- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogU.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has named Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center (LHDCMC) as a 2022-2023 High Performing hospital for six procedures and conditions. This is the highest award a hospital can earn for U.S. News’ Best Hospitals Procedures & Conditions ratings. The annual Procedures & Conditions ratings are designed to assist patients and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions or elective procedures. LHDCMC earned High Performing ratings for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, kidney failure, pneumonia, and stroke, in recognition of care that was significantly better than the national average, as measured by factors such as patient outcomes. “We are honored to receive this recognition from U.S. News & World Report,” said Deneen Richmond, president of Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center. “These achievements demonstrate the unwavering dedication of our team members to deliver the best care to patients and the communities we’ve served for nearly 50 years. With our new behavioral health facility about to open, this award reaffirms our commitment to find innovative ways to improve the health and well-being of our residents.” For the 2022-2023 Best Hospitals rankings and ratings, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 hospitals across 15 specialties and 20 procedures and conditions. Fewer than half of all hospitals received any High Performing rating, and only four earned this rating in all procedures and conditions. State and metro area rankings reflect the highest performing hospitals in the area across multiple areas of care. “When patients are considering their options for care, the Best Hospitals ratings are designed to help them identify hospitals that excel in the kind of care they may need,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “A hospital that’s earned a High Performing rating in a service may be a good option for patients in need of that service and their medical professionals to consider.” The U.S. News Procedures & Conditions methodology is based entirely on objective measures of quality such as survival rates, patient experience, and how successfully each hospital helps patients get back home. For more information, visit Best Hospitals.0
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogToday Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) announced the grand opening of its new Specialty Physicians Suite–Annapolis. Located on the fifth floor of the AAMC Belcher Pavilion, the Specialty Physicians Suite will house Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Cardiology Specialists, 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 health care experience possible,” says Dr. Schwartz. Barbara Onumah, MD, of AAMG Diabetes and Endocrine Specialists, says both patients and providers benefit from having all the care teams in a single location. “The environment will encourage collaboration between providers in different subspecialties. This will lead to better coordination of care and testing and improved patient outcomes,” she says. Patients visiting AAMC’s Specialty Physicians Suite will have the ability to get referrals and consultations on the spot, as well as save time scheduling appointments with specialists who can meet a spectrum of health care needs. Dr. Onumah explains how this works, specifically as it relates to patients with diabetes. “People with diabetes are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Adults with type 2 diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease or stroke than adults without diabetes. Patients seeing an endocrine specialist within the Specialty Physicians Suite will have a ‘one stop shop,’” she says. To schedule an appointment with any of the practices located in the Specialty Physicians Suite—Annapolis call 443-481-6700.0
- WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogHere’s an age-old truth: Maryland’s population is aging slightly faster than the rest of the country, meaning more families here are navigating the complexities of caring for older loved ones. At Luminis Health, we are committed to Age-Friendly Care—an approach that centers on what matters most to older adults and their families. We follow the nationally recognized 4M’s framework: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility. What is Asymptomatic Bacteriuria? One important topic that can be tough to talk about and causes confusion is asymptomatic bacteriuria. This happens when bacteria are found in the urine, but there are no symptoms of infection. This condition is very common in older adults, especially women after menopause, when lower estrogen levels reduce protective bacteria. Unfortunately, asymptomatic bacteriuria is often mistaken for a urinary tract infection (UTI), leading to unnecessary prescriptions for antibiotics. Here’s what you should know about asymptomatic bacteriuria: It’s not a UTI. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is different from an infection. A positive urine culture or high white blood cell count doesn’t always mean antibiotics are needed. It does not cause confusion, falls, or weakness. If your loved one is experiencing these symptoms, it could possibly be dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, or medications. Antibiotics are often unnecessary and can be harmful. Overuse of antibiotics offers no benefit in treating this condition and can increase risks of diarrhea, colitis, allergic reactions, drug interactions, and dangerous drug-resistant infections and worse. There are safer alternatives. Good daily hygiene with perineal cleaning, vaginal creams, and probiotics can help restore protective bacteria and pH without the risks of antibiotics. So, when do antibiotics make sense? Only when your care provider carefully assesses symptoms, reviews medical history, and determines there are true signs of infection. This is where the 4M’s guide our patient-centered care. The 4M's to Patient-Centered Care What Matters Listening to patients and families about their goals, comfort, and preferences. Medication Avoiding unnecessary antibiotics that can do more harm than good. Mentation Recognizing that confusion in older adults has many causes, not just bacteria in the urine. Mobility Helping older adults stay active and safe, instead of sidelined by side effects from inappropriate treatment. By following this evidence-based approach, we ensure older adults get the right care at the right time—protecting their health, independence, and quality of life. Age-Friendly Care Luminis Health is committed to championing Age-Friendly Care for our community. We’re proud that Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis is one of only five hospitals nationwide recognized as an Age-Friendly Health System Pioneer by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center in Lanham, along with our primary care practices, have earned the Age-Friendly Healthy System Level 2 – Committed to Care Excellence designation. As Maryland continues to age ahead of the national curve, these conversations matter more than ever—for our parents, grandparents, and all of us who love them. View and share our flyer about antibiotics for elder women, which is also available in Spanish. Authors Mary Clance, MD MPH is a Hospital Epidemiologist at Luminis Health.0
- Heart Care, UncategorizedGeneral Page Tier 3BlogOne small act can make a big difference. We invite you to join Anne Arundel Medical Center in our week-long celebration of kindness as we put our hearts in motion for Random Acts of Kindness week, Feb. 12-18, 2017. Studies have shown that being kind and doing kind acts for others can benefit your heart, reduce anxiety and lower your blood pressure. Download our free, printable kindness cards to start your own chain reaction of good deeds. Need some ideas to get you started? Buy a cup of coffee for a stranger. Leave a special treat on a friend or co-worker’s desk. Donate old towels or blankets to an animal shelter. Surprise a neighbor with dinner. Send a card to someone who deserves more recognition. Leave a kind server the biggest tip you can afford. Share your stories and see what others are doing on Facebook using #AAMCHeartsInMotion. One of the best Random Acts of Kindness you can do is encourage everyone to know their “heart age” and risk of heart disease. Take our free, online heart health profiler at AskAAMC.org/Heart.0
- News & Press Releases, Women's Health, Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogToday’s uncertainties with COVID-19 likely raise additional concerns in your mind as you prepare for your labor and delivery. Know that we hear you and so many others who are faced with similar challenges. Here are some of the most frequent questions we are hearing. As you know, things are changing rapidly. Keep checking our website for up-to-date policies and procedures that may apply during your stay with us. We will continue to add to these questions as we work together to explore ways to make your experience a good one despite these extraordinary times. How will the COVID-19 restrictions affect my routine prenatal care? Right now, we advise pregnant mothers to keep their routine appointments. Should this need to change, your provider will notify you. You may receive a call from us before your appointment to screen for any symptoms and exposures or to check your travel history. We will provide advice around these questions and assess whether to have you come to the office or schedule a telehealth visit. Can a support person come with me to my prenatal appointments? We realize that someone may bring you to and from your appointments and we ask that only you come inside the office for your appointment. Please have your support person stay outside of our waiting areas. In our office settings, we want to be mindful of social distancing. More people in our waiting areas makes it difficult to follow social distancing guidelines. The safety of you and your family is our priority. How will COVID-19 restrictions change my birth plan? While every birth plan is different, some of the updates we announced may have an impact on visitation during your stay. Visitors are limited to one consistent support person throughout the duration of your labor, delivery and postpartum care. Rest assured that your support person can be with you in the delivery room and spend the night with you and your baby the entire time you are with us. This policy change protects you and your baby and protects the health and safety of our workforce. Caring for our frontline staff is a high priority so that they can continue to work to deliver our babies and care for our families now and in the weeks ahead. Will I be tested for COVID-19 before my delivery? If you are being admitted for delivery, we have universal COVID-19 testing procedures in place, documented here in English and Spanish. If I test positive, will my baby and I be separated after birth? We are no longer advising separation if the mother tests positive, based on new recommendations and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and others. You may choose to keep your baby in the room to maximize the benefits of direct newborn care. We ask that mom and baby stay spaced six feet apart and that mom wears a mask and practices good hand hygiene before breastfeeding or other direct newborn care. If you prefer, we can arrange to care for your baby in our NICU to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19 to your baby while in the hospital. If mom chooses temporary separation, we will gladly provide a hospital-grade breast pump for breastmilk expression during admission. Does my support person have to be the same person throughout my entire stay? If that initial person leaves, can someone else take their place as the one visitor? We ask that you have the same support person throughout your stay. This person should limit coming and going from the hospital to reduce the chances of exposure. Can my doula accompany me during my stay, along with my support person? Yes, we welcome doulas back into the hospital as part of your care team, along with one family member/support person. Your doula may be present with you through labor and delivery and postpartum. We do not consider doulas visitors. Rather, they are part of the care team. Attending doulas are not interchangeable with an additional family member/support person. One person may be present with patients delivering in an operating room. The support person selected to be present is the choice of the mother. In addition to our general health and safety guidelines around PPE use and hand hygiene, we also ask doulas to check in with the charge nurse upon entry to the unit and provide identification, a copy of their formal patient agreement and their doula certification. How long will these restrictions be in place? We cannot determine when we will lift restrictions until COVID-19 infection rates decline. There are many experts looking at our nation’s infection rates to understand when we might begin to experience a decline in COVID-19 cases. We will continue to do what is best to keep you, your baby and our staff safe. Our healthcare providers are ready with knowledge and support. They are resilient. They are not skipping a beat when it comes to caring for our patients and families safely. While these are extraordinary times, we are dedicated to continuing our compassionate care for new life, for our mothers, for our families and for each other. Originally published March 23, 2020. Last updated Sept. 22, 2020.0
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