News

HAGERSTOWN, Md. – Meritus Health is opening a primary care office at the former Army base at Fort Ritchie to serve the needs of the Cascade community next week.

“As we continue the strategic growth of our health system, Cascade was identified as a community with a need for better access to medical care,” said Dave Lehr, chief strategy officer.

John Krumpotich, who bought part of the former military base from Washington County in 2021, said that he has been working with a number of businesses to bolster, not only Cascade, but the surrounding area.

“We know there’s value in the Meritus brand, and having the health system come on board is an invaluable boost to our plans,” Krumpotich said.

Lehr said Meritus plans to start by opening the practice one day per week and growing based on the community’s needs.

“Everything we do is to best serve our patients and our community, so we look forward to learning from our patients in Cascade to ensure this location fits their needs,” Lehr said.

Fort Ritchie has a long history in Washington County, once a military intelligence training center during World War II. However, since the base was closed in 1998, ideas for development of the property have varied, with few coming to fruition.

“We knew that to make this work, we needed to take a grassroots approach,” said Krumpotich, who has lived in Cascade for over a decade. “Of all our tenants, Meritus really moved the needle,” he said.

For patients, both new and existing to Meritus, the opening of this practice ensures that patients have access to coordinated care across the health system.

It also provides much needed expert care close to home.

“We’re thrilled to be able to offer this service even closer to home to our neighbors in Cascade,” Lehr said.

Meritus Primary Care – Cascade will be located at 14303 Lake Royer Drive, Cascade, Md., 21719. To schedule an appointment, call 240-852-0694.