Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital Celebrates 25 Years in the Capital Region

Founded in 1922, the post-acute hospital marks 100 years of caring for Maryland’s children and 25 years at its satellite location in Prince George’s County

LARGO, MD – Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital (MWPH), a leader in pediatric care for 100 years, celebrates 25 years of serving families throughout the Capital Region. MWPH’s Prince George’s County satellite facility is located at University of Maryland (UM) Capital Region Medical Center and is a trusted provider of family-focused, coordinated care to all children, including those with serious, chronic, and complex medical conditions.

In 1994, MWPH leadership identified a growing demand for pediatric post-acute care and specialty services in Prince George’s County. After much planning and discussion, MWPH officially opened its satellite location at the Prince George’s Hospital Center (PGHC) on March 11, 1997, with 12 admissions. In 2017, PGHC was purchased by the University of Maryland Medical System which took over management from Dimensions Healthcare. In 2021 when the UM Capital Region Medical Center opened in Largo, MWPH, along with its 15-bed hospital unit and outpatient clinic, relocated to the nearly 600,000 square-foot facility.

“Because there wasn’t a pediatric hospital in the region, families were sometimes forced to drive up to two hours away to receive these specialized pediatric services in D.C., Baltimore City, or out of state,” said Sheldon Stein, MWPH President and CEO. “Today, children and families who reside in the Capital Region of Maryland can maintain their continuum of care and significantly reduce travel time while also receiving the same high-quality care that Mt. Washington is known for. We are so proud to serve this region for 25 years and provide our coordinated inpatient and outpatient care on the eighth floor of the state-of-the-art UM Capital Region Medical Center.”

In the early years, MWPH’s Prince George’s County satellite location treated a large number of patients with pulmonary issues such as asthma, other chronic health problems including diabetes, and conditions associated with premature birth and low birth weight, in addition to many children who were discharged from area hospital’s ICUs. MWPH has evolved to meet the needs of children and families throughout its 25 years of service in the Capital Region. The inpatient unit serves children who transfer from neonatal and pediatric intensive care units and who require additional hospital time to heal, grow, and prepare for the return home. The outpatient clinics include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and behavioral health.

“UM Capital values partnerships and Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital is an example of a partnership that has enhanced care delivery for pediatric patients in Prince George’s County for 25 years,” said Nathaniel Richardson, Jr., University of Maryland Capital Region Health President and CEO. “This is a moment to reflect and celebrate an organization whose mission brings an abundance of value to the community.”

Over the last 25 years, MWPH’s Prince George’s County satellite location has admitted over 2,300 inpatients and treated over 104,000 outpatient visits, a continuum of care that helps children transition from inpatient or outpatient care back to healthy lives in the community.

MWPH, a jointly owned affiliate of The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) and Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM), utilizes a unique coordinated care approach where all members of the child’s medical team, including behavioral health staff, meet with families together to collaborate on diagnosis, consultation, and treatment. For many economically disadvantaged across the state of Maryland, MWPH is a vital source of medical care with roughly 76% of inpatients bearing no financial responsibility for their stay.

UMMS leaders will join MWPH to mark its 25th anniversary with an internal event on March 24 to recognize the partnership and joint team at UM Capital Regional Medical Center.

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About Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital: Celebrating 100 Years

Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital celebrates 100 years of providing family-focused, coordinated care to all children, including those with serious, chronic, or complex medical needs. MWPH was founded in 1922 by Hortense Kahn Eliasberg, who sought to open a home where children could safely recover from illness and surgery. Today, 100 years stronger, the hospital treats more than 8,500 patients each year, helping them to heal, grow, and learn the skills that lead to happier, more independent lives. The 102-bed hospital is a jointly owned affiliate of the University of Maryland Medical System and Johns Hopkins Medicine with locations in Baltimore City, Prince George’s County, Harford County, via Telehealth, and in the community. For more information, please visit mwph.org.