- Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogHeart surgery is a major event, and the journey doesn’t end when you leave the hospital. Your diet plays an important role in helping you recover. Arianne Kirby, a dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Luminis Health, answers a few questions about post-surgery nutrition. Do I Need to Follow a Special Diet After Heart Surgery? Ask your cardiologist about dietary choices that are best for you. In general, it’s important to follow a heart-healthy diet to keep your arteries open and promote longevity. If I Feel Nauseous or Don’t Feel Hungry After Surgery, Can I Just Skip Meals? You need calories and protein to help your body recover. If you skip meals, you could delay your healing. You also need to drink enough fluids, ideally water, to prevent dehydration. Talk to your surgeon about fluid or other dietary restrictions you should follow. In general, eat a heart-healthy diet of light meals that are low in saturated fat. Should I Have a Glass of Red Wine Every Day? A 5 oz glass of red wine can be beneficial as long as you follow a heart-healthy diet. That means reducing or avoiding sugar and processed foods. A glass of red wine is not a “green light” to eat foods that aren’t otherwise recommended. Do I Need to Reduce My Sodium Intake? Everyone needs sodium from food, especially on hot days or after a work-out when you lose a lot of sodium from sweat. The recommended daily amount for most adults is 2300 mg, but talk to your cardiologist about what’s right for you. Is it Okay to Eat Red Meat? It’s OK to eat red meat in moderation. Serving size, frequency, type of red meat and the degree of health risk are all under debate within the dietary community. Although red meat is a source of protein, iron, vitamin B12, and zinc, it is also high in cholesterol and saturated fat. If you choose to eat red meat, you should limit or avoid other food sources that are high in cholesterol and saturated fat (foods like cheeses, whole-fat dairy, bacon, sausage, cream, etc.). One suggestion is to keep red meat to a 3-ounce cooked serving, 1-2 times a week and to trim away all visible fat. The rest of the week, replace red meat with chicken, turkey, fish, beans, legumes. If I Am Cutting Out Sugar, I Can Drink Diet Soda, Right? Just because something is sugar-free doesn’t mean it is a healthy food. Artificial sweeteners can cause insulin spikes, which over time can raise blood sugar levels. These drinks also do not contribute any nutritional value to your diet. Learn more about our heart surgery program at Luminis Health.0
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLuminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis and Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center in Lanham have received high marks by Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for providing patients with high-quality, safe care. Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC) received an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for spring 2023. LHAAMC has earned “Straight A’s” for every grading cycle since 2018, and according to Leapfrog, is the only hospital in Maryland to earn this prestigious distinction. “It is an enormous accomplishment for our hospital to be consistently recognized nationally for providing safe and reliable care to our communities,” said Sherry Perkins, president of LHAAMC. “Congratulations to our team of caregivers and volunteers for your unwavering pursuit of excellence to keep patients safe from infections, injuries and medical errors.” Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center (LHDCMC) earned a “B” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for spring 2023. “Since 2019, Luminis Health has made significant investments at our Lanham campus to improve the health of our community,” said Deneen Richmond, president of LHDCMC. “With the opening of our new Behavioral Health Pavilion, the expansion of surgical services and our plans to add women’s and children’s healthcare services in the coming years, I am proud of our team for working each day to break down barriers to health and deliver more high-quality care to all Prince Georgians and our neighbors throughout the region.” Luminis Health is committed to using best practices that ensure quality, safety and accountability. Patient safety is a top priority and is part of the overall culture as reflected through safety meetings, rounds, learning opportunities for clinical staff and hearing directly from patients. We work closely with the health system’s Patient Family Advisors, made up of staff and community members, who share concerns and possible solutions. The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization with a 10-year history of assigning letter grades to general hospitals throughout the United States, based on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, full transparent, and free to the public. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring.0
- Community, Pediatrics, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWhen local pediatrician, Dr. Steve Brown, was young, he dreamed of being a doctor working on a boat. The first part of his dream defined his career as a pediatrician, and last year, he realized the second part while he served as a volunteer at The Lake Clinic, Cambodia. The clinic brings doctors, medical supplies and other services to seven floating villages on the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. Many of the houses in these villages are either floating structures or built on stilts over the water, and the area is so remote that the only way to bring a clinic to the people is by boat. Dr. Brown had been consulting with clinics (including one in Cuba) over the internet for a year or so, helping them to assess more difficult illnesses or conditions. “I’ll get pictures of dermatological conditions, or something that transmits in a photograph,” he says, “and it’s easy for me to get a specialist to take a look at it.” After helping patients online, Dr. Brown had an opportunity to spend a month at the clinic where he experienced first-hand the extreme needs of people in such a remote location. “We traveled three to four hours to reach people who couldn’t even seek medical care if they wanted to,” he says. “Families are living off of $2 per day and it cost $40 to $50 worth of fuel just to get us there.” He says the most rewarding aspect of the work is the appreciation shown by the people they were helping. “The people are just so grateful that you’re there helping them and it gives you a warm feeling inside to be able to do that.” Dr. Brown also volunteers for Project Angkor, a humanitarian mission that sets up free temporary clinics in remote areas to treat patients and help train Cambodian medical students. Cambodia has a special draw for Dr. Brown, but volunteerism has characterized his career both near and far. As a member of the Maryland Physician Emergency Volunteer Corps, he worked with the Red Cross after hurricane Katrina to see people in Maryland who had been displaced from homes and needed medical care. “This kind of work is definitely what I went into medicine for,” he says. “I wanted to be able to help people who need the help.”0
- Heart Care, SurgeryGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWhile grocery shopping with his wife over the summer, John Cryan ran up a set of stairs from a parking garage and started to feel faint. He doesn’t remember blacking out but recalls waking up inside his car. His wife called 911, and an ambulance took him to Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC).At the hospital, lab results showed a high troponin level, indicating a heart attack. John met with Scott Katzen, MD, medical director of the cardiac catheterization laboratory at LHAAMC, who recommended coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).Shortly after, John consulted with David Caparrelli, MD, Chief of Cardiac Surgery. Dr. Caparrelli explained that he could use an innovative surgical instrument to freeze John’s nerves, blocking pain signals to the brain and thus aiding in John’s recovery from open heart surgery. This technique, pioneered by Dr. Caparrelli and the team at Luminis Health, has provided long-lasting pain relief for more than 100 patients, and Luminis Health is one of the only hospitals in the country to offer this treatment. John and his wife agreed that surgery with Dr. Caparrelli was the right next step.“In some cases, you meet a surgeon once and never see them again. Dr. Caparrelli checked in on me multiple times and made me feel like I was his only patient,” John says.After surgery, John received a bottle of Tylenol for any discomfort. Six months later, he has yet to open it.“With many health care options, there’s an upside and a downside. In this case, there was only an upside. I recovered quickly and didn’t need pain relief medication,” says John.By October, three months after surgery, John realized he felt better than he had in 20 years. Now, six months post-operation, he completes an hour of cardiovascular exercise and walks his dog in the woods every day.Happily retired from a successful career in international banking, John enjoys a change of pace, spending summers on the Severn River in Annapolis. This season is especially meaningful to him, thanks to the life-saving care he received from Luminis Health.If you or a loved one needs heart surgery, visit Luminis.Health/HeartSurgery to learn about our treatment options.0
- SpecialtyWhat Is Palliative Care Palliative care focuses on improving the quality of life for those with chronic or advanced illnesses. It provides an extra layer of support to anyone facing a complex diagnosis. You may benefit from palliative care if you have: Cancer. Heart disease. Lung disease, including COPD. Advanced kidney disease. Other serious illnesses. We tailor our support to match your goals and values. Palliative care providers can address physical, emotional, spiritual and logistical concerns that make it more difficult to cope with your illness. We involve your family members, so they can assist with your care as well. We also communicate regularly with your other doctors to better coordinate your care., How Luminis Health Palliative Care Helps Our team of palliative care doctors, nurses, social workers and chaplains work with you to address the problems impacting your quality of life. For instance, our: Doctors and nurse practitioners help with symptom management and establishing goals of care. Social workers help with concerns like transportation and financial support. Chaplains provide spiritual support. Nurse navigators coordinate care between your palliative, primary and specialist care teams. We can assist you in discussing important care-related topics with your family members if you don't know how to start the conversation yourself. We also help you solve logistical problems that are barriers to your care, like getting to the hospital for treatments if you don't have a ride. Palliative care can help you feel more like yourself. When you feel better, you're more likely to maintain your treatment regimen, recover more quickly and avoid complications.0
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