ROCKVILLE, MD – Kaiser Permanente, a not-for-profit health plan and care provider, has opened a new medical center at the front door of Capitol Hill, complete with Kaiser’s recognized electronic health record – HealthConnect.

“We’re confident that all of our members who use the Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Center, both those who live in D.C. and those who come in to the city to work, will enjoy the convenience and comfort that the new facility will bring,” said Marilyn Kawamura, president, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States. “It will be a cornerstone of health for the community, and a hallmark for customer service and quality care.”

The complex includes 79 provider offices staffed by about 400 employees and physicians. The medical center provides primary care, specialty care, full-service imaging, laboratory, pharmacy services and 24/7 urgent care services — all supported by technology and information systems. The medical center also is equipped with digital signage technology – video walls – that enhance the member experience while reinforcing preventive care resources.

[See also: VA, Kaiser link electronic health record systems.]

The medical center is fully wired with Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect, which Kaiser bills as “the most advanced electronic medical record system available today,” with kiosks in each exam room. Patients are able to access their medical records, make appointments, send secure e-mail to their physicians, and order prescription refills online, through My Health Manager at kp.org.  

[See also: Kaiser KP HealthConnect rollout done.]

"The opening of the Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Center is another step forward to Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States becoming the leading provider of 21st century healthcare on the East Coast and a model for how healthcare should be delivered across the nation,” said Robert Pearl, MD, president and CEO of the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group. “This new facility embodies Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to providing exceptional quality in the most effective and convenient ways possible.”  

Kaiser Permanente’s Capitol Hill Medical Center showcases how coordinating healthcare and leveraging the power of advanced information technologies allow physicians to achieve superior quality outcomes, Pearl said. The proximity to many Kaiser Permanente members — including those in the federal workforce, public transportation, and key building amenities such as ample parking for members makes Station Place a great location.

“From the healthcare providers’ view,” said Bernadette Loftus, MD, The Permanente Medical Group associate executive director for the Mid-Atlantic States, "the modern infrastructure and design efficiencies in this new facility will allow us to provide exceptional medical care and help our members to manage their health.”

The Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Center is a component in California-headquartered Kaiser Permanente’s plans for expansion throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, according to Kaiser executives.

Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States region, headquartered in Rockville, Md., provides and coordinates complete healthcare services for almost 500,000 members through 31 medical centers in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.