FY22 Annual Report: Rockville and McLean
Johns Hopkins Community Physicians Adds Locations in Rockville and McLean
Johns Hopkins Community Physicians (JHCP) is growing in the National Capital Region (NCR). It integrated an existing pediatric practice in Rockville, Maryland, in September 2021 and opened a new practice in McLean, Virginia, in February 2022.
The expansions align with the strategies of the Johns Hopkins Medicine Clinical Roadmap, which calls for increasing health care services in the NCR and in Maryland’s Howard County.
As a result, patients in the National Capital Region have better access to Johns Hopkins care close to where they live and work.
Rockville
Members of the pediatric group had contacted Johns Hopkins because they wanted to focus on practicing medicine, not running a small business, says Jill Troilo, M.D., one of the group’s four physician-owners, all of whom voted to become part of Johns Hopkins.
Margaret Signer, JHCP project manager for ambulatory growth, says the query from PCOR put in motion a detailed process of making sure the practice would be “a good cultural fit” and would benefit Johns Hopkins. The answers were yes.
“Pediatrics is part of our core mission, and this is our first pediatric practice in the NCR,” says Melissa Helicke, former vice president of operations and chief operating officer for JHCP.
“The importance of longitudinal high-quality pediatric care is immeasurable,” says Michael Crocetti, M.D., chief of pediatrics for JHCP. “Healthy children become healthy adults. It is critical that we monitor the growth and development of children as they age and astutely identify and manage conditions that may adversely affect the health of the child. The health care staff and clinicians at JHCP Rockville Pediatrics are committed to delivering the highest quality care to children and their families.”
After several months of hammering out legal and logistical details, the practice and employees became part of Johns Hopkins Community Physicians.
“When we have questions, patient challenges or legal challenges, we have more resources,” says Troilo. “That’s part of what we were looking for, and we’ve found that and it’s been great. Overall, it’s been a really positive thing for our practice and our patients.”
McLean
Johns Hopkins Community Physicians opened its first Virginia practice in McLean in February 2022.
One patient described the clinicians as “some of the best health care providers I have ever come in contact with,” adding: “The staff and doctors were kind and competent. They showed compassion and understanding.”
Two years earlier, a Johns Hopkins planning and business development team helped determine the best location for the practice. Johns Hopkins Facilities & Real Estate found space to lease in a building close to Sibley Memorial Hospital and with high visibility from the road, says Kimberly Zeren, C.R.N.P., senior director of operations for JHCP in the National Capital Region.
The buildout created rooms for patients and staff members, as well as a space dedicated to telemedicine, where physicians can contact patients or Johns Hopkins specialists.
Practice administrator Poppy-Anna Bailey handled myriad details, even unpacking boxes, assembling shelves and running a booth at the annual McLean Day festival to raise awareness of the new practice.
The location currently has two doctors as well as a registered nurse, a medical assistant and two medical office assistants. It provides internal adult medicine and gynecological oncology — four gynecological oncologists from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine rotate to the practice.
As patient volumes grow, a third doctor may join soon. There is room in the practice for as many as six doctors, Zeren says.
“Having a new build is great,” says Signer. “You can start from nothing, and set it up for the way you want it to run.”