Community Health: MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

The savings that MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center receives from 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. Savings received by MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center through the 340B Program totaled $40.1 million in 2025, which is significantly less than the organization’s overall Community Benefit investment of $81.4 million during the same period. MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center has consistently allocated resources to programs and community support initiatives that far exceed the savings realized through the 340B Program.

At MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, 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 Franklin Square Medical Center is committed to ensuring our patients are able to safely and seamlessly return to their community of care upon leaving the hospital. There are 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.

• The Transitional Care (TC) Programis a no-cost safety net service designed to support patients transitioning from hospital to home. Its primary goals are to improve patient outcomes, enhance communication and coordination among healthcare providers, and reduce the risk of patients declining after leaving the hospital. Trained nurses and social workers in the program proactively outreach patients at highest risk due to their medical and social complexity, providing structured telephonic- and technology-based support to ensure continuity of care between the hospital team and the patient’s doctors in the community. The clinical teams are assisted by Care Navigators, who provide real-time assistance scheduling all necessary follow-up appointments with existing providers or new specialists. Outreach occurs within 2 business days of discharge, and patients are followed for up to 30 days, receiving regular check-ins tailored to their needs.
• 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.
• Antimicrobial Stewardship
  Pharmacists provide guidance to the healthcare team for the safe and cost-effective use of antimicrobial agents with the goal of reducing reinfections and improving patient care.

Addressing Social Needs of Our Patients and Communities

MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center 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.

• The Community Health Advocate (CHA) Program is a no-cost program to help patients with a particularly significant burden of social determinants impacting their health. This team, comprised of certified advocates recruited and trained from our community, provides direct patient assistance services, application assistance and referrals to community resources such as transportation, housing, health literacy, workforce development, and financial education. Advocates partner with patients as long as they need assistance, providing personal, relationship-based advocacy as they navigate a complex health environment.  

Health & Wellness

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

• Fitness, Health & Wellness Programs
  Free community-based and hospital-led programs are delivered across the Baltimore Region to promote physical activity, nutrition, stress reduction, and chronic disease prevention. These initiatives support improved long-term health outcomes. Offerings also include substance abuse prevention, grief support, healthcare navigation assistance and others.
• Maternal Wellness, Childbirth & Parenting Education
  A variety of in-person and virtual (eClass) programs were offered to support expectant and new parents with evidence-based education that promotes improved maternal and infant health outcomes.

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.