RELEASE: Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young, University of Maryland Medical System, Johns Hopkins Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Announce Public-Private Partnership

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Bernard C. “Jack” Young

Mayor,

City of Baltimore

250 City Hall • Baltimore, Maryland 21202 • 410-396-3835

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

April 3, 2020

Media Inquiries:

Joint Information Center

eoc.jic@baltimorecity.gov

443-401-2902

PRESS RELEASE

Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young, University of Maryland Medical System, Johns Hopkins Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Announce Public-Private Partnership

Partnership will pool resources and expertise to expand citywide capacity to respond to COVID-19 pandemic

BALTIMORE, MD.  — Today, Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young joined University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) President and CEO Mohan Suntha, MD, Johns Hopkins Health System (JHHS) President Kevin Sowers, and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) CEO and President Brian Pieninck in announcing a public-private partnership to confront COVID-19.

“This innovative partnership aligns assets deployed by the City alongside those of the private sector, allowing us to more effectively assess the challenges facing us,” said Mayor Young.  “I am thankful for the leaders in the private sector joining the City today – by working together in this effort, we will improve our joint capacity to help our residents.” 

The partnership leverages the support from the State of Maryland the medical and public health expertise in Baltimore’s public and private sectors, to build out tools, resources, and services that expand and improve the City’s response to COVID-19. Medstar Health, Mercy Medical System, St. Agnes, LifeBridge Health, and Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC) are also part of the collaborative effort, and will be lending their resources and support to the partnership.

“By joining with leadership from our City and State as well as our colleagues at University of Maryland Medical System, we bring the best of all of us to the table to address this pandemic,” JHHS President Sowers said.  “Together, we’re working to safeguard the health of our communities.”

This extraordinary and unique partnership represents Baltimore’s best plan of action to prepare for the anticipated surge in COVID-19 cases. An incredibly complex and well organized operation, a core focus will be providing accurate information on COVID prevention and connecting residents to health care professionals through a first point of contact using phone and internet that will lessen exposure risk in physical settings. These strategies and tactics will help identify infected individuals and groups, and contain and suppress the disease wherever possible to help fight the trajectory of cases overall and to help defend front line health professionals.

“In the face of this extraordinary challenge, each of us plays an important role in protecting the health of our communities.  As individuals, we will stay home, slow the spread and save lives,” CareFirst CEO Pieninck said. “Our frontline healthcare workers will shoulder the incredible responsibility of caring for the sick and vulnerable.  And as community based organizations, we will bring to bear the best resources from government and healthcare to ensure the needs of our shared community are met.  Through these combined efforts, we can and will get through this, together.”

 “During this unprecedented time in our nation, our shared strength lies with one another. Mobilizing with our governmental, health care and community partners allows us to leverage our expertise for the betterment of those we collectively serve,” UMMS CEO Dr. Suntha said. “There is nothing more important than the health and well-being of those who depend on us; we’re honored to be part of this unique collaboration.”