Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
The meeting on July 7, 2026, included a briefing from Kaiser Permanente on the status of its proposed facility, annual updates from the Homeowners Association Dispute Review Board and the Nuisance Abatement Hearing Board, a discussion on the venue for the Oath of Office ceremony, and a public comment period covering data centers, collective bargaining, and other local issues.
Good afternoon, Commissioners. We're going to begin this afternoon's session with a roll call. Commissioner Bowling. Present. Commissioner Coates. Commissioner Stewart. Here. Commissioner Patterson. Present. And Commissioner Collins. Here. Thank you. Commissioners, your afternoon briefing will begin with an update from Kaiser Permanente locating in Charles County. Good afternoon, Commissioners. First of all, thank you for your time, your partnership, and the opportunity to be here today. My name is Grace Limic Dermitt. I'm the Vice President and General Manager for Commercial Business for the Mid-Atlantic Region here at Kaiser Permanente. I'm also a proud Kaiser Permanente member, and that gives me a unique perspective on both the work we do and the care that we provide. Today I've been invited to provide an update on Kaiser Permanente's relationship with Charles County, discuss the status of our proposed facility project, review how we continue to serve Charles County residents, and reaffirm our long-term commitment to this community. Let me begin with a brief overview of the project timeline. Kaiser Permanente acquired the property on 4149 Crane Highway in Waldorf, Maryland, a 23-acre underdeveloped prop parcel located at the intersection of Crane Highway, US 301, and Billingsley Road in December of 2020. We then spent the following years advancing planning, permitting community outreach and traffic related reviews. Throughout the process, we worked closely with the county staff and state transportation officials, submitting multiple revisions and responding to feedback. By early 2025, after extensive review and amid a rapidly changing economic environment, we made the difficult decision to place design and construction activities on hold. This was not a decision we made lately. Significant effort and investment were made to explore opportunities to bring a new medical facility to Charles County, but the timing was not in our favor. I want to provide some context behind that decision. The health care industry continues to face significant financial pressures, including rising construction costs, labor shortages, inflation, and increasing health care expenses. Like all responsible health care organizations, Kaiser Permanente must balance affordability, access, quality, and long-term sustainability when making investment decisions. For the last 80 years, Kaiser's foundational mission mission, basically the reason why we exist is to provide high-quality affordable health care, and the emphasis is always on quality and affordability. While the project is on hold, and indeed it is just a hold, our commitment to Charles County remains unchanged, and we continue to provide options for our members to receive care. Our focus has not changed when it comes to serving Kaiser Permanente members who live and work in Charles County. We remain committed to providing high quality care, addressing care gaps, improving member experience, and evaluating opportunities to expand services where appropriate. For Charles County members, that means better opportunities to detect issues early, manage ongoing conditions more effectively, and stay healthier over the long term. Our goal is not simply to provide access to care. Our goal is to help people live healthier lives. We do that through our integrated care delivery model. One of the challenges people face today is navigating a fragmented health care system. Again, Kaiser Permanente is designed differently. One connected medical record, one digital platform, and one coordinated care team working together on our members' behalf. That design matters because access is not just about having a facility nearby, it's about how quickly and reliably members can get the right care. Today, our average specialist appointment wait is 11 days compared to 42 days outside of Kaiser Permanente. We doubled primary care appointment availability in 2025, creating more options for members when they need care. And we continue to leverage technology to remove the friction. Our automated wait list proactively moves patients into earlier appointments when openings become available, and urgent specialty appointments are targeted within 48 hours when clinician needs require faster access. The result is less complexity, fewer barriers, and a health care experience that is easier to navigate and easier to access. Access to health care today extends well beyond the walls of a medical facility. For many Charles County residents, virtual care provides greater convenience, reduces travel time, and allows members to connect with care more quickly. That includes virtual urgent care, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with wait times usually under 30 minutes.