for the Faculty Practice to expand West Baltimore partnerships with federally qualified health centers. This will further improve patient access and student-supported clinics at the Village at Mondawmin. Dental services may be offered in the newly leased space with faculty from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. There is also the potential for an expansion of services provided by other faculty within UMB, including the schools of nursing, social work, law, graduate, and pharmacy.

"UMB is committed to preparing the next generation of health care and human services professionals. At the same time, as an anchor institution in West Baltimore, we are also committed to supporting community health and well-being," said Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore. "Just as our students' service can help address critical health equity issues, we know their professional development will be enriched by their experiences here working with our neighbors."

About The Village at Mondawmin
In March of 2022 Tim Regan, Whiting-Turner president and CEO, and his wife Joanne purchased the former Mondawmin Mall Target store with the aim of creating an active community hub that would help revitalize the historic West Baltimore neighborhood and Mondawmin Mall. Prior to this acquisition, Regan and President and CEO of Exelon Calvin Butler co-founded Mondawmin's TouchPoint Baltimore - now a tenant at The Village at Mondawmin - a unique collaboration space developed and funded exclusively by Whiting-Turner and BGE that is now home to several nonprofit organizations. Like TouchPoint Baltimore, the nearly 125,000 square foot space, now named The Village at Mondawmin is being developed in consultation with local community leaders with the goal to unlock untapped talent in the neighborhoods of West Baltimore and advance growth within the city. For more information visit www.villagemondawmin.com

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine
Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 46 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs, and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished two-time winner of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1.2 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically based care for nearly 2 million patients each year. The School of Medicine has nearly $600 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total population of nearly 9,000 faculty and staff, including 2,500 students, trainees, residents, and fellows. The combined School of Medicine and Medical System ("University of Maryland Medicine") has an annual budget of over $6 billion and an economic impact of nearly $20 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine, which ranks as the 8th highest among public medical schools in research productivity (according to the Association of American Medical Colleges profile) is an innovator in translational medicine, with 606 active patents and 52 start-up companies. In the latest U.S. News & World Report ranking of the Best Medical Schools, published in 2021, the UM School of Medicine is ranked #9 among the 92 public medical schools in the U.S., and in the top 15 percent (#27) of all 192 public and private U.S. medical schools. The School of Medicine works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu.

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SOURCE University of Maryland School of Medicine