Honoring 50 Years of Healing: Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center Celebrates Its Legacy While Shaping the Future of Care

It was an extraordinary year for Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center (LHDCMC). In 2024, we celebrated five years since joining Luminis Health, during which more than $140 million has been invested to enhance services and ensuring exceptional care remains accessible in our neighborhoods. As we reflect on our achievements, we look forward to exciting growth opportunities in 2025, particularly the 50th Anniversary of our hospital in Lanham.  

Our team is dedicated to improving the health of Prince George’s County residents by expanding services, addressing health disparities, and advancing health equity. As president of a non-profit hospital, I am extremely proud of our commitment to tackling the maternal health crisis. Over the past year, we launched CenteringPregnancy® in Greenbelt, a nationally recognized program that offers group sessions for expectant mothers and personalized consultations with trusted Ob-Gyns or midwives. 

We also finalized design plans and began the permit process to add inpatient obstetric services, labor, delivery, and postpartum care with rooms designed for a family-centered birth experience. These additional women’s health services are scheduled to launch in 2028, and once fully operational, we look forward to delivering 2,000 babies each year. Since 80 percent of babies are born outside the county, this major initiative will help address a health disparity by providing quality care close to home and reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in Prince George’s County.  

In September, we celebrated another significant achievement: the second anniversary of our Behavioral Health Pavilion on our campus. To date, we have facilitated approximately 8,000 visits through our behavioral health walk-in urgent care, outpatient mental health therapy, a psychiatric day program, and an adult inpatient psychiatric unit. To meet the growing demand for mental health services among young people, Luminis Health received a state grant to provide comprehensive mental health support services at several high schools in the County.  

Building on this commitment to enhancing the health of the people and communities we serve, we launched a Virtual Nursing Program. By installing cameras in select rooms, patients can opt to receive both-in person and virtual nursing support. This combination of technology and personal touch has already benefited more than 5,000 patients; reducing hospital readmission and boosting patient satisfaction. Plans are underway to install cameras in every patient room to further enhance the patient experience. Our commitment to nursing has earned us the prestigious Pathway to Excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This honor contributes to higher job satisfaction, reduced turnover, improved safety, and the quality of care we provide to our patients.  

Research from Prince George’s County shows residents seek 42 percent of their healthcare outside the county. To tackle this disparity, we’ve hired additional breast, vascular, bariatric, Ob-Gyn, and orthopedic surgeons.  We also opened a new primary care practice in District Heights and another in Greenbelt, which currently offers primary care and Endocrinology services.

To improve access, our Community Health Team regularly visits underserved communities to provide free health screenings, education, and vaccines. In the last fiscal year, we screened 662 residents in Prince George’s County, many of whom lack a primary physician or the financial resources for care. Thanks to several state grants, Luminis Health provides no cost breast cancer and colon cancer screenings to county residents. As a colon cancer survivor, I encourage everyone aged 45 and older, or those with a family history, to get screened. 

As we gear up to celebrate our 50th Anniversary, LHDCMC is excited to host a series of events throughout the year, culminating in a Gala in April dedicated to Black Maternal Health. This milestone not only honors our legacy of service but also highlights our commitment to the future of healthcare in our community. In conjunction with our anniversary celebrations, we are launching a major fundraising campaign aimed at supporting our maternal health initiatives, ensuring that we continue to provide vital care and resources for expectant mothers and their families. Join us in celebrating this momentous occasion as we work together to shape a healthier future for Prince George’s County!

Deneen Richmond is the president of Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center.