Adventist HealthCare and Howard University Hospital Sign Management Services Agreement

Story by Tom Grant

Adventist HealthCare and Howard University, which operates Howard University Hospital in the District of Columbia, announced today that the two organizations have signed a three-year management services agreement in which Adventist HealthCare will bring in a senior leadership team to help strengthen the hospital’s presence in the region. The agreement begins February 17, 2020.

“Adventist HealthCare and Howard University Hospital share long traditions of caring for our communities,” says Terry Forde, president and CEO of Adventist HealthCare, one of the longest-serving providers in the D.C. region. “We want Howard to continue to be a vital healthcare provider to meet the growing needs of the community, the region and the country now and in the future.”

As part of the agreement, Adventist HealthCare will work with Howard University to build a new replacement hospital as part of the overall strategy to continue serving the community and region.

The new CEO of Howard University Hospital will be Anita L. A. Jenkins (pictured), who brings more than 20 years of health care experience to Howard University Hospital. She most recently served as president of Sycamore Medical Center near Dayton, Ohio, part of the Kettering Adventist Health Network. She also oversaw Kettering Behavioral Medical Center and the Senior Division. Sycamore is rated a 5-Star Hospital by CMS; an “A” Hospital by Leapfrog; and one of the top 100 Hospitals in the country by IBM Watson Health. Anita joined the Kettering Health Network in 2015 as chief operating officer for the 500-bed Kettering Medical  Center.

“I look forward to working with the dedicated physicians, nurses and employees at the hospital to build upon Howard’s historic legacy of providing quality and compassionate care to the community,” Jenkins says.

The partnership between these two institutions will provide access for the talented Howard medical trainees, residents, medical students and graduates to train and work within Adventist HealthCare’s network of hospitals. This is vitally important given the national shortage of physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, Howard University is the No. 1 producer of black applicants to U.S. medical schools. Today’s announcement will allow Howard to continue to provide high-quality care to the local community in a culturally focused atmosphere.

“This is a historic day for Howard University because this union with Adventist HealthCare signifies a stronger foundation for building our academic programs and it enhances our ability to train the next generation of healthcare professionals,” says President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA.

Adventist HealthCare, founded in 1907, serves patients throughout the D.C. region. Based in Gaithersburg, Md., it employs close to 6,000 people, has more than 1,700 physicians and cares for more than 750,000 community members each year. It includes three acute-care hospitals: Shady Grove Medical Center, White Oak Medical Center and Fort Washington Medical Center. It also features: two rehabilitation hospitals and outpatient clinics; mental health services; physician practices, home care services and outpatient locations.

  Howard University Hospital is a private, nonprofit institution that has served the community for more than 150 years. It is one of the most comprehensive health systems in D.C., with a Level 1 Trauma Center and an emergency department that sees approximately 50,000 patients annually.