January 17th, 2025 by WCBC Radio

On Friday U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Congresswoman April McClain Delaney (all D-Md) announced $2,077,698 in federal funding (ARC) to increase access to health care services and address the physician shortage in Western Maryland. These investments – funded through the Appalachian Regional Commission – will support the Meritus Health Care Foundation in Hagerstown and the Western Maryland Health Care Corporations Mountain Laurel Medical Center in Grantsville.

The Meritus Health Care Foundation will receive $1,627,698 to purchase technology and simulation equipment for the new campus of the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine in Hagerstown. These resources will help the school provide quality medical training to around 180 students annually and enhance their clinical skills. This funding comes amid the critical shortage of physicians in Western Maryland, which is negatively impacting health care access for residents across the region.

Western Maryland Health Care Corporation has been awarded $450,000 to renovate a recently acquired 8,000-square-foot facility in Grantsville to serve as the new location of the Mountain Laurel Medical Center. The new center will include a community pharmacy and diagnostic imaging services, and allow for increased health appointment availability. This project will enhance access to medical care for an estimated 2,500 patients in Western Maryland annually.