• Past Year's Accomplishments
• History
• Mission and Vision
• Call for Alumni
• Resources

PAST YEAR'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS

People's has completed another exciting year of growth and development. Highlights for the year include:

• People's successfully passed its second accreditation process! The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations conducted a survey of People's ambulatory care program and behavioral health program. Both programs passed with flying colors! The Joint Commission now uses a new methodology called the "tracer" methodology and People's was the first FQHC in Maryland to undergo this new tracer method of survey. All future surveys by JCAHO will be unannounced, ramdom surveys of our sites; which is the new policy of JCAHO for all of its accredited sites (hospitals, FQHCs, etc).
• People's opened a licensed pharmacy, and offers substantially discounted drugs to its uninsured patients through a relatively unknown benefit called the "340b drug program" available to Federally Qualified Health Centers and Veteran Administration organizations. People's was the first in Maryland to deploy a new technology called "remote dispensing units" which allow for mini-pharmacies to exist in several of our satellite locations. The pharmacy continues to strive for 100% access to medications for all People's uninsured patients. People's participates in the Pfizer Sharing the Care program which provides these brand drugs at a nominal dispensing cost, enrolls patients in the Maryland Pharmacy Assistance Program, and participates in the Partnership for Prescription Assistance in Maryland (see web link at the end of this web site), which provides access to free mail-order brand drugs.
• People's added three new points of service during 2004. Thanks to the Department of Health and Human Services grant, the Pioneer City site was opened in March, 2004. Through a change of scope process, People's began providing services inside the walls of HERO (Health Education Resources Organization) in May, 2004 and acquired the practice at Open Gates in Washington Village/Pigtown in November, 2004. In July, 2005 People's began limited services at New Song Health Center in Sandtown Winchester and will continue to grow its services array at that location during 2005.
• The Director of Dental Services secured state of the art dental equipment to equip three operatories. Renovations of People's facility at 3011 Greenmount Avenue have been initiated. During 2005, People's will triple its dental capacity and improve patient care with the addition of three hydraulic dental chairs with a patient weight capacity of 400 pounds; an individual water purification unit for each dental chair; digital x-ray units, and a panoral x-ray unit.
• The Director of Dental Services, Dr. Donna Mason, was interviewed for a national dental journal and news magazine titled AGD Impact, June, 2004, on the topic of cultural diversity in dentistry.
• The Behavioral Health Department has organized a Substance Abuse Support Group, which has provided a safe place for more than 40 individuals struggling with various forms of addiction.
• The Ryan White program provided case management and primary care services to approximately 150 patients living with HIV/AIDS during 2004. Through a valiant team effort of case managers and clinicians, People's was successful in bringing the viral load down to undetectable levels in 35% of the patient population. On World AIDS Day, the Ryan White staff conducted a marathon HIV testing day from 8 am to midnight, testing 75 new patients, and held a candlelight vigil for those suffering with this chronic disease.
• A Memorandum of Agreement was entered into with the Helping Up Mission. This shelter places homeless men on a structured program to assist in the redevelopment of their lives. During 2004, People's served 110 residents.
• A referral contract has been entered between the Communicable Disease Division of Anne Arundel County Health Department and People's. This collaboration allows the Health Department to refer patients to People's Anne Arundel county locations for evaluation and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
• A Memorandum of Agreement has been entered between People's and North Arundel Hospital's Emergency Department. Patients without a medical home are referred to People's for follow-up care.