Community Health | MedStar Georgetown University Hospital

At MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, we recognize that a person’s health is strongly linked to the health of the community. Based on our community health needs assessment conducted at MedStar Georgetown, we have developed programs and services that address these priority areas.

Our community health initiatives include health and wellness initiatives, including our Pediatric and Family Outreach and ongoing health education programs that provide access to care and services, including access to medical experts in the community and linkages to resources.

We have partnerships with many Washington, D.C., community-based organizations that address lack of access to healthy food and transportation, food insecurity, or other social determinants of health.

Please click here to view our Washington, D.C., Community Health brochure. If you have questions about community health, community benefit, or would like to partner with MedStar Georgetown University Hospital on community health initiatives, contact Khaleelah Cohen at khaleelah.l.hardie@medstar.net.

Better choices, better health online program

Living with a long-term health condition? Connect with others to stay healthy and connected while managing chronic conditions. Join a 6-week online Better Choices, Better Health workshop to get support from people just like you. And it's FREE to Washington, D.C., residents. MedStarHealth.org/LiveWell.

Community health needs

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is proud to release its 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and its implementation strategy, along with our Community Benefits Report. The CHNA uses a community-driven approach that supports the hospital in planning and carrying out community-based programming to more effectively handle the health needs of underserved and vulnerable populations. The three-year implementation strategy identifies the hospital's community benefit service area, the most important health priorities, and activities with measurable outcomes.

Report to the community

Learn about some of the most effective community-based programs and services we offer throughout the region.

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital’s 340B program

About the 340B Drug Pricing Program

The 340B Drug Pricing Program is a federal program that allows eligible hospitals, health centers, and clinics serving low-income and rural communities to purchase outpatient medications at significant, federally mandated discounts. Established by Congress in 1992, the program helps providers stretch limited resources and reinvest savings to improve access to care, support community health services, and address social factors that affect the health and well-being of underserved patients in the communities they serve.

340B Defined

The 340B Drug Pricing program is a bi-partisan program created by Congress in 1992. As defined by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration:

“The 340B Program enables covered entities to stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services.

Manufacturers participating in Medicaid agree to provide outpatient drugs to covered entities at significantly reduced prices.

[These savings are inherently not funded through taxpayer dollars, they are supported through required reduced pricing from drug manufacturers.]

Eligible healthcare organizations/covered entities are defined in statute and include HRSA-supported health centers and look-alikes, Ryan White clinics and State AIDS Drug Assistance programs, Medicare/Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospitals, children’s hospitals, and other safety net providers.

To participate in the 340B Program, eligible organizations/covered entities must register and be enrolled with the 340B program and comply with all 340B Program requirements. Once enrolled, covered entities are assigned a 340B identification number that vendors verify before allowing an organization to purchase 340B discounted drugs”.

Source: HRSA.gov/OPA
Why It Matters

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is eligible for this essential and critical program and is registered and enrolled with the 340B Program which allows us to stretch our resources and continue to provide services to our communities. By purchasing outpatient medications at reduced prices through the 340B Program, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital can reinvest those savings into programs and services that improve health and well-being across our communities.
Supporting our Mission

The savings from MedStar Georgetown University Hospital’s eligibility for 340B specifically supports our mission and allows us to advance programs and services that directly benefit the community. Although savings from the program are only a small fraction of our total community benefit, they are very meaningful. MedStar Georgetown University Hospital’s savings through the 340B Program totaled $92.51 million in 2025, which is significantly less than the organization’s overall Community Benefit investment of $138.8 million during the same period. MedStar Georgetown University Hospital has consistently allocated resources to programs and community support initiatives that far exceed the savings realized through the 340B Program.
340B Program Savings Making an Impact
At MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, 340B savings make a real difference and directly impacts our ability to provide services in our community. The 340B program allows us to support access to health care services, improve health and wellness and impact social determinants of health to patients in communities.

They help us provide:

Affordable medications through retail and charitable pharmacies

Medication management clinics and patient assistance programs

Primary and cancer care

Behavioral health services

Preventive care initiatives

Access to Care and Coordination of Care for Vulnerable Populations

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is committed to ensuring our patients are able to safely and seamlessly return to their community of care upon leaving the hospital. MedStar Georgetown University Hospital has programs available to help those who may be more vulnerable due to their medical complexity, social situation, or lack of means to access needed services or medicines.

Pharmacy Access & Affordability Assistance
In order to improve access and affordability of prescribed medications, our hospital provides discharge medications delivered to the bedside for eligible patients as a free service. This service eliminates barriers to access such as transportation and pharmacy availability, educates patients to take prescribed medications as instructed, and ensures affordability of the plan of care in direct consultation with the patient prior to their discharge. Those who do have affordability concerns despite pharmacy consultation can benefit from Prescription Assistance Funding program which helps provide financial assistance to those in need.

Cancer Screening & Patient Navigation Program
MedStar Georgetown partners with the District of Columbia Primary Care Association (DCPCA) to improve access to health services and cancer screenings for underserved residents in Washington, DC. Through this program, comprehensive services and screenings are provided at Community of Hope and Bread for the City. MedStar Georgetown University Hospital funds two full-time cancer patient navigators to provide one-on-one support.

HomeCare Nurse Practitioner Program
MedStar Georgetown expands access to care by offering eligible community members care at home. This program removes the barriers associated with getting medical care, such as limited mobility, transportation or childcare.

Addressing Social Needs of Our Patients and Communities

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital provides screening to all our admitted patients for social needs impacting their health using our Social Needs Tool, and those who are identified as having needs for assistance are connected to numerous programs and partnerships to address the social needs of patients and community members. This includes access to our online directory of community social needs and resources, free or low-cost services encompassing assistance with medical care, healthy food, transportation, legal, utilities, and more.

Transportation Assistance
In addition to taxi and bus fare assistance, MedStar Georgetown provides a convenient rideshare program in partnership with Uber, giving a reliable means of transportation for vulnerable patients to medical appointments and health education activities. This service is coordinated by hospital staff and provided at no cost to the patient.

Healthy Food Assistance provides produce boxes to families on a weekly basis to ensure families and children have access to healthy food. This program supports families with weekly produce deliveries from the Department of Labor. The Community Pediatric and Family Health & Wellness (CPFHW) initiative also launched a new partnership with FRESH Farm, providing families with Produce Rx cards to purchase fresh produce at more than 50 farmers’ markets.

Health & Wellness

MedStar Georgetown delivers evidence-based, outcome-focused chronic disease management and prevention programs and services in its Community Benefit Service Area (CBSA).

Free Nasal Naloxone and Fentanyl Test Kits
Nasal naloxone kits and fentanyl test kits are distributed to at-risk patients and staff to reverse opioid overdoses quickly, saving lives without requiring medical intervention.

Community-Wide Health & Wellness Events
Hospital-led community events such as health fairs, screening days, or awareness campaigns are as part of a year-round calendar of offerings that increase access to health information, preventive services, and trusted clinical resources in community settings.

Chronic Disease Prevention & Management Programs are offered throughout the year at low or no cost to the participants in a form of evidence based workshops and smoking cessation programs to influence education, self-management and promote a living healthy.

Without the 340B program, sustaining these vital services would be a challenge—and many patients in our communities would lose access to the care they need.

Our commitment is simple: use every dollar saved through the 340B Program to improve health, expand access, and strengthen the communities we serve.