For more than a century, Charles E. Smith Life Communities (CESLC) has served older adults in our community. We have continued to adapt our offerings to ensure the highest level of healthcare possible.
National Health Center Week raises awareness about the mission and accomplishments of community health centers around the country and it is an ideal opportunity for highlighting the long, successful record of community-based models of care, as well as creating public awareness of how these services are delivered.
In honor of National Health Center Week, we have chosen to highlight the Harold & Jane Hirsh Health Center and the individualized primary care for older adults it provides.
Hirsh Health Center is a geriatric primary care center with a unique concept of care, as it is located on CESLC’s very own campus. The center also is open to members of the greater community, and any older adult in the vicinity is welcome to use us as their primary care physician.
“One of the many reasons I love working at CESLC is because I’m able to spend quality time with my patients,” says Dr. Elisa Gil-Pires, MD, FACP, CMD. She is the senior vice president, medical affairs/chief medical officer and medical director of CESLC. “Our approach encompasses not just the individual but also their family members and other care associates. This allows us to take each individual’s unique situation and develop a plan that best suits them and their needs at that time. We focus on the full person, considering their goals, their wishes, advance care planning, quality of life, dignity and more, which makes our care personalized and individualized.”
Hirsh Health Center strives to make primary care accessible and easy for residents. In addition to regular office hours at the center itself, we also offer a house call program for residents at Revitz House and Landow House/Cohen Rosen House. In this program, physicians visit residents in their apartments during scheduled days of the month. This allows patients from Revitz House and Landow House and Cohen Rosen House to receive the care they need in the comfort and convenience of their own private home.
Care isn’t limited to just office hours, either. Residents and patients always have an avenue to reach a medical team member at Hirsh Health Center. Any calls that are placed after hours go to an answering service that can reach the CESLC physicians. There’s always a doctor on call, which provides peace of mind for residents and patients.
Although Hirsh Health Center is a designated primary geriatric care facility, employees and care providers are dedicated to understanding each individual patient’s health needs on a holistic level. Physicians become highly aware of each person’s whole-person health, which allows them to make more informed decisions about any referrals or additional procedures that might be needed. Considering that many seniors often have a variety of different health issues that need to be managed, this ensures that high quality care is delivered and it more convenient for the individual.
“Being able to take this holistic approach to care means that residents don’t have to be shuttled to a variety of specialists,” Dr. Gil-Pires explains. “Having high quality geriatric care in-house allows my team and me to save time and effort on behalf of our patients.”
Hirsh Health Center is currently accepting new patients. If you or a loved one is interested in making us your primary geriatric care provider, our employees would love to speak with you. Please call 301-660-2148 for more information. Insurances currently accepted are Medicare, Medicaid, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, United Healthcare and John Hopkins health insurance.
