- CommunityGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAs we close out Pride Month, AAMC President Sherry Perkins discusses the significance of this year’s celebration. As you walk the halls of Anne Arundel Medical Center, the J. Kent McNew Family Medical Center and Pathways, you’ll see rainbow flags big and small decorating in celebration of Pride Month. These symbols of our commitment to equity and inclusion remind me not only of our solidarity this month, but most importantly of our actions to be inclusive, equitable, and stand with our LGBTQIA+ community every day. This Pride month, many efforts sponsored by our Department of Diversity Equity and Inclusion have been underway and our LGBTQIA+ Business Resource Group (BRG) has been working hard to bring events that bring us together to celebrate Pride – many of you already have participated. I want to recognize the significance of this particular Pride month as we also challenge ourselves to learn, grow, and act to fight racial injustice. We will continue to actively recognize oppression or exclusion of many forms and work to dismantle it and empower the diversity of our health care system. Thank you all for your care to patients, families, and each other.0
- News & Press Releases, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG), a multi-specialty physician group that is part of Anne Arundel Medical Center, today announced the merge of its two cardiology practices, AAMG Cardiology Specialists and AAMG Annapolis Cardiology Consultants. The two practices will now operate under the name AAMG Cardiology Specialists in one location, AAMC’s new Specialty Physicians Suite–Annapolis. “This past summer, we were pleased to announce the partnership between AAMG Annapolis Cardiology Consultants and AAMG Cardiology Specialists,” said Dr. Jerry Segal, senior cardiologist at AAMG Cardiology Specialists and medical director of Cardiovascular Services at AAMC. “The merger of the two practices provides patients with nine cardiac specialists in one central, convenient location. This expanded practice provides patients with the entire array of cardiac testing and cardiac care.” Specialists cover the fields of general cardiology, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology and vascular medicine. In addition to AAMG Cardiology Specialists, the new Specialty Physicians Suite–Annapolis, located on the fifth floor of AAMC Belcher Pavilion (2000 Medical Parkway Annapolis, MD 21401), will also house AAMG Diabetes and Endocrine Specialists, AAMG Neurology Specialists, AAMG Neuropsychology Specialists and AAMG Palliative Medicine Specialists. Mitch Schwartz, MD, chief medical officer at AAMC, says bringing these multispecialty doctors, nurses and skilled care teams under one roof is part of AAMC’s continuous efforts to better integrate and coordinate patient care. “Patients will have the benefit of better communication between doctors, easy appointment scheduling, and seamless medical record sharing between specialties. Our focus is on our patients and creating the best healthcare experience possible,” he said. For more information or to schedule an appointment with AAMG Cardiology Specialists, call 443-481-67000
- Women's Health, Uncategorized, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogOn March 14, 2016, Kelly Huber suddenly felt strange. She had spent the day doing yard work when her symptoms hit: sore, tired arms and tight shoulders. “It wasn’t a normal hurt. It felt like I’d been hit by a truck,” says Kelly, who was just three days away from her 51st birthday. “My arms were exhausted. I could barely move them.” At first, Kelly tried to ignore the symptoms. She went inside and got her 8-year-old twin boys ready for bed. But she couldn’t get rid of the heavy feeling in her arms and shoulders, and began to feel extremely hot. She didn’t understand what was happening and became confused and concerned. Kelly’s husband insisted they go to AAMC’s emergency room near her home in Grasonville, Md. There, tests showed the last thing Kelly expected at her age: She was having a heart attack. Women and Heart Disease Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the U.S. Heart disease causes 1 in 3 women’s deaths every year. Source: The American Heart Association Heart Attack in the Making Kelly was no stranger to AAMC. When her twins were born three months early, she was by the boys’ side for seven long weeks in AAMC’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Teddy’s Place. Now it was her turn to be the patient. “The artery to the front of Kelly’s heart had a major blockage, which was causing her symptoms,” says Elizabeth Reineck, MD, interventional cardiologist with AAMC. Dr. Reineck reopened Kelly’s artery with a stent. To Kelly, the heart attack felt like it came out of nowhere. But in reality, it was years in the making. “If you looked at her 10-year risk of heart problems one month before she had her heart attack, it would have been very high,” says Kelley Sullivan, MD, Kelly’s post-operative cardiologist with AAMC. Kelly had high cholesterol and a family history of heart problems. Her father had triple bypass surgery before age 50, and her mother was diagnosed with severe heart disease. On top of that, in the span of seven years, Kelly gave birth to her boys prematurely, which left one of them blind; lost her mother; and became separated from her husband. “It was a lot to handle,” she says. A New Lease on Life Kelly’s heart attack was the icing on a bitter cake. “I was scared to death. I prayed, ‘I have little boys. Please let me make it so I can be here for them,’” she says. Her prayers were answered when she left the hospital three days later on her birthday. That was just the beginning of Kelly’s recovery story. Post-operative care would be a partnership between Kelly and her doctors. “Even if we can open up the blocked artery, you have to take medications for the rest of your life and follow up with a cardiologist regularly,” says Dr. Reineck. “As doctors, we can only do so much. To be successful moving forward, patients need to make positive lifestyle changes, too.” Kelly was determined to do whatever it took to succeed. For her, that meant taking prescribed medications, improving her diet and exercising more often. Because she was terrified of another heart attack, exercising was especially hard. “You worry,” she says. “Every little ping and pain feels like it’s your heart.” Fortunately, three months of cardiac rehab at AAMC helped her recover physically and emotionally. “Kelly came to us scared and nervous. She was afraid for her kids,” says cardiac nurse Shannon Adkins. Her therapy with Kelly included nutritional counseling and supervised exercise, such as walking on a treadmill while connected to a heart monitor. “Our goal was to make her feel better about doing things so that when she went back into the real world, she would feel more confident.” Kelly’s twins were by her side at most of her appointments. They supported her a few steps away from where she’d first supported them at their birth. “My boys are my little advocates. They are my biggest motivation for getting healthy,” Kelly says. “I’ve changed everything so I can be here to watch them grow up.” Find out how you can help bring cardiac surgery to AAMC. Contributors Elizabeth Reineck, MD, is an interventional cardiologist with AAMC. Kelley Sullivan, MD, is a cardiologist with AAMC.0
- Why Choose Luminis Health's Speech Pathology Team?We'll work hard to lessen the toll that speech, language or voice problems can take on your life by:Working closely with your entire care team. We'll consult with your radiation oncologist or other referring doctor to create a treatment plan tailored to your needs. But that's not all. We also work shoulder-to-shoulder with dietitians, occupational therapists and physical therapists to tackle your symptoms from many directions.Coordinating your care. Juggling appointments with several different types of health professionals is time-consuming. We handle those arrangements if your doctor recommends physical therapy, occupational therapy or cancer rehabilitation.Making access to care as painless as possible. With early morning, evening and weekend hours, you can choose appointments that fit your schedule. For some types of therapy, virtual visits are a convenient option. And you can connect with any of our locations and services through a single, dedicated phone number.Offering therapists with specialized skills. Our speech therapists hone their expertise by treating many people who have the same specific problem. For example, if you lose your voice after treatment for throat cancer, we can match you with a therapist who specializes in this.TreatmentConditions/Services/Treatments PageWe treat adults and children with voice, speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders. We also treat children with feeding disorders, ADHD and autism.Specialized Help for Speech, Language, Voice, Swallowing and Thinking IssuesDifficulty swallowing doesn't just rob you of the pleasure of eating. It can pose serious risks, including choking. Problems speaking or communicating your thoughts to others can be frustrating and exhausting. Living day to day with these issues can lead to emotional distress, like anxiety.In kids, feeding disorders can slow normal growth. And a speech or language disorder can impair a child's ability to learn and succeed in school.Our speech-language pathologists can help you or your child manage a speech, voice or swallowing disorder. We deliver outpatient rehabilitation care that helps you or your loved one achieve life-changing results. No matter where you are in your experience or recovery process, we can help.0
- Cancer CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWhen discussing women’s cancers, breast, ovarian, and cervical cancers often come to mind. However, lung cancer claims more lives among women in the United States than the combined mortality of these three. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, providing an opportunity to learn more about how to prevent lung cancer, as well as the symptoms that can be associated with it. Risk factors and prevention Over the past 20 years, lung cancer rates have increased in women. The exact reasons are unclear, but there are several possible explanations including hormones or increased exposure to secondhand smoke. Genetics also likely plays a role. Most lung cancer risk factors are environmental, such as smoking, exposure to secondhand smoke, exposure to cancer-causing substances in the air and prior radiation treatment. A family history of lung cancer also puts you at higher risk of developing it. Doing your best to avoid environmental risk factors helps lower your risk of getting lung cancer: Don’t smoke; smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. To speak with a tobacco treatment specialist about quitting tobacco, please call 443-481-5366. Avoid secondhand smoke. Avoid radon exposure in your home. Radon is an odorless, invisible, radioactive gas naturally released from rocks, soil and water. Radon can get into homes and buildings through small cracks or holes and build up in the air. You can order radon testing kits here. Avoid exposure to asbestos, a mineral used in many products including insulation and construction materials; its fibers can be inhaled or ingested. Symptoms, screening and treatment Unusual fatigue, weight loss, a persistent cough and/or coughing up blood, shortness of breath and wheezing are all symptoms of lung cancer. If you experience these symptoms, see your doctor right away and don’t hesitate to request a screening. Our experts recommend annual lung cancer screening starting at the age of 50-years-old for those who currently smoke, or have quit in the past 15 years. As with all cancers, earlier detection of lung cancer improves outcomes. Treatment options for lung cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, and IV treatments such as chemotherapy. There are also some patients who might be eligible for oral pills that can target the cancer specifically. Different treatments are sometimes used together, with a treatment plan tailored to meet the individual needs of each patient. In Conclusion The rise in lung cancer in women is concerning and more research is needed. Both men and women should talk to their doctor if they have any questions regarding lung cancer prevention or to see if they qualify for a lung cancer screening imaging test. Authors Feras Abdul Khalek, MD is an experienced medical oncologist at Luminis Health. He is board certified in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology. He is also an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology and the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer.0
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