​​​​​​​Providence Health System plans to transform D.C. hospital into multiservice ‘health village’

As the healthcare industry turns its focus on patient needs outside of hospital walls, a District of Columbia provider has revealed plans to transform one of its facilities into a “health village.”

Providence-Health-System-Village
An artist's rendering of Providence Health System's proposed health
village. (Courtesy of Ascension)

Providence Health System announced that it is in the early stages of turning its 408-bed hospital in northwest D.C. into a multiuse, walkable campus that would include both health and nonhealth services. The project is still in its early stages and is incorporating input from D.C. civic and health officials and stakeholders across Ascension Health, which owns the system.

“We have begun to see the impact of a changing healthcare landscape both locally and nationally,” Providence CEO Darcy K. Burthay said. “That’s why over the past several months, we engaged in discussions to thoughtfully explore how Providence can best contribute to meeting the variety of health needs of our community in a sustainable way.”

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Though the project is in its infancy, elements that are under consideration include

  • A variety of service lines, like primary care, specialty care, ambulatory care and telehealth and virtual care,
  • A revamped acute care program that adds urgent care and focuses on “select” medical and surgical care,
  • Post-acute care, including skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation and assisted senior living, and
  • Recreational space, like green trails.

Providence and Ascension are also looking to partner with other groups to offer “services not traditionally considered part of healthcare but that have an impact on the health of individuals and communities,” but did not specify in the announcement what that might entail.

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The industry’s transformation to value-based care is putting increased emphasis on programs that focus on patient wellness and address the social determinants of health like housing and nutrition. Providers that have focused on these issues have seen a decrease in costs and ER superuser visits.