Black Entrepreneur Dr. Maxine Bennett-Marsh Opens Maryland’s Newest Black-Owned Medical Staffing Agency

Dr. Maxine Bennett-Marsh has started Orion Medical Network LLC, a Black-owned medical staffing agency in Maryland. The company aims to support hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities at a time when healthcare providers are facing workforce challenges.

According to reports, the agency officially launched with a ribbon-cutting event in June 2026 at 11302 Crossroad Trail in Brandywine, Maryland. The ceremony attracted community leaders, healthcare partners, and members of the public, highlighting a significant new business for Southern Prince George’s County and the larger Maryland healthcare community.

What Is Orion Medical Network LLC?

Orion Medical Network LLC is a Maryland-based medical staffing and workforce development company founded by Dr. Bennett-Marsh. The agency focuses on placing Registered Nurses and Allied Health Professionals in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities.

Its mission is straightforward but ambitious: to connect skilled healthcare workers with institutions that need reliable staffing. On its website, the company describes its work as “dedicated to providing innovative solutions to the medical industry through our diverse highly skilled professionals”.

For healthcare facilities, the agency enters a market where staffing is now a critical issue. It affects patient flow, care quality, staff burnout, and institutional stability.

Why This Launch Matters in Maryland

The timing makes Orion Medical Network especially relevant. Maryland hospitals continue to struggle with workforce issues, even as vacancy rates have improved since their peak in 2022. The Maryland Hospital Association’s 2026 annual report highlights that rising costs, workforce shortages, and administrative pressures are changing the landscape for hospitals serving communities.

A 2026 clinical staffing report in Maryland shows the ongoing challenges. Maryland’s hospitals employ more than 168,000 people across nearly all 24 jurisdictions, with nurses and nursing support staff accounting for more than 40% of the hospital workforce. The report also points to continued staffing shortages driven by workforce turnover, retirements, and growing patient needs.

This is where staffing firms like Orion Medical Network come into play. They can help close shift gaps, support long-term staffing strategies, and connect licensed professionals with employers who need them urgently.

Dr. Bennett-Marsh’s Vision for Healthcare Staffing

Dr. Bennett-Marsh, a clinician, CEO, community advocate, and founder of Orion Medical Network, views the launch as both a business opportunity and a service mission.

“We are excited to open our doors and begin serving the healthcare facilities and professionals in our region and beyond,” Dr. Bennett-Marsh said. “Our goal is to be a trusted partner, connecting exceptional healthcare talent with the organizations that need them most, and doing so with excellence in every shift.”

Her words highlight the company’s value in two ways. For healthcare institutions, Orion provides staffing support. For nurses and allied health professionals, it offers placement opportunities and access to a broader professional network.

Who Is Dr. Maxine Bennett-Marsh?

Dr. Maxine Bennett-Marsh, DNP, has dedicated her career to healthcare access, nursing leadership, and serving underserved communities. She has received recognition for academic excellence, including induction into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She has organized community health fairs in Baltimore and received several Maryland State Proclamations for expanding access to healthcare and mental health resources.

In 2019, she was honored with the Champion of Health Award for her leadership and advocacy. Her work has also appeared in CEO Weekly, New York Weekly, and on a Times Square billboard promoting her upcoming book on hypertension management.

Her move into medical staffing reflects a trend among clinician-entrepreneurs: using frontline healthcare experience to address systemic issues. In her case, the focus is on workforce readiness, professional placement, and reliable staffing.

How Orion’s Multi-State Reach Could Help

Orion Medical Network is an NLC-affiliated agency, meaning its staffing model connects with the Nurse Licensure Compact framework. The NLC allows qualified nurses to hold one multistate license and practice in other compact states without getting separate licenses for each state. The official Nurse Licensure Compact site mentions that 43 jurisdictions are currently part of the NLC.

This connection is important because speed and flexibility are essential in healthcare staffing. Facilities often require qualified workers for urgent vacancies, seasonal demand, patient surges, or long-term workforce planning. A staffing agency linked to compact-state mobility can help reduce delays when facilities need licensed professionals across state lines.

A Black-Owned Business with Community Impact

The launch of a Black-owned medical staffing agency in Maryland holds social and economic significance beyond the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Prince George’s County and the surrounding Maryland area have a strong Black professional and entrepreneurial community. The launch of Orion Medical Network adds to this ecosystem by introducing Black ownership in a high-demand healthcare service sector.

It also provides an inspirational model for healthcare workers aspiring to move from employment to ownership. Dr. Bennett-Marsh’s journey illustrates how clinical experience, community advocacy, and entrepreneurship can come together in one institution.

What Comes Next for Orion Medical Network?

Orion Medical Network enters the market with a clear promise “to set a high standard in the healthcare sector”. For hospitals and clinics, this promise will be tested through reliability, credentialing standards, placement quality, and responsiveness. For healthcare professionals, it will depend on access to fair opportunities, effective communication, and placements that honor both skill and well-being.

Maryland’s staffing challenges will not resolve quickly. Recent reports indicate ongoing issues with an aging workforce, turnover pressure, and a growing need for more nurses and allied health professionals. In this context, Orion Medical Network is not just another startup. It is a new player in a crucial discussion in healthcare: who will provide care when the system requires more hands, skills, and trust.