In the early 1970's, Dr. Francis P. Chiaramonte, a practicing board certified Urologist, recognized the need for a full service hospital in Southern Maryland. The population was growing rapidly and, for many types of specialty care, residents were traveling miles to the university hospitals of Baltimore and Washington. Following countless hours of planning and development, ground was broken for Southern Maryland Hospital Center (SMHC) and on November 28, 1977, the hospital opened its doors.

In the past 25 years, services and equipment have rapidly expanded. First, a physicians’ office building was completed. Subsequently, the Outpatient Services, Mammography Center, MRI, Bone Densitometry, and Lithotripsy services were opened. A second Professional Office Building was opened in 1992, housing outside services provided by the hospital.

To serve Southern Maryland’s growing population, a second patient bed tower was built in 1987, which allowed for the opening of a new Maternal Child Health Center in 1992 and a Sub-Acute Care Center in 1996.

SMHC is now the region’s most complete, high tech health care facility – a 358 bed, acute care medical center with the capability to meet all of the health care needs of the population. But while the equipment and technology are state of the art, patient care remains rooted in our tradition

Southern Maryland Hospital Center is committed to the health, education, and overall well being of our community as demonstrated by the nearly $6 million in community benefits expended in 2005 alone. SMHC’s Community outreach activities include $800,000 in health education and more than $140,000 in training student nurses and technicians within our hospital. Further, our Mallwalkers program, free transportation services, and baby safety seat giveaways amount to over $350,000 per annum. Perhaps the most significant number comes through the nearly $2 million of unreimbursed physician support offered by SMHC that allows us to fulfill our mission as the region’s only full service general hospital.  Our mobile Health Express Van, which performs screenings each and every day, costs our organization over $180,000 per year to staff, equip and operate.

By developing programs for the community and participating in special events and health fairs, SMHC consistently provides its neighbors with the healthcare resources to fight disease and promote prevention. Community outreach at SMHC is continually growing. Being active in the community does make a difference. It can improve the quality of life, help reach individuals that are in need of healthcare resources, and increase awareness of health related issues.