GLEN BURNIE, Md., July 5 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of its 40th anniversary and to reflect its position as one of the region’s largest providers of comprehensive medical services to the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. regions, North Arundel Hospital today announced its new name -- Baltimore Washington Medical Center.
“From our roots as a small, local community hospital largely serving the northern areas of Anne Arundel County, we have evolved into a thriving, comprehensive medical campus,” says James Walker, president and CEO of Baltimore Washington Medical Center. “The name North Arundel Hospital did not reflect all we have achieved and did not communicate our vision for the future. We want to embrace the larger, growing communities we now serve and emphasize our key role in the University of Maryland Medical System.”
Walker spoke before a crowd of more than 100 medical center physicians, staff, patients, board members, volunteers, community dignitaries and state and county elected officials during the hospital’s 40th anniversary gathering on July 5, 2005.
“We chose the name Baltimore Washington Medical Center because it describes the broader geographic focus for the hospital and communities where our patients live and work, exemplified by the BW Corridor, BW Parkway and BWI Airport,” says Lysbeth Courtney, chair of the Baltimore Washington Medical Center Board of Directors.
“This name better reflects our position as a comprehensive, high-quality medical center with a wide range of services and advanced capabilities. We are embarking on one of the largest expansion projects in our history, representing yet another step in our quest for continued excellence,” adds Courtney.
“The Baltimore Washington corridor is poised for incredible growth, and we are committed to meeting the health care needs of its increasing population,” Walker says.
Projections for the medical center’s service area include an additional 20,000 jobs associated with an expansion of Fort Meade, just eight miles away, as well as surrounding businesses. Developers are planning to build an additional 2,000 housing units around Arundel Mills -- the giant mall complex off of Route 100 that routinely attracts more than 10 million shoppers a year. Businesses and homes continue to sprout up around BWI Airport, which is in the midst of a $1.8 billion expansion project.
To meet this growing need for health care services to the larger population, Baltimore Washington Medical Center has broadened its strategic direction by adding and expanding centers of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of heart disease, cancer, vascular disease and spine and joint disorders. The medical center cared for 172,000 patients during the past year, both on an inpatient and outpatient basis. With more than 80,000 annual patient visits, the medical center’s Emergency Department is among the state’s largest. Premier clinical services also include the Tate Cancer Center, Maryland Vascular Center, Joslin Diabetes Center, The Aiello Breast Center and Advanced Orthopedics Program.
“We have already made great strides with significant investments to ensure that the communities and patients we serve have access to the most advanced technologies, services and facilities. We joined the University of Maryland Medical System in 2000 and partnered with the University of Maryland School of Medicine. We have attracted outstanding physicians to the region. These and other initiatives enable us to expand our clinical programs and enhance the care we provide to our patients,” says Walker.
“We are proud of North Arundel Hospital’s achievements and four decades of service to the community, and we look forward to the hospital’s continued growth and success. The new name reflects its expanded role in the region and its promising future,” says Edmond F. Notebaert, president and CEO of the University of Maryland Medical System -- a six-hospital system that provides a full range of primary and specialty care to people throughout Maryland and across the Mid-Atlantic region.
A new $112 million building project slated to begin in early 2006 will include new private patient rooms, additional intensive care beds for critically ill patients, an expanded emergency center, more outpatient services and a major women’s health center with services for every stage of a woman’s life and health.
The Baltimore Washington Medical Center logo signifies that it is part of the University of Maryland Medical System. The logo was adapted from the landmark building Davidge Hall, which is part of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and is the oldest medical school building still in use today in the United States. Baltimore Washington Medical Center’s new Web address is bwmc.umms.org
Baltimore Washington Medical Center’s relationships with the University of Maryland Medical Center and the University of Maryland School of Medicine enhance its ability to offer patients state-of-the-art care and access to promising clinical trials.
“Our employees and physicians are committed to providing the highest level of care to our patients and their families. Baltimore Washington Medical Center has a past filled with pride and a future filled with promise,” says Walker. “We are committed to the communities’ health, and our new name is a reflection of our vision for the future.”
Baltimore Washington Medical Center
CONTACT: Allison Eatough, +1-410-787-4375, or cell, +1-443-695-2897,alleat@northarundel.org, or Kathy McCollum, +1-410-787-4444, or cell,+1-410-458-3147, katmcc@northarundel.org, both for Baltimore WashingtonMedical Center
Web site: http://www.bwmc.umms.org/
