healthy living winter 2014
TRANSCRIPT
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Inside this Issue:
Grace Anne Dorney Pulmonary & Cardiac Services Wins National Award ... 9
Is Orthopaedic Surgery for You? ... 14
And more!
MedStarStMarys.org
Healthy WINTER 2014
Inside this Issue: A Continuum of
Care for DiabetesDomestic Violence Program
Our Donors Make the Difference3 15 18
Living
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Letter From the President
Kenneth A. Samet, FACHE President and CEO, MedStar Health
Barbara Thompson Chair, Board of Directors, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital
Christine R. Wray, FACHE President, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital Senior Vice President, MedStar Health
Holly Bond Meyer Healthy Living Editor
Carol Harvat Healthy Living Writer
Linda J. Lagle Healthy Living Writer
Nicki Strickland Healthy Living Designer
Healthy Living is published by MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital. The information is intended to inform and educate about health, not as a substitute for consultation with a physician.
Christine R. Wray, FACHE President, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital Senior Vice President, MedStar Health
MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital of St. Mary’s County, its Medical Staff and Auxiliary, are non-discriminating in their admission, treatment, employment and membership policies. The hospital employs, offers membership, renders treatment and receives vendor services without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin or ancestry, marital status or status as a qualified disabled individual. Patients receive considerate and respectful care at MedStar St. Mary’s regardless of the source of payment. MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital’s Payment Assistance Program provides free or reduced charges for care to patients who receive inpatient and outpatient services. This program is available for individuals who are not eligible to receive medical assistance from the state and meet specific income requirements. If you are interested in finding out if you qualify for payment assistance, please contact our Credit Office at 301-475-6039.
Featured on Our Cover:
Dear Friends,
‘Tis the season to be thankful. And at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, we are thankful for so many things. At the top of our list is that you – our friends, family and neighbors – entrust us with your care. We understand both the privilege and the responsibility of your trust. Maintaining your trust is of great importance to us. So much so, that we charted a journey to hardwire high reliability.
To help us along the way, we followed the process set by the Maryland Performance Excellence Foundation (MPEF) that is a gateway to the National Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award. Baldrige recognizes organizations that demonstrate high quality in all aspects of its business all the time. MPEF presented our hospital with a Gold Award in 2013 and, most recently, a Platinum Award, the highest honor an organization can achieve at the state level.
However, it is more about what we continue to learn throughout the process. The awards themselves are milestone markers that remind us to continue in the direction we chose and tell us how far we traveled forward. The process MedStar St. Mary’s goes through to determine eligibility for the award is extensive and intensive. It is a learning experience like no other and provides our organization with new perspectives on every aspect of what we do.
Caring for our community requires vigilance, drilling down on data and hardwiring best practices. It also requires us to always question if we can do more and, if so, to fully understand what that “more” really is.
We are grateful for the privilege of caring for you and are humbled by your trust. That trust also offers us the incentive to continue to analyze, measure and improve on everything we do. We are proud of our organization and for what we are accomplishing – a high level of quality and safety on your behalf.
At MedStar St. Mary’s, we embrace this journey and anticipate the untold opportunities that will present themselves in the coming years as we strive toward high reliability.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and best wishes for a healthy and happy New Year.
Kindest regards,
Christine R. Wray, President
Continued on page 4
James Graves of Leonardtown, Maryland, enjoys building model ships, some of his own design and some from kits. Here he is shown with his latest work in progress. The model in the background was built in1982. Keeping busy helps him control how much he eats, which helps him manage his type 2 diabetes.
Navy veteran James Graves understands the toll that diabetes can extact on a person. In 2013, he found himself coming to the MedStar Wound Healing Center at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital for numerous weekly treatments and care of several non-healing diabetic foot ulcers. All the infected sores healed, except one, which resulted in him losing a toe.
“I couldn’t walk anywhere so I put myself in a wheelchair,” said James. “It was way too painful to walk with the wounds. They (the wound center) took good care of me.“
When James faced the possibility of another toe amputation upon a return visit this fall, the center referred him to Arthur Flatau III, MD, a new, full-time vascular surgeon with Specialty Physicians at St. Mary’s who is with MedStar’s Heart & Vascular Institute.
James has type 2 diabetes, which he now controls with a healthy diet and a healthier lifestyle. However, that wasn’t always the case. It’s hard to imagine now, but the 77-year-old Leonardtown, Maryland, resident used to be more than 50 pounds heavier. He liked to drink and smoke – especially when he was younger – and always had high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He also has a strong family history of diabetes. As a result, James neglected his own health while caring for other family members upon his retirement from the Navy. The years of neglect are now having a devastating effect on him.
When James returned to the wound center for another foot
ulcer this fall it was because he learned his lesson. “This time I went in early and didn’t wait to see if the wound would heal on its own,” James said. In spite of this, he was in danger of losing another toe as a result of poor circulation in his lower leg.
“Foot ulcerations are common in diabetic patients,” Dr. Flatau said. “While this is generally related to diabetic neuropathy, it is frequently complicated by Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). Diabetes is one of the main risk factors for PAD which can delay or even prevent a wound from healing.” In this case, a blocked artery limited blood flow to James’ lower extremity. According to a 2014 report from the Center for Disease Control, about 60 percent of non-traumatic lower limb amputations among people aged 20 or older occur in individuals diagnosed with diabetes.
Dr. Flatau performed a minimally invasive angiogram and he inserted a stent in James’ lower leg, opening up the artery to allow the blood to flow to the limb. “After restoring blood flow, James’ ulceration went on to heal rapidly,” noted Dr. Flatau.
James couldn’t be more grateful. “My wound healed so much faster that my visits to the wound center stopped soon after the surgery.” He also said that his entire lower leg and foot felt warm where it had always been icy to the touch. “It just feels right,” he said.
A Continuum of Care for Diabetes
Vascular surgeon Arthur Flatau III, MD, brings his expertise to help expand the services and procedures available close to home. Here he is shown in the new angiography suite with (from left): Lance Owens, RT, Dr. Flatau, Cheryl Pauley, RN, and Kelly Jenner, RT.
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Dr. Flatau has expertise in minimally invasive endovascular surgery in addition to conventional vascular surgery. “The minimally invasive procedure was preferable for James as he was a moderate to high risk patient for conventional open surgery,” stated Dr. Flatau.
James is proud of the changes he’s incorporated into his lifestyle recently. “I eat healthy. I don’t smoke or drink and I am now moving with the use of a walker,” he said. “When I first started the treatments for my feet, I was in a wheelchair. I plan to one day be able to just use a cane when I walk to help with my balance. My military training gives me the will to not give up.”
That training also gives him the patience he needs to build model ships. Building models is a way to stay occupied and to help keep his type 2 diabetes in control. “I don’t need to take medicine for diabetes now,” James commented. “I watch my diet now. Losing weight helped. Guess I wasn’t careful about all this when I was younger,” said the veteran who once studied for the priesthood but was told, “you’ll never be one, you’re too wild.”
Keeping Care Close
“Being part of the vascular program within MedStar is of great benefit to our patients,” said Dr. Flatau. “A great majority of vascular problems can be treated locally, saving patients from having to travel distances for care. Yet we have the benefit of collaboration and resources that the system provides.”
Dr. Flatau is well-versed in endovascular surgeries. He maintained a private practice for 23 years in Florida before moving to the Bucks County region of Pennsylvania. While there, he helped build an endovascular program with the area’s hospital. The opportunity to work within MedStar and to benefit from the collective and individual expertise across the system was part of the reason he chose to be a part of the vascular institute program at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital.
Among the new procedures he brings to our hospital’s all new state-of-the-art angiography suite is endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). “If at all possible, endovascular surgery is better for the patient. In most cases, it only requires sedation, not anesthetics, and can be performed on an outpatient basis.”
Keeping an Eye on DiabetesRetina specialist L. Edward Perraut, Jr., MD, recently joined MedStar Eye Physicians in Charlotte Hall. He brings more than 30 years of experience in the diagnoses, care and treatment of diabetic-related eye conditions, such as diabetic retinopathy.
Dr. Perraut hails from a family of ophthalmologists. His brother and brother-in-law are ophthalmologists and his father was one of the first fellowship-trained retina specialists in the Washington, D.C. area. Following in his father’s footsteps, Dr. Perraut was among the first
vitreoretinal fellowship trained ophthalmologists in the area. The board-certified eye physician also teaches retina and LASIK at the University of Virginia in addition to caring for patients within his specialties.
“The eyes are the window to the body,” said Dr. Perraut. “We can see what the blood vessels in the eyes are doing and they often can tell us if an individual is developing any additional blood vessel problems. Early detection and treatment of complications from the disease can help prevent progression.”
Once a primary care physician diagnoses someone with any form of diabetes, individuals should also then see their ophthalmologist for a dilated retinal eye exam. “We can also look for retinal tears,” noted Dr. Perraut. “If caught early, and it is a tear and not a retinal detachment, it can be treated with a laser right in the office. Warning signs may include slightly blurred or distorted vision or floating spots.” A yearly exam also helps to catch concerns before there are symptoms, so it is earlier in the progression of any problem related to diabetes.
Dr. Perraut can also do an optical coherence tomography (OCT) if needed. This is a non-invasive imaging test that uses light waves to take cross-section pictures of a patient’s retina and can provide the ophthalmologist with more information than other imaging exams.
Annual retinal exams along with monitoring and managing the disease can go a long way to fight some of the vision-harming damage that diabetes can cause.
Medical School University of Maryland Medical School
Fellowship Wilmer Eye Institute, The Johns Hopkins Hospital Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery
Residency MedStar Washington Hospital Center Chief Resident, Ophthalmology
Office Location 37767 Market Dr. Charlotte Hall, Maryland
Contact For appointments, call 301-290-5915
Awareness/EducationHealth Connections offers an array of programs and services to help combat the onset of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and help individuals cope with insulin-dependent diabetes. The hospital is a part of the MedStar Diabetic Institute and is a recognized American Diabetes Association-Recognized Education Center. Tina Leap, RN, and Becky Sutay, RD, are the certified diabetic educators leading the programs. Call 301-475-6019 for more information.
Awareness/Prevention: Simple Changes Evidence based; 16-week core session
followed by monthly sessions designed to delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes and based on the National Diabetes Prevention Program
Prevent Diabetes Workshop Free event held quarterly in Lexington Park
and at Health Connections; teaches steps to take to increase activity and lose weight in order to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes
Diabetes Fair General educational information and
screening held annually in November, which is designated as American Diabetes Month
Presentations to Community Organizations Department of Aging Senior Tours (screening and information)Bariatric Surgery Support Group Once a month support group; discussions
help participants gain an understanding of how the surgery may help control the disease, not eliminate it
Classes:Individual Counseling
Assessment, education and nutrition counseling, includes gestational diabetes
Seven Healthy Habits – Lexington Park Class covers the seven self-care behaviors people with diabetes need to adopt as outlined by the American Diabetes Association
Diabetes Self-Management Education Class A six-hour session held each month on nutrition, risk factors, long and short-term complications, activity, coping with stress and an overview of community & national resources available, includes providing glucose monitors (physician referral required)
Often the patient can go home the same day or, if need be, stay only for one night in the hospital.
One of the benefits of growing the vascular surgery program at this hospital is that “we’re able to keep patients close to home here,” Dr. Flatau noted. “That’s important not only for their treatment and care, but it helps in their recovery,” he added.
Monitor Yourself
According to Tina Leap, one of the certified diabetes educators with Health Connections at the hospital, education is first and foremost in trying to stall the growing epidemic of diabetes. Health Connections offers American Diabetes Association-approved programs, classes and resources available for county residents.
“In general, screening is vitally important for everyone at risk,” she said, adding that type 2 and prediabetes often have no symptoms so many people are not aware that they have it. “If you have a family history of diabetes of any kind, you need to be screened.” Fasting blood sugars should regularly be below 100.
Diabetes can be treated and managed. “Eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity and, if need be, taking medications to lower blood glucose levels are all beneficial,” Tina said. Diabetes is a disease of circulation, meaning it affects large and small blood vessels. Keeping blood glucose under control can help reduce the risk of eye, nerve and kidney complications that can develop due to diabetes.
In addition, Tina recommends reducing other risk factors such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels and quitting smoking. “Pay attention,” Tina said. “While blood sugar is an indicator of the disease, you need to think beyond those numbers and what it means for your eyes, legs, feet, brain and heart. This is a disease that affects you from top to bottom.”
The number of newly diagnosed cases are slowly dropping in St. Mary’s County thanks to county-wide efforts and programs such as those Health Connections offers to build awareness and increase education about diabetes. Fortunately for our Southern Maryland residents, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital and affiliated MedStar physician practices help keep diabetic education, care and treatment close to home.
Continued from page 3
L. Edward Perraut, Jr., MD
528 new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in Calvert County; 631 in St. Mary’s County; and 1,002 in Charles County in 2011 (These figures were 661, 1008 and 556 respectively in 2010) **
1 in 4 people don’t know they have diabetes
More than 1 in 3 adults have prediabetes. Without weight loss and moderate physical activity, up to 30 percent will develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years
More than 29 million peoplein the U.S. have diabetes - up from 26 million in 2010
(These fig
528 6311,002
*2010 Figures are from CDC’s National Diabetes Statistics Report 2014 **www.cdc.gov/diabetes/atlas/countydata/dmincid/data_Maryland.pdf
DIABETESNUMBERS*
by the
L. Edward Perraut, Jr., MD, MedStar Eye Physicans
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Our Medical Community Spotlight
The MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital team is excited to introduce the newest members of our Medical Staff. As our community grows, we strive to bring high-quality physicians and specialists to Southern Maryland to meet the medical needs of the area’s residents.
We believe it is important for our patients’ health to offer specialized services in a
comfortable setting, close to home. If you happen to see one of these Medical Staff
members in the hospital or in the community, please take a moment to welcome him or her.
Introducing Jenny H. Lin, MD, Pediatric PulmonologistWe are pleased to welcome Jenny H. Lin, MD, a pediatric pulmonologist from MedStar Georgetown University Hospital who has extended her services and joined the MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Staff. Dr. Lin is board certified in pediatric pulmonology and general pediatrics, and sees patients with a wide spectrum of pulmonary disorders. She earned her medical degree from University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison. Following her residency and internship in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, she completed a fellowship in pediatric pulmonology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Dr. Lin has a special interest in asthma and has presented nationally on this topic. She is dedicated to improving medical and patient education, and is actively involved in several clinical research projects and quality improvement initiatives. Other clinical interests include: bronchiolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, bronchoscopy, chronic cough, chronic lung disease, cystic fibrosis, recurrent pneumonia and wheezing.
Dr. Lin is now accepting patients at Specialty Physicians at Charlotte Hall in the MedStar Health building. She will care for patients on the first Tuesday of every month from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. To make an appointment, call 202-295-0547.
Get to Know Dr. Emmanuel AtiemoWe are pleased to introduce Emmanuel Atiemo, MD, a new full time orthopaedic surgeon and specialist in sports medicine with MedStar Orthopaedic Institute.
Dr. Atiemo cares for patients in the orthopaedic practice with Usman Zahir, MD, in Specialty Physicians at St. Mary’s, in the Outpatient Pavilion at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital.
How did you choose orthopaedics? My mother had a knee replacement about 12 years ago. Watching her mobility improve and seeing her get back to her normal level of activity and quality of life again made an impact on me. The reconstructive aspects and the multitude of methods that exist to treat various fractures and orthopaedic injuries have always intrigued me. The mechanical aspects, the use of implants, and the ever changing technology and surgical techniques are things that captivate my mind. These can all help to make a patient’s quality of life better. Being in orthopaedics, I have had to develop a wide range of skill sets that enable me to treat young and old patients; patients with acute and chronic injuries; and, finally, the patients who just want to live without pain.
What caught your interest about sports medicine? Truthfully, every aspect of orthopaedics caught my attention, but none more so than sports medicine. Throughout my residency and fellowship I had extensive athletic team experience with coverage of various high schools and colleges in the Philadelphia and Baltimore areas. Whether working with the trainer to help rehabilitate a player or being on the field for on-site injuries or gauging whether a player is ready to get back in the game, I have always enjoyed getting these individuals back to their athletic goals.
During my fellowship, I also assisted in covering the major indoor soccer league’s Baltimore Blast team, the NFL Baltimore Ravens and the MLB Washington Nationals. I feel privileged to work with athletes – be they team superstars or simply weekend warriors – and to play a role in getting them back to their optimum level of performance and into competing form.
No other field in orthopaedics is as comprehensive as sports medicine and yet specialized enough to deal with such unique patients.
What is your philosophy as an orthopaedic specialist? I take a multi-disciplinary and innovative approach to medical management and surgical treatment of orthopaedic injuries and problems. Whether it is the laborer with chronic shoulder pain or the retired grandmother who just wants to continue with her daily chores, the one thing that all our patients have in common is the simple desire to function without pain. We all take our mobility and lack of pain for granted. For individuals in need of orthopaedic care, resuming their respective work, career or hobby is their ultimate desire. As a treating physician it is my goal to help these patients live without pain and improve their quality of life.
What can patients expect from you as their specialist? When I meet a patient my goal is to establish a comfortable relationship and to gain an understanding of my patient’s priorities and desires. In this way, I can provide explanations of their best options and fully inform them about what the treatment entails as well as thoroughly explain what outcomes to expect. By doing so, I can help them to understand fully what will be required of them during their recovery and rehabilitation. Giving my patients as much information as possible and allowing them the time to think through their decisions and ask follow-up questions helps them to be more confident that they are making the most informed and appropriate choice. By establishing this relationship, realistic and good patient outcomes can be achieved so that they can get back to their desired level of activity and participation.
Emmanuel Atiemo, MD Orthopaedic Surgeon & Specialist in Sports Medicine
Office Location:
Specialty Physicians at St. Mary’s MedStar Orthopaedic Institute Outpatient Pavilion, 2nd Floor Leonardtown, Maryland
Office Hours:
Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
For an appointment, call 240-434-7483
Jackeline Gomez, MD
Internal Medicine
Employed by MedStar Medical Group
Location: Leonardtown, MD
Medical School: University of Puerto Rico
Internship: Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital
Residency: Greenville Memorial
Hospital
L. Edward Perraut, Jr., MD
Surgery/Ophthalmology
Employed by MedStar Eye Physicians
Location: Charlotte Hall, MD
Medical School: University of Maryland at Baltimore
Internships: Grady Memorial Hospital, Emory University Hospital
Residency: MedStar Washington Hospital Center
Fellowship: Wilmer Eye Institute,
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Tara D. Wood, NP
Family Medicine / Nurse
Practitioner
Employed by MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, Palliative Medicine program
Location: Leonardtown, MD
Education: Bowie State
University
Lucas Wymore, MD
Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine
Employed by Southern Maryland Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Center
Location: Leonardtown, MD
Medical School: Texas A & M University
Fellowship: San Diego Arthroscopy & Sports Medicine
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WINTER 2014
Health Connections CalendarLinking You to Good Health Your Life. Your Health. Your
Way. That’s the philosophy of Health Connections’ Health Link program.
We know your health is important to you and it is equally important to
us. Health Link classes are designed to help you navigate caring for your
health, especially for individuals with chronic conditions.
Diabetes Education
Diabetes Self-Management One-day session meets Dec. 6, 2014, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Health Connections Take the mystery out of diabetic meal planning, monitoring, treatment options and day-to-day coping with diabetes. For more information about our American Diabetes Association- Recognized Education Center, call 301-475-6019. Physician’s order is required.
Seven Healthy Habits of People with Diabetes Feb. 20, 2015, 10 a.m. to noon,
Lexington Park Library
Have diabetes? Feel overwhelmed?
What if you could learn a bit about each
of the seven self-care behaviors, then
work on one at a time? Join a certified
diabetes educator and learn how you
can manage diabetes, one healthy
step at a time. Caregivers and family
members welcome. Call 301-475-6019
to reserve your spot. Free.
Prevent Diabetes Workshop Feb. 6, 2015,10 a.m. to noon, Lexington
Park Library; and Feb. 7, 2015,
10 a.m. to noon., Health Connections;
Do you have any risk factors for
diabetes (family history, overweight,
sedentary lifestyle) or have you even
been told you have pre-diabetes or
“borderline” diabetes? Attend this two-
hour workshop taught by a certified
diabetes educator and learn how small
changes can help you prevent or delay
the onset of type 2 diabetes. Free.
Pulmonary
Better Breathers Club Dec. 18, 2014, noon to 1 p.m.,
Occupational Learning and Research,
Feb. 19 and April 16, 2015, noon to 1
p.m., Health Connections
If you have a pulmonary disease, such
as COPD, join us to learn how to better
cope with the disease. We will discuss
several pulmonary-related topics, such
as breathing techniques, home health
care and exercise. This program is in
partnership with the American Lung
Association. Free.
Yoga and Seated Yoga for Better Breathing Ten-week classes beginning Jan. 8, 2015, Regular Yoga, 4 to 5 p.m., Seated, 6 to 6:30 p.m., Health Connections Yoga is a mind-body practice in complementary and alternative medicine with origins in ancient Indian philosophy. Start at your own level and ability. Expereince the relaxing benefits of gentle movement. Seated Yoga helps manage stress, combat asthma, COPD, high blood pressure and depression. Classes are taught by Dr. Bhasker Jhaveri. $80 for 10 weeks. Call to register.
Smoking Cessation Classes An 8-week series beginning Saturday,
Jan. 10, 2015, 10 to 11 a.m., Lexington
Park Library; beginning Tuesday, Jan.
13 and March 24, 2015, both 6 - 7 p.m.,
Health Department, Leonardtown You will gain knowledge about your smoking habit, along with behavioral modifications, stress management and quit smoking techniques. All classes are free with free medication to help you quit. Call 301-475-4316 to register.
Senior Wellness & Events
Senior Gold Card Club
Dec. 4, 2014, Jan. 8 and Feb. 5, 2015,12:30 to 2 p.m., Health Connections Each month, members enjoy a heart-healthy lunch and they are treated to interesting and informative educational programs. Registration required. Call 301-475-6019. Free.
Support Groups
Alzheimer’s Care Givers Support Meeting Fourth Thursday of every month, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Chesapeake-Potomac Home Health Agency Support and information for caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s and related dementia. Primary caregivers, family members and friends of affected persons are all welcome. Call 301-609-1904 to register prior to the meeting. Free.
Ostomy Support Group First Sunday of every other month (Feb. and April), 2 to 4 p.m., Chesapeake-Potomac Home Health Agency Created specifically for patients and family members of patients who have colostomies, ileostomies and urostomies. To register for this support group, and to confirm dates, please call the CPHHA office at 1-800-656-4343. Free.
Bariatric Surgery Support Group Dec. 13, 2014, Jan. 10 and Feb. 14, 2015, 10 to 11 a.m., Health Connections Hosted by the Bariatric Surgery Team at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Free.
Good Grief Support Group First and third Tuesdays of every month, 6 to 7 p.m., Hospice of St. Mary’s Learn positive coping skills for dealing with the loss of a loved one. Call 301-994-3078 for location. Free.
Stroke Survivors Dec. 16, 2014, Jan. 20 and Feb. 17, 2015, 7 to 8 p.m., Health Connections Learn more about causes of stroke, recovery and how to prevent future problems. Speak with experts in rehabilitation, enjoy light refreshments and the friendship of other stroke survivors and their families. Caregivers welcome. Call 301-475-6019 to register. Free.
Cancer Care
Cancer Support Group First and third Wednesdays of every month, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Outpatient Pavilion, Cancer Care & Infusion Services MedStar St. Mary’s and the American Cancer Society offer a support group for cancer patients, their family members and friends. The group is facilitated by associates from Cancer Care & Infusion Services and Case Management. Call 240-434-7247 for more information. Free.
Look Good, Feel Better Restarting in February, Second
Wednesday of the month,
7 to 8:30 p.m., Cancer Care & Infusion
Services, Outpatient Pavilion
The hospital partners with the National
Cosmetology Association and the
American Cancer Society for this free
program for cancer patients in any stage
of diagnosis or treatment. This seminar
helps female cancer patients improve
their appearance and self-image by
learning hands-on beauty techniques to
overcome side effects of chemotherapy
and radiation. Call 240-434-7247 to
register. Free.
MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital is offering a special event that is a perfect for a mutual Valentine’s
Day gift. Come and learn about these two ancient forms of healing to help relieve modern day stress. Learn to ease discomfort, enhance flexibility and induce relaxation. Shiatsu (Japanese acupressure) provides acupressure to various points on the body to balance the energy and to promote health and well being. Thai massage promotes flexibility and facilitates energy flow in the body. Help each other find the perfect antidote to a stressful day. To learn more or to register, call 301-475-6019. $50/couple.
Couples Shiatsu & Thai Massage Feb. 15, 2015 2 to 4 p.m. Health Connections
Ladies, you do so much for so many - Spend a Day Taking Care of Yourself!
A Thoughtful Approach to Women’s WellnessThe FREE wellness program includes:• Health screenings• Continental breakfast and lunch• Featured programs on domestic violence, women’s health issues and nutrition• Health displays and useful educational materials
Pre-registration is required. Call 301-475-6019 to learn more and to register.
Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.Loffler Senior Center at Chancellor’s Run Park21905 Chancellor’s Run Road
Great Mills, Maryland
Presented by St. Mary’s Delicados, Inc.
and MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital
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Health Connections Calendar WINTER 2014To register for classes call 301-475-6019 or enroll at MedStarStMarys.org
To register for classes call 301-475-6019 or enroll at MedStarStMarys.org
Keys to Wellness
Alternative Medicine
Reflexology
Dec. 12, 2014 and Jan. 9 and Feb. 13, 2015, Health Connections Enjoy a relaxing reflexology session! $20 for one 20-minute session.
Exercise, Nutrition & Weight Management
Body Composition Analysis
By appointment only, Health Connections Ready to start that new fitness plan or want to measure the progress of your current fitness routine? Analysis in-cludes measurements, and an in-depth look at body composition. $15.
In the Community
CPR, First Aid & Safety
Heart Saver First AidJan. 24, March 28, 2015, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., Education and Simulation Center Do you know what to do in an emergency? Participants receive an American Heart Association Heart Saver First Aid completion card at the end of the course. Call 240-434-7769 or 301-475-6020 to register. $35.
Heart Saver CPR/AED
Dec. 19, 2014, Jan. 23, March 27, 2015, 4 to 8 p.m., Jan. 24, March 28, 2015, 8 a.m. - noon, Education and Simulation Center Designed by the American Heart Association, Heart Saver will teach lay rescuers CPR, how to use an AED and foreign object airway obstruction removal for adults, children and infants. Two-year certification upon completion of course. Call 240-434-7769 or 301-475-6020 to register. $45.
Heart Saver Bloodborne Pathogens Feb. 25, April 22, 2015, 4 to 5 p.m. Education and Simulation Center This course is designed to meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements
American Red Cross Blood Drives Dec. 22, 2014 and Jan. 12, 2015, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Health Connections
It feels good to give. Donate blood.
MedStar depends on generous,
committed neighbors like you to support
their life-saving services. Call Health
Connections at 301-475-6019 to register
or for more information.
Get Connected to Health,
is available five days a
week! This low-cost primary
healthcare service for the low
income and uninsured of St.
Mary’s County, is available in
Lexington Park and Charlotte
Hall. Call 301-475-6019 for
more information or to make
an appointment.
It feelsgood to give
Childbirth & Family Education
Child Passenger Safety Seat Check Jan. 12, 2015, 4 to 6 p.m., Health Connections Certified passenger safety technicians will inspect and teach parents how to properly install car seats for infants and children. Presented in cooperation with the St. Mary’s Highway Safety Team. By appointment only. Free.
Breastfeeding Moms Every Wednesday, 10 a.m. to noon, Health Connections If you are a new mom who could use the support of other mothers, attend this free support group facilitated by lactation consultants.
Safe Sitter Feb. 7, 2015, 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., Health Connections MedStar St. Mary’s offers this program to teach adolescents ages 12 to 14 years old common sense babysitting tips, basic first aid and CPR. Call early to register for this popular class. $65.
Parents-To-Be
MedStar St. Mary’s offers the following in-depth series of classes on becoming a parent at Health Connections. These classes fill quickly. Call 301-475-6019.
• Prenatal Yoga - Four-week class on Sundays, beginning on Jan. 4, 2015, at 2 p.m. $40 for4 weeks. Call to register.
• Infant CPR – learn lifesaving CPR techniques and actions to help a choking infant. Jan. 16 and Feb. 23, 2015, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., $15/person.
• New Brothers and Sisters – for siblings ages 3 to 10 years old. Prepares little ones for the new addition to your family. Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. in the multi-purpose room., $5/child.
• Breastfeeding Basics – learn the fundamentals of breastfeeding. Dec. 8, 2014, Jan. 12 and Feb. 9, 2015, 6:30 to 9 p.m., $15/couple.
• Childbirth – covering labor, delivery and beyond. One-day class. Dec. 20, 2014, Jan. 24 and Feb. 28, 2015, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., $55/couple. Five-week class begins Feb. 17, 2015, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., $55/couple.
• Web-based option: Childbirth classes for parents-to-be who cannot attend our traditional classes or for couples looking for a refresher course. This easy to use web-based class shows real-life examples of the labor and childbirth process. $55.
• Baby Care and Beyond – This interactive, fun and informative class answers your baby care questions and takes the mystery out of parenting. Practical skills like bathing and diapering, combined with ways to enhance your baby’s brain development makes this a must-have class for all parents. Dec. 1, 2014, Jan. 5. and Feb. 2, 2015, Health Connections. $15/couple. Web-based option available in both English and Spanish. $25
• Women’s Health & Family Birthing Center Tours – Is there a baby in your future? Come tour our Women’s Health & Family Birthing Center. Registration required. Free. Second and fourth Sundays in December 2014 and the second and fourth Sundays of each month, 2 to 2:45 p.m., Main Lobby of the hospital.
for bloodborne pathogen training. Call 240-434-7769 or 301-475-6020 to register. $15.
Heart Saver Pediatric First Aid CPR/AED Dec. 20, 2014, Feb. 28, April 25, 2015, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Education and Simulation Center This course is designed to meet
the regulatory needs for child care
workers across the U.S. It teaches how
to respond to and manage illnesses
and injuries in a child or infant in the
moments until professional help arrives.
It covers the four steps of first aid and
first aid skills, in addition to child CPR/
AED and infant CPR. The course also
offers optional modules necessary for
child care providers. Course does not
include adult CPR. Call 240-434-7769
or 301-475-6020 for information and to
register. $85.
Heart Saver Friends & Family CPR
Feb. 25, April 22, 2015, 5 to 7 p.m., Education and Simulation Center This course teaches adult Hands-Only
CPR, adult AED use, child CPR and AED
use, and infant CPR. It also teaches how
to relieve choking in an adult, child or
infant. This course for learning CPR, but
not requiring a course completion card.
Call 240-434-7769. $25.
Vascular disease affects many adults. This is why MedStar Health is partnering with Dare to C.A.R.E. to offer FREE vascular screenings to detect the disease early. Screenings are quick and pain-free using ultrasound technology.
Join us on select Fridays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. MedStar Medical Group at Charlotte Hall 29955 Three Notch Road, Suite 201, Charlotte Hall, MD 20622
Limited availability. Please call for your FREE vascular screening scheduled through Dare to C.A.R.E. at 410-573-9483, ext. 202 for an appointment.
Risk Factors:
• Are age 50 to 80
• Smoke
• Have Diabetes
• Have high blood pressure
• Have high cholesterol
12 13
Charles Thomas of Solomons, who just completed MedStar St. Mary’s first radiofrequency ablation/denervation treatment last July for his lower back pain, is surrounded by the hospital team that performed his treatment. From left: Jen Adams, RN, Kajal Shah, MD, Ashley Forbich, nerve medicine representative, Charles Thomas, patient, Christine Rivera, RN, Michelle Johnson, RN, Melanie Hileman, imaging technologist and Dianne Tavera, imaging technologist.
Dr. Scott Kuo, MD, interventionalist radiologist, performs khyphoplasty, a new procedure for the stabilization and relief of pain from spine fractures often associated with osteoporosis.
Herniated Disks Solution Jim Raley of Lusby never had any back problems until he woke up one morning with terrible back pain. He didn’t have any idea why the pain started, but it stopped him in his tracks. At first he tried a few weeks of physical therapy, which made it worse. His pain began shooting down one of his legs as well. “There were days when I couldn’t walk.” He knew he needed to seek other treatment.
His primary care physician Roxanne Richards, MD, referred him to Usman Zahir, MD, orthopaedic surgeon and spine specialist, who diagnosed Jim with a herniated disk last January. Herniated disks are a common cause for back pain, especially for those who perform manual labor and heavy lifting. Dr. Zahir performed a microdiskectomy on Jim, one of the safest and most common minimally invasive procedures to alleviate back and sciatic nerve pain in the legs caused from herniated disks that are pressing on a nerve. Patients have the choice of going home or staying overnight after the procedure, in which a small incision is made in the back and a high-powered burr (operating microscope) is used to remove disk fragments.
“I felt much better immediately,” Jim said, who decided to stay overnight. Dr. Zahir checked in with him periodically. Jim said he stopped taking his prescription pain medication after three days and was back to his routine the fourth, although he laid low for three weeks following doctor’s orders.
“The leg pain is typically gone immediately,” Dr. Zahir said, adding there may be some residual back soreness due to the procedure, but the pain relief should last. Jim has a bit of minor lingering pain, but he is pleased with the outcome. He said Dr. Zahir was thorough and he felt very comfortable with him.
A Small Cast for Spine Fractures Lifelong St. Mary’s County resident Margaret St. Clair of Avenue was experiencing severe back pain last March after lifting more than she should have lifted. Margaret, 86, lived with arthritis and osteoporosis for many years, but the new pain felt much worse.
She first went to Dr. Zahir and had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scan, which determined that she fractured a vertebrae, often
associated with osteoporosis. Dr. Zahir referred her to Scott Kuo, MD, interventionalist radiologist, who offers a new outpatient treatment for vertebral compression fractures called khyphoplasty, a procedure for the stabilization and relief of pain from spine fractures.
“The main goal of khyphoplasty is to reduce pain. With a compressed fracture it’s a 10 out of 10 pain,” Dr. Kuo said. This treatment relieves acute pain for someone who has had a recent vertebrae fracture.
Dr. Kuo performed a khyphoplasty last spring on Margaret, who said the pain after the procedure was “no longer severe and much better.” Margaret still feels some pain at times, but she added, “I don’t feel the bad pain I had before the surgery. He’s a wonderful doctor and easy to talk with.”
During the procedure, a needle is inserted next to the fractured vertebrae and a balloon is inflated to create a cavity. Then a cement-like substance, similar to what is used for a cast, is injected in the cavity created by the balloon, and in a few minutes the cement stabilizes the fracture. “Patients
typically feel instant relief,” Dr. Kuo said. He performs the procedure on patients with osteoporosis and on fractured bones of cancer patients, giving them a better quality of life.
Muting Pain Signals with Heat Retired Solomons resident Charles Thomas enjoyed playing golf and keeping active, but his chronic back pain kept him off the course as he suffered. His pain persisted for about four years. “I try to stay off of any major medication as much as possible,” he said. Charles had back surgery six years ago, but he didn’t want to go that route again.
Charles, who lived in Piney Point until recently, searched the Internet for back pain treatments and learned about a new therapy called radiofrequency ablation/denervation, a procedure that uses radiofrequency heat to disrupt the nerves’ ability to send pain signals to the brain.
Kajal Shah, MD, neurologist, began offering the treatment this year. After performing diagnostics on Charles in July, she learned he was a good candidate. “The treatment is an ablation with radiofrequency heat,” she said, which means the heat carried
back to the brain mutes the pain.
After a mild sedation, the patient lies on a table and a live x-ray helps Dr. Shah guide the needle to the affected nerve. For a half hour to a full hour, the radiofrequency heat is administered through a needle to the nerve causing the pain. “They might feel a bit of pain as the needle is inserted into the pain-causing nerve,” Dr. Shah said.
Charles was hurting badly prior to the treatment with a pain level of 7 to
8 out of 10. After the treatment he immediately felt no pain. ”It was a big improvement.”
The treatment took about an hour and he still feels relief from his back pain today. What impressed him the most was the care and thoughtfulness he received from Dr. Shah and her team. Dr. Shah was attentive and thorough, Charles said. “The crew at (MedStar) St. Mary’s Hospital all left a little note for me. I thought that meant a lot. You could tell they really cared.”
Millions of Americans deal with back pain, and often with increasing
age those minor aches turn into chronic debilitating pain. For others,
it comes in an instant, from a sports injury or lifting something too
heavy to simply twisting wrong. The root cause of back pain can
be many things, and diagnosing what exactly causes the pain is key
to finding out what procedure would be beneficial. Many people
who suffer from back pain want to avoid inpatient surgery and the
dependency on pain medication. MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital offers
alternatives; learn about three outpatient treatment options.
Outpatient Options to Treat Back Pain
Dr. Usman Zahir
Continued next page
Continued from previous page
14 15
Domestic Violence Program Makes an ImpactMedStar St. Mary’s Hospital is making a difference in the lives of domestic violence victims in the community. Its grant-funded Domestic Violence (DV) Program educates and trains hospital associates to identify victims and refer them to collaborating agencies, and has identified more than 150 victims providing them with information to create a better life.
The program, which began in January 2014 and obtained additional grants to extend it for two more years, is geared toward reducing assaults and providing greater protection for victims, said program coordinator Yvonne Dawkins, RN. Program grants are from the H. J. Weinberg Foundation and the state — Victims of Crime Assistance and Byrne Justice Assistance grants.
“We want victims to know it’s not their fault, they’re not alone and we’re here for them,” she said.
MedStar St. Mary’s clinicians are educated through training targeted for their positions, teaching how to screen patients for DV, Yvonne said. “Our goal is to train the whole staff in domestic violence awareness.”
The hospital collaborated with the Department of Social Services, law enforcement, state’s attorney’s office, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Patuxent Naval Air Station, and Walden Sierra, Inc. and Three Oaks Center, connecting victims to all avenues of assistance. Walden offers counseling services for both the victim and the abuser and Three Oaks Center can provide a victim with housing assistance.
Walden’s Executive Director, Kathleen O’Brien, PhD, who advocated for a hospital-based DV program, said identifying victims in the hospital was the missing link to both saving lives and improving the victim’s quality of life. “It creates a comprehensive safety net for victims,” she said. The more the community partners to help identify the victims and refer them to services, the safer and healthier the victims will be, Dr. O’Brien said. Victims need to know their options and realize that they may not need to make life-changing decisions right away, she added.
Program records show that the hospital identified 162 victims in the program’s first six months. When a DV victim is identified, they are given information on what choices they have. The majority of the victims agreed to seek some form of assistance, whether counseling, social services or legal protection.
Lanny Lancaster, executive director of Three Oaks Center,
Quality & Safety Celebrated SweetlyAssociates, physicians, volunteers and board members gathered together earlier this fall for a Celebration of Quality & Safety. The event was held in appreciation of everyone’s hard work and to recognize our hospital wide achievements in earning the third consecutive HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award and seventh consecutive, eighth overall, Delmarva Foundation Quality Excellence Award.
As the special guest speaker, David Mayer, MD, vice president of quality and safety at MedStar Health, thanked the team at MedStar St. Mary’s for their diligence and commitment to patient safety and praised our work toward becoming a High Reliability Organization. He acknowledged how well the hospital incorporates evidence-based research into best practices and dedicates itself to continual improvement on behalf of our Southern Maryland community.
said that the high reporting numbers show that the program has been a valuable undertaking. The program is a system of protocols and processes that teach how to identify domestic violence and connect the victims with resources in the community. “It’s making a significant impact on their
circumstances and making a difference in their lives,” Lanny said.
Along with extending the program another two years, recently acquired grant funds helped purchase an Alternative Light Source camera, which can photograph a bruise under the skin for up to six weeks. Here, Yvonne photographs a bruise on a patient’s arm.
Yvonne Dawkins, RN, our hospital’s full-time domestic violence and sexual assault program coordinator, has been busy training associates on how to identify, screen and document patients who are the victims of domestic violence in order to help them with referrals, safety plans and even protective orders if needed.
Whether you or someone you know is a DV victim, know that Yvonne and others are ready and
prepared to help. Trained staff can provide referrals, walk you through a safety plan and assist with a
protective order. For more information or to seek assistance, call Yvonne at 240-434-7496.
14
Are you in serious need of a restful night’s sleep?
Let our Sleep Lab help you find a way to get the slumber you need.
MedStar St. Mary’s all new Sleep Lab will offer serene, comfortable hotel amenities designed to help you relax.
So, rest assured because our Sleep Lab technicians will do their best work when others call it a night.
NEW LAB OPENING SOON! Watch for more details to come.
16 17
Our Annual Report Fiscal Year 2014 (July 1, 2013-June 30, 2014)
FY 2014 FY 2013
Net Revenue from patient care $138,299,326 $130,862,196
Revenue from non-patient care services $4,920,857 $4,016,700
Expenses Related to:
Professional care of patients $94,600,320 $89,910,330
General overhead/operations costs $30,207,576 $24,301,065
Depreciation and amortization $6,383,365 $8,322,449
Interest for financing assets $1,238,751 $1,247,351
Total Expenses: $132,430,012 $123,781,195
Non-operating gains (losses) from investments and subsidiaries ($52,194.00) $62,808
Net Earnings: $10,737,977 $11,160,509
Assets Donated for specific purposes $337,611 $989,009
Net Income from activities $11,075,588 $12,149,518
Patient Encounters
0 20,000 40,000 60,000
7,477
1,118FY14FY13
89,988
2,626
2,122
56,482
53,119
6,681
1,176
Annual Births
Admissions (excluding Deliveries)
Emergency Room Visits
Outpatient Observations
The thyroid, located in the front of the neck, produces hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism.
When the thyroid gland produces too much hormone, it generates a condition called hyperthyroidism, which may cause symptoms including; anxiety, heart palpitations, sweating, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, increased appetite and weight loss, among others.
When St. Mary’s County resident Pamela Hardy was asked what hyperthyroidism symptoms she was experiencing she said, “all of them.”
Pamela had hyperthyroidism symptoms for a long time and did not want a have her thyroid removed or to rely on medications, which are difficult to regulate and can induce hepatitis and cause other complications. Pamela was glad to hear that she had another option, radioiodine therapy or I-131, recently reintroduced at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital and administered by Antonella Discepolo Chiancone, MD, Nuclear Medicine specialist.
Pamela, who received the treatment in September, said she initially had some of her usual symptoms, but about a month later her symptoms did not occur as often. Dr. Chiancone prepared Pamela by explaining the treatment in detail, so Pamela did not have apprehension. “Dr. Chiancone’s absolutely lovely. I like her a lot.”
“We want people to understand that hyperthyroidism is a serious condition. To minimize adverse outcomes, it is important to treat this condition promptly and effectively,” Dr. Chiancone said.
The treatment renders the patient’s thyroid ineffective, which is a safe option to permanently treat hyperthyroidism, Dr. Chiancone said. The outpatient treatment requires lifelong follow up to ensure that hypothyroidism, or sometimes recurrence of the disease can be treated.
Laura Seifert, lead nuclear medicine technologist, said that after a patient’s diagnostic tests are evaluated and treatment is determined to be appropriate, the patient swallows a pill that contains a tailored dose of radioiodine. The radioiodine is absorbed and destroys the thyroid. “It’s a permanent treatment for hyperthyroidism. Sometimes additional treatments are required, but it’s very rare,” Seifert said.
T H E P O W E R T O H E A LT H E P O W E R T O H E A L
GivingT H E P O W E R T O H E A L
givingThe Power to Heal
The Power to Heal
GivingGiving
Giv ngTHE POWER TO HEAL
If you are experiencing hyperthyroidism symptoms or would like more information on radioiodine therapy, call our Medical Staff Office for a physician referral at 301-475-6088.
Healing Power is Yours to Give
You have the power to support the life-changing work happening every day at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital through a gift to the Hospital’s Annual Giving Campaign. Your gift impacts our patients and families every day, relying on the fact that we are always here, ready to help in time of need.
Please consider a year-end gift to
our campaign, Giving: The Power to Heal, and help us to continue our ever increasing efforts to provide the highest quality, compassionate and reliable care. During this past year, due in large part to you – our community of donors – MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital was able to further enhance the patient experience and community outreach.
With your support, this past year we raised funds for the Dr. J. Patrick Jarboe Mobile Health Center to provide affordable health care to the uninsured and underinsured resident of St. Mary’s County. Our Hospital Foundation awarded eight scholarships to local students pursuing degrees in health care. And, our Hospital Auxiliary raised
and donated funds for flat screen TVs in
all patient and waiting rooms across the
hospital, something many of you had
requested.
Donations also provided for simple,
appreciated comforts, such as a large
blanket warmer for our Cancer Care
and Infusion Services patients. Larger
donations, given as a charitable trust,
provide for the future.
MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital is a
nonprofit organization and grateful
for any and all gifts. In the spirit of
this season of giving, we hope you
will consider making a tax deductible donation and help support Giving: The Power to Heal.
A Permanent Treatment for Hyperthyroidism
We’re All Wired!MedStar Health marked its tenth time as one of the nation’s Most Wired organizations, according to the 2014 survey results published by Hospitals & Health Networks (H&HN) magazine. The 10 hospitals within MedStar’s system continue to adopt technologies that help enhance documentation of patient care, advance clinical decision support and protocols that are evidence based, and reduce the likelihood of medication errors.
“Technology enables us to better provide services at any point in the patient’s continuum of care — whether it is in the physician’s office, hospital, on the road, or even in the patient’s own home,” said MedStar Health President and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth A. Samet, FACHE.
18 19
$5,000-$9,999Blair's JewelryBurch Oil CompanyCenter Radiology, PCCerner CorporationCR Goodman Associates, LLCDeloitte Consulting, LLPECS Federal, Inc.Pamela & David JamiesonMabel & Oliver JohnsonManTech International CorporationJoan & Alfred S. MattinglyMedStar Georgetown University
Hospital Department of Pediatrics
Jennifer & Tim MeyerKaren & Stephen MichaelsThe MIL CorporationMillison ManagementOld Line BankPNC BankRaley Watts & O'NeillElla May & Robert Russell, Jr.Servpro of St. Mary's & CalvertWyle Laboratories
$1,000-$4,999AAA Transportab+c Creative IntelligenceAMN HealthcareASEC, Inc.Ausley Associates, Inc.Bank of America Merrill LynchLyndsey & Bruce BartooMary & Robert BauerBlue Wind GourmetBonnie & Mark BowesRita & F. Elliott BurchCalvert Cliffs Nuclear Power PlantCapital Food Service, Inc.
Our Donors Make the Difference
$25,000+AMARYLLIS, INC.Whitten Laser EyeChristine Wray and John Felicitas
MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital is your non-profit community hospital and, as such, relies on philanthropic contributions from individuals and businesses. As always, during the past year, the generosity of our donors – our friends, family and neighbors – enabled us to significantly enhance the patient experience and our community outreach, allowing us to give back to our community by providing quality, compassionate health care that is accessible.
To all who donated in Fiscal Year 2014 (July 1, 2013-June 30, 2014), we thank you for your generosity and for putting your trust in us. We look forward to sharing future endeavors with you, always striving toward improvement on your behalf.
Any gift is appreciated and you can trust that your gift will go toward enhancing the patient experience at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital and toward helping us take care of our community. We hope that you will also consider making a year-end tax deductable donation this season in support of your community hospital.
$10,000-$24,999AMEWAS, IncorporatedAssociates in Radiation MedicineCherry Cove Land Development
MedStar Health, Inc.MEP, Your Partner in Emergency CareShah Associates, M.D., LLCW.M. Davis, Inc. General Contractors
Mary & Charles CarruthCasey Page PfeiffCassidy Turley Commercial Real Estate
ServicesCerasoli Stafford Media ManagementCMI Affiliated CompaniesCollege of Southern MarylandCommunity Bank of the ChesapeakeCompass Systems, Inc.Peter C. ConradMichael & Theresa CurranDarrell & KingDCS CorporationDeco Recovery ManagementDuane Morris, LLPDugan, McKissick & Longmore, LLCMary & Joseph FusaroJoan & Paul GelrudGleason, Flynn, Emig & Fogleman
CharteredGobel GroupThe Estate of Joseph M. Gough, Jr.Nancy & Alvin GriffinHeron Systems, Inc.Robertha HillHotchkis & Wiley Capital
Management, LLCJ.F. Taylor, Inc.Nilima & Krishna JayaramanLisa & Michael KelleyLinda & Bill LagleLeach Wallace Associates, Inc.Ledo Pizza System, Inc.Leonardtown Business AssociationMaria McCrossenSusan McGroganMaryland Charity CampaignMedStar St. Mary's Hospital AssociatesHolly & Stephen MeyerMore Direct, Inc.Nuance ServicesDora & Michael OversPAE Applied Technologies, Inc.
Printing Press, Inc.Sabre Systems, Inc.Stacy & Kenneth SametSomething Special by TracySouthern Maryland Electric
CooperativeStandard Textile Co., Inc.Staples AdvantageChristine M. SwearingenSynergy Consulting GroupSysco Eastern MarylandCatherine M. SzenczyTaylor Gas Company, Inc.Trans Time ExpressChristine & Jonathan TrentTrion GroupUnited Way of St. Mary's CountyUp-To-Date Laundry, Inc.Vanguard CharitableVenable, LLPLaura & Eric WagnerMaryLou & Robert WatsonHelen & Raymond WerneckeLori & Rick WerrellWharton, Levin, Ehrmantraut
& Klein, P.A.Xerox CorporationRobbin YoungAnne & Neal ZabiegalskiUsman ZahirZenetex, LLC
$500-$999Lewie Aldridge, Jr.Catherine & Robert AskeyAtlas Construction Services, Inc.Avian Engineering, LLCJan & Tom BarnesBoomershine Consulting GroupDeborah & Richard BraamBrinsfield Funeral Home, P.A.Barbara & Robert Brunner
Chesapeake ShoresJean & John CrineDeCosta Construction Specialties, Inc.Edward JonesImages by DarrinAnne & Kirk ForrestMichelle Forrest-SmithDeborah & Phillip GardnerDiane & Joseph GermainRegina & John G. GreelyDalal & Kevin GreenIntegral Nuclear AssociatesMegan JonesAlan P. KeenyKaren Abrams & James KenneyKiwi-TekCaroline Price & Brian KulczyckiLegal ResourcesMarc Raphaelson, M.D., P.A., Inc.Law Office of A. Shane Mattingly, P.C.MedStar Georgetown Physician Group -
Department of PathologyMary & Gary MeekinsCarol & William MoodyEmanuela M. OrahovatsPerlick ManagementPersonalized Therapy Pessin Katz Law, P.A.Pro Sys, Inc.Rick's JewelersCatherine Duvall & William
SchmalgemeyerSolution Engineering Associates, Inc.St. John's ChurchRobert StancilTechnology Security AssociatesBarbara & Michael ThompsonJane Sypher & Lawrence TierneyTri-County AbstractTerri Van AsdlenConnie WettengelHelen Dorsey & John Windolph
<$499Brenda L. AbellJuanita & Kenneth AbellAcme Paper & Supply Co., Inc.Omar F. AhmadGene & Christine AmbrogioLynn & Stuart AshtonMildred J. AustinMarilyn S. BaggettMatthew & Stacey BahrBernard & Shirley BaileyEmalie Gibbons-Baker & Dennis BakerFrancis & Cindy Lou BeakesAgnes C. BeanGeorge & Katherine BeanBarbara & Vincent BellezzaKarl & Carol BennerJarvis Mal & Joan BennettAnnie J. BernardJames S. BershonMary & Leon BerubeAmy & William BirdJulia O. BodineMary & John BohananAmie BothwellAmanda BowieBonnie BriscoeGay BrittainSara & William BroadhurstPatricia & Alan BrownLola & C. Wesley BrubacherWilliam BubbTimothy BuhlerThomas P. BurkeCafé des ArtistesKerry & Tony CallawayDawn CampbellEvelyn Campos-DiazBetty J. CantilenaBen CarilliJune CastroMary & Donald CatherMary B. CheseldinePatricia CheseldineAnna Choi & Richard FerraroJudith & Phillip ChristieLinda & Roland ColinaCarol CoppenbargerColleen CorriganDenise CostanzoSharon & Lloyd CoxAmy & Stephen CricchiAndrea CroftonMarilyn & Thomas CrosbyJoyce & William CusicNorry & Jim DarceyHelen & G. Thomas DaughertyJeanne DavisKaren & Thomas DealyAlice & Kenneth DeanDiane DelahayRuss DiGilioEdgar DiRaimoVeda DixonJames DonovanFranziska & Carl Dubac
Gaye & Michael DuganSheryl Marie & David DunawayAgnes DuncanPamela & William DunkinMelanie Z. DunnSusan & Joseph W. DyerAndrew DziubanBonnie Green & William EdgertonLinda EdwardsRebecca EdwardsLisa & Charles ElliottSusan & Dennis EnglandErrington BuildersBobby EvansExelon CorporationMary & Rudolph Fairfax, Jr.Angelo FalconePaul FerroDeborah FoerterSusie & Henry FowlerKathryn & Carl FranzenKelly & Barry FriedmanFriends of Johnny WoodCaitlin M. GardinerLou & Mike GardnerJohn GattonJose GinesRose & Louis GoncalvesDiane & Richard GoodingJames W. GosnellTimothy E. GowenBarbara & James GrayJohn H. GreelyElaine GreenGinny & J.B. GrettonOrban R. GrigsbyAlicia GronsethGuy Brothers Implements, Inc.Catherine & Charles H. GuyKaren GuyRonald GuyKelly & Bradley HallKitty & John HammettTammy HardestyDarla HardyRuby & Steven HawksJanice W. HaydenCarolyn HaylockMartha HaywardSara & John HazudaJeanette & John HeinbuchMyron HerbertJack HesterSusan HetzerMichael L. HewittKaren & Jack HolcombMendi HolleyJeffrey HomewoodJoanna Aguinaldo HoseaThomas B. HowardCatherine HumphriesHang HuynhMaria IcazaImagine One Technology & ManagementIntelsat General CorporationJeni & Dean Irwin
Elaine & Charles JeffriesMargaret M. JohnsonMoira JohnsonSusan & Walter JohnsonCatherine JonesLaura Radesca & Jose JuambeltzKarl KarnbachJill & Kerry KlearElizabeth & Benjamin KnottShirley & John Kovich, Jr.Marcella LakePeter LambertJacqueline O. LancasterJane & Thomas LancasterMargaret LawsonChristina & Ethan LeemanTeresa LeydonRoberta & Keith LokerJoyce & Paul LombardiEdna LongRachel & Lawrence LoudenDennis MackowiakSharon Main Stephanie Stevens & Claude MartinLulu Belle & Eugene MartinHarold MartinVanessa MasonGreg MatthewsMary O. MattinglyMattingley-Gardiner Funeral HomeMarion & William McAloonSusan McCabeKaren & Timothy McCleafCeline McLaughlinDenise & Ken McDowellSarah & Jeffrey MeadMehaffey & Associates, Inc.Meyers, Rodbell & Rosenbaum, P.A.Carolyn & Lawrence MilanDixie MillerBarbara MillettElizabeth MitchellCarole NelsonDorothy NelsonCarla & Ian NewbouldNicolletti's, Inc.Sharon & William NoonanChristopher NorrieJohn T. O'ConnellCathy & James OliverGordon O'NeilKatherine OwensLinda ParkerBetsy & John ParlettCindy ParlinMary & Robert ParryDeborah PattersonMartin PaulaitisJodi & Jim PilkertonSusan & Mark PinekensteinRobert E. PlantMalcolm RaleyKarolyn & Theodore RauenRed, Inc.Christopher ReeherJames R. Reese
Lucille & William ReuterIsobel & Martel RickettsJames W. RitterMargaret & Brent RobrechtMary Ida RolapeRichard RothmanPatricia Vernon-Rusher & Jeffrey RusherPatricia RussellDarlene & Robert Russell Michelle SakowskiAgnes SampsonMichael SchachterleElizabeth SchaefferValinda & Robert SchallerJennifer ScribnerPatricia SeatonCharlotte & Kenneth SebraJoel B. SewellJane & Kenneth Shelley Shipley & Horne, P.A.Renee & Donald SirkJill SmithCarol & Ronald SmithLynne & Tom SmootLuAnn & David SmouseSouthern Maryland Blue Crabs
Professional Baseball ClubJacqueline SpenceCarolyn StewartSigrid & H. William StilesMary & Joseph StoneNicole & Norman StricklandScott StrobelKaren StrzokJanet SullivanRebecca SutayLinda & Robert TaylorWayne TaylorJanis TennysonPaula & Rick TepelCatherine & Joseph R. ThomasBette C. & Joseph R. Thomas, Jr.Michael W. ThomasJeanne & Francis TothBonnie & Larry TraderGloria & Donald TreyesLori & Michael TribinoCharlene & Nick TsirigotisKaren & Jeremy TuckerAgnes TyerSuzanne VenendaalAmy & Heath WarrenMichelle & Edward WathenKatie & Tom WattsSherry & Vincent WhittlesRuth WillardErnest WilliamsMarilyn & Herbert WinnikBeverly & James WoodBarbara & Johnny Wood, Jr.Christine & Robert WoodFlora & John Woodward, Jr.Deborah & Neal WrableyElizabeth A. & Joseph J. YatesLeslie & Harold Young
20
Non Profit Org.U.S. Postage
PAIDWaldorf, MD
Permit 144
Postal Patron
25500 Point Lookout RoadP.O. Box 527Leonardtown, MD 20650301-475-8981
A Journey’s MilestoneMedStar St. Mary’s Hospital recently received the Platinum Maryland Performance Excellence Award (MPEA) — the highest level award that is the Maryland state equivalent of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. On a national level, the Baldrige award is presented to organizations which demonstrate high quality in all aspects of its business.
“Receiving this honor is more about the hospital’s journey toward high reliability. It is a milestone, not a destination,” Hospital President Christine Wray said. “Last year the hospital received the Gold Award and we have continued forward in our dedicated efforts to improve the way we manage our organization to the benefit of our patients.”
As part of an extensive review to determine the hospital’s eligibility, the MPEA Committee conducted an on-site visit. “It is an intensive process,” Mary Lou Watson, vice president, nursing, noted. “More importantly, it is a learning process. It teaches us where and how we can do better each step of the way.” The real beneficiary of all this is our community.
Seriously Safe Every case or suspected case of Ebola continues to be in the news, yet the risk to the general public and the likelihood of a wide outbreak is small. Ebola is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids of a sick person or exposure to objects such as needles that have been contaminated. People are not contagious after exposure unless they develop symptoms. The illness has an average of an eight to 10 day incubation period, although it can range from two to 21 days.
MedStar maintains a constant state of readiness for treating complex illnesses, including the Ebola virus. At MedStar St. Mary’s, we continue to work with all county agencies to maintain coordinated communications and services. In addition, we have guidelines and protocols in place and have an adequate supply of the special personal protective equipment we need to keep our associates safe.
The threat of Ebola has not impacted our ability to care for you, your family and friends who depend on us. We take very seriously our responsibility to provide exceptional patient care to everyone who comes to our hospital. That means we will continue to focus on what counts – our patients and our community.
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