JHCP’s Expanding Footprint Gives Patients Better Access Throughout the Region

By: Karen Nitkin 

With acquisitions, expansions and new construction, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians (JHCP) grew significantly in FY25, increasing its geographic footprint as it offered its patients more access to primary and specialty care in Howard County, the National Capital Region (NCR) and Northern Virginia.

The splashiest expansion was a collaborative effort between JHCP, The Johns Hopkins University and the NCR, with the opening of the Johns Hopkins Medicine Arlington location on Dec. 4, 2024.   

The Arlington addition, providing primary and specialty care services, follows the February 2022 opening of the 8,600-square-foot JHCP practice in McLean, Virginia. Together, these practices are fulfilling the Johns Hopkins goal of increasing access for primary and specialty care in Northern Virginia, where the health system already cares for almost 50,000 residents each year.    

This new multidisciplinary clinic provides primary care in family and internal medicine, and specialty care in obstetrics and gynecology, cardiology, colorectal surgery, surgical oncology, urogynecology, pelvic health physical therapy and ophthalmology. Sibley Hospital serves the needs of nearly 4,000 expectant moms annually, so JHCP is especially excited to offer obstetrics and gynecology services just six miles away in Arlington.

The 28,000-square-foot Arlington practice has an urban feel, with floor-to-ceiling windows in the waiting room as well as in many of the team collaboration spaces. The building is in a prime location, adjacent to the Arlington public parking garage and the Ballston Quarter shopping mall, which has an enclosed skybridge to the Ballston-MU metro station. The suite sits beneath a large apartment complex and above retail spaces that include numerous restaurants, coffee shops, convenience stores, gyms and a veterinary clinic. 

The expansion follows a multiyear strategic effort following extensive research of the Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia markets as well as the community needs. “It aligns with the Johns Hopkins Medicine goal of expanding our nationally known services to reach the people of our local communities,” says Angela Pilarchik, executive director of ambulatory services for the National Capital Region. 

Acquisition of JHM Pulmonology in Chevy Chase

JHCP integrated the former Chevy Chase Pulmonary Associates (CCPA), making its three physicians – Peter Hamm, Michael Solomon and Juan Abril -- as well as several staff members, JHCP employees.

“This was a component of our NCR strategy,” notes Kate Waldeisen, executive director for strategy and value-based care. “Generally, there is a shortage of pulmonologists in the region, with significant growing patient demand. This was a good opportunity to enhance pulmonology presence and departmental growth, while increasing access to community specialists for our patients and potentially residency training for our learners.”

Discussions began in October 2023, and CCPA officially became part of JHCP on Nov. 4, 2024. Patients receive care from the same physicians and at the same locations, 5530 Wisconsin Ave. and at Sibley Memorial Hospital.

“CCPA's integration with Johns Hopkins Medicine has greatly improved our referral workflow to our colleagues at Johns Hopkins and Bayview hospitals,” says Solomon. “For the former CCPA employees who joined JHCP, it provided a potential means to advance professionally. Our patients have benefited from Johns Hopkins Medicine's increased resources, including nursing and social work.” 

There were a few logistical challenges to the move, Waldeisen says, including shifting the lease to JHCP and handling licensing and regulation for machines that were previously not components of a JHCP site, such as pulmonary function test equipment and chest X-rays. 

“The process was highly collaborative between CCPA and JHCP to ensure we had a successful integration for providers and staff and had as little impact to patients as possible, which I believe we accomplished,” Waldeisen says. 

Stevens Forest expansion

The clinical footprint for adult services at the JHCP clinic on Stevens Forest Road in Columbia has doubled to meet a growing demand for primary care in Howard County, and to support continuity of services as young patients transition from pediatric to adult care, says Waldeisen.  

The revamped site now has collaborative workspaces, a permanent negative pressure exam room — providing isolation for people who are potentially infectious — and private telehealth rooms where clinicians can provide remote care. 

The nine-month project continues JHCP’s growth in the region, which includes the March 2023 opening of the 8,400-square-foot Columbia North site. 

Heart Care Bethesda expansion

The longtime location doubled its clinical footprint, adding 4,000 square feet in the form of 10 new exam rooms, two rooms for stress tests and three rooms for echocardiograms. The nuclear medicine room was also modernized. The site now has new testing and diagnostic spaces, including a permanent negative pressure exam room.

The project took place in three phases over two and a half years. 

Canton Crossing Gyn/Ob expansion

The JHCP location at Canton Crossing in Baltimore expanded its Gyn/Ob space by 3,900 square feet, created dedicated space for obstetric and gynecologic care, and added two exam rooms for primary care.

In all, the revamp, which took 18 months, added eight exam rooms, a dedicated room for conducting ultrasound exams, and a procedure room equipped with a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtering system. 

The site, with paid parking across the street, also provides primary care for children and adults.