MedStar Washington Hospital Center Named One of Top 50 U.S. Hospitals for Racial Inclusivity

Washington, D.C., June 3, 2021 – MedStar Washington Hospital Center has been named the most racially inclusive hospital in Washington, D.C., and ranked 18^th among the top 50 most racially inclusive hospitals in the nation by the Lown Institute, a nonpartisan healthcare think tank.

The Lown Institute Hospitals Index examined the racial inclusivity of over 3,200 U.S. hospitals to assess their success at serving the people of color living in their communities. To create the rankings, the Lown Institute assessed how well the demographics of a hospital’s Medicare patients matched the demographics of the hospital’s surrounding communities. The group used data from Medicare claims from 2018 and the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey from 2018.

“As the busiest hospital in the District of Columbia, we serve nearly 450,000 patients each year, many from the most vulnerable and underserved neighborhoods,” said Gregory J. Argyros, MD, president, MedStar Washington Hospital Center. “We are proud of this recognition from the Lown Institute, and this honor goes to our One Team that works tirelessly every day to provide the highest, safest care to everyone who comes through our doors for their medical needs.”

Currently, two MedStar Washington Hospital Center physicians, in collaboration with Georgetown University Medical Center, are leading several racial and social justice forums on the need to address real and perceived inequities in health care. At the same time, MedStar Washington is an “LGBTQ Health Care Equality Top Performer” in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index. This designation recognizes the hospital’s continued commitment to an equitable, inclusive environment for both patients and staff.

Additional ranking information, including an explanation of methods, is available at LownHospitalsIndex.org/inclusivity. Full results of the 2021 Lown Institute Hospitals Index, including rankings across more than 50 metrics, will be available on June 29^th.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

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MedStar Washington Hospital Center is a 912-bed, major teaching, and research hospital. It is the largest private, not-for-profit hospital in the nation’s capital, among the 100 largest hospitals in the nation and a major referral center for treating the most complex cases. Its cardiology program is highly acclaimed, and its cardiac surgery program has consistently earned the highest national rating–three stars–from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. The Hospital Center operates the Washington region’s first Comprehensive Stroke Center and the District’s only Cardiac Ventricular Assist Device program, both certified by The Joint Commission. The hospital is also home to MedSTAR, a nationally verified level I trauma center with a state-of-the-art fleet of helicopters and ambulances, and operates the region’s only adult Burn Center.