- News & Press Releases, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3Blog“No one should have to go through what we did,” says Clay Bockting, Arnold resident. Read on to hear his story. I was 50 years old when I had my second heart attack. The first time it felt like I had a cannonball on my chest. This time, I thought it was indigestion, but given my history, I called an ambulance. They took me to AAMC and everything looked normal. I called my fiancé, Sandra, and told her she could come pick me up, that I’d be ready to go soon. Then everything changed. It felt like a wave came over me, and all of a sudden there was a team prepping me to go to the heart catheterization lab. As I was being hooked up, I texted Sandra: “I’ve gotten worse. I love you.” The next thing I remember is waking up. Sandra and the doctor were there. The doctor told me I was stabilized, and a helicopter would be taking me to Washington because I needed open heart surgery. It was only at this minute that we learned AAMC doesn’t perform heart surgery. It was unnerving, especially given what happened next. There wasn’t availability for me yet in Washington, so I had to remain under constant surveillance for three hours. If my condition had gotten worse, I probably wouldn’t have made it. Thankfully, I did make it to the hospital, where doctors performed a six-way heart bypass surgery on me. During recovery, the trip from Annapolis to Washington was hectic for Sandra and my family. It greatly added to the stress of the situation. I felt guilty putting her through all the pain and anxiety. We feel lucky, knowing things could have ended very differently. No one should have to go through what we did. After cardiac rehab at AAMC, I’m doing great. I quit smoking, see my doctor regularly, and enjoy spending quality time with Sandra, my kids and grandkids.0
- Men's Health, Orthopedics, Women's Health, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogChristopher Bell first injured his knee playing tennis nine years ago. Seven years and two surgeries later, he was still in pain, and his options were narrowing. Fortunately, a new study at the AAMC Research Institute brought state-of-the art treatment to the Annapolis resident that no one else in the region could offer him. After his injury, one of the bones in Christopher’s knee had developed what doctors called small potholes. They caused enough pain that he could no longer play tennis. Microfracture surgery, which involves drilling into the pot holes to encourage scar tissue growth provided nearly two years of relief. But when the pain returned, his only other option was a partial knee replacement. “I went to three other doctors,” Christopher said, “including the orthopedic doctor for the Baltimore Ravens, and it was either quit playing tennis or have a partial knee replacement.” That’s when Thomas Harries, M.D., at Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center offered him another option. Through the AAMC Research Institute, Dr. Harries was participating in a national study of a new procedure called HemiCap joint resurfacing. It’s an outpatient procedure that has been used in Europe for four years, and is now being evaluated for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in the U.S. “A hemi cap is a small metal implant that restores the joint surface and keeps the joint from deteriorating further,” said Dr. Harries. “It’s like filling a pothole in the road. If you don’t fill it, it’s just going to get worse and worse.” The metal implants provide a permanent solution to this kind of chronic knee pain and preserve the healthy portion of the knee. Dr. Harries said 30 or 40 other institutions participated in the study, and after two years of patient follow up, the procedure is in review by the FDA. “It’s not available to the general public yet,” Dr. Harries said. “For me, being involved in the research end means an opportunity to gain more knowledge of these cutting edge procedures and the different products out there. It benefits your patients to have a physician who is keeping up with the modern technology and involved in developing it.” Christopher is walking proof of those benefits. His knee feels great, and he plays tennis every Thursday night. “It was absolutely surprising that I was able to be part of the study and have this cutting edge procedure at Anne Arundel Medical Center right here in Annapolis.”0
- Plastic Surgery & Skin CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWe all age, but you can take steps to keep your skin youthful. Transitioning your skin care regimen is only half the battle. As we age we lose volume in the skin around the upper lip and over the cheekbones and often gain volume around our neck, which can make us look older. Injectable remedies can help. Treatments should only be performed by licensed health care professionals. Here are some of the latest anti-aging trends: Injectable fillers can improve the appearance of nasolabial folds (lines that run down the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth) and marionette lines (lines run from the corners of the lips downward towards the jawline). Today’s commonly used fillers use a natural substance to plump up sunken areas and make the shadows in deep lines disappear. Juvèderm is the world’s top-selling filler and is used to fill lines, cheeks, vertical lip lines and lips. For example, Juvèderm Voluma XC can help add volume to your cheeks to lift and contour the area, lasting as long as two years. The procedures are done in office, and results are instant. Botox remains the best treatment for crow’s feet and the frown lines that appear between the eyebrows. Many physicians also use this to relax the lines that run across the forehead. By relaxing the muscles just below the skin’s surface, the lines smooth out and give you a more youthful look. Remember, there are also lifestyle habits you can adjust for healthy skin: Drink lots of water. While we hear this often when it comes to healthy skin, it is not cliché. Drinking water is good for your skin and overall health. An adequate amount of water daily keeps your body’s systems running properly and that includes your skin. A lack of hydration can make your skin dry, tight and flaky. Dry skin has less resilience, which makes it more prone to wrinkling. Protect your skin from the sun. Even in winter when skies are overcast, UVA and UVB radiation can damage your skin. And a significant amount of sun exposure can occur even when you’re not outside. Up to 60 percent of UVA radiation linked to premature aging (UVA) can penetrate glass. Sitting by a window for extended periods of time throughout the day, whether it is in a car or a building, can increase harmful sun exposure. Apply broad spectrum sunscreen (SPF 50) every day. Avoid smoking. The nicotine in cigarettes and the smoke itself is very harmful. Smoking not only deprives the skin of oxygen but damages collagen, which is a protein that holds your skin together. Smoking speeds up the development of wrinkles and leaves skin dry and discolored. But the best way to ensure youthful-looking skin is to prevent skin damage when you’re young. Melanoma, one of the more worrisome skin cancers, has been linked to sunburns before the age of 18. And there seems to be a connection between severe sun exposure as a child and damage to the weathered-appearing skin as an adult. Patients who have the worst skin as adults in terms of aesthetics and possible development of skin cancer had their worst sunburn before age 18. Learn more about Luminis Health Plastic Surgery’s cosmetic services.0
- Physical TherapyGeneral Page Tier 3BlogFalls Prevention Awareness Week is Sept. 21-25. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: One in four Americans ages 65 and older falls each year. Every 11 seconds, an older adult receives treatment in the emergency room for a fall. Every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall. Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury. They most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults. As we age, our homes provide new challenges and obstacles. These challenges and obstacles remain unseen until a problem arises. Our bodies also undergo subtle (or not so subtle) changes that create a fall risk. Even in our own home. Our homes are our castles and should be places that are safe and comfortable regardless of any physical limitations. Most people prefer to stay in their homes as they age, but are unsure of how to make changes if/when needed. When faced with mobility or cognitive changes or decline, the preference to stay at home may not remain realistic without adapting the current living environment. Here are some tips and tools to reduce the risk of falling at home and improve your ease of mobility. Clear walking pathways: Remove cords, papers, shoes, pet toys and laundry from your walking paths. Also, be aware of slippery surfaces and spills on the floor. Clean up or cover up a spill immediately. Beware of uneven surfaces in your home: Changes in flooring surfaces and sunken living areas that are not highly contrasted are easy to miss. You may fall and trip on these surfaces. Highlight steps with lighting or color striping. Work with a contractor to eliminate transition strips from carpet to tile. Even throw rugs, if not secured, are enough of an uneven surface to trip you. Add good lighting inside and outside your home: Dark hallways, poorly lit closets, stairs without lighting, doors to enter/exit the home and outside walkways without lighting increase your risk for falling. Home improvement stores have many lighting options to resolve this problem. Add supports in the bathroom: Consider adding grab bars next to your toilets as you enter or exit your shower. There are many fashionable options available at home improvement stores and various online vendors. Make your stairs safe: If you must navigate stairs to enter/exit your home or within your home, please use a well-installed railing for the full length of the stairs. It is best to install two railings if possible and have stairs carpeted. Stairs that are chipped, crumbling or with loose railings are risky. Please get these repaired. Organize frequently used items at home within your reach: Remember what your “strike zone” looked like playing baseball or softball? This is the zone you should store your most frequently used items. Getting up and down from the floor or using ladders in the home can prove difficult so, if you are unsteady, make these changes ASAP. Read the AARP HomeFit Guide: AARP has an online and printed edition guiding you on a room-by-room, area-by-area home inspection to identify fall risks and provide solutions for these risks. Visit the AARP website for details. At Anne Arundel Medical Center, we have a specialized fall prevention program. We send specially trained clinicians to your home to provide feedback on how to optimize the safety of your home while preserving the components that you love. Next, we recommend a follow-up appointment in our outpatient clinics. At our outpatient clinics, we provide intervention to minimize the risk of falls. All steps are designed so you return home with a program tailored to your specific needs to continue to maintain a lifestyle to lower your risk of falls. Our goal is to help our loved ones age in place. This allows them to live their life in the home they love. Author Marilyn Pfeiffer and Jennifer Buchanan are physical therapists at Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Physical Therapy.0
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogEach year, more than 200 undergraduate and graduate students apply for a summer clinical research internship at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC). Just 20 students are selected for the eight-week program, which pairs students with a physician mentor and project team. The ideal intern is a student who’s highly engaged and involved in projects beyond the classroom, such as volunteering at a hospital or participating in medical mission trips, says John Moxley, Executive Director of the Department of Medicine and coordinator of the internship program. “We’re looking for students who are going above and beyond their typical coursework,” he says. The program was founded by Dr. Barry Meisenberg, Chair of the Department of Medicine, back in 2014. It has brought more than 125 students from dozens of colleges and universities around the country to AAMC. Together, they work to complete a clinical research or improvement project, then present their findings to a group of AAMC leaders, physicians and other guests at the conclusion of the program. Some of the students’ research has also appeared in scientific journals and been shared at national professional society meetings. Dr. Lori Franks, Senior Medical Director of Hospitalist Medicine, mentored intern Michelle Zhu as she studied delays in patient discharge times. Poor communication and delays in hospital discharge can leave a patient dissatisfied with their care, Dr. Franks says. Each day, Michelle obtained a list of patients on specific medicine units and visited the units at 9 am to learn which patients had a 75 percent chance or greater of being discharged that day. At 3 pm, she returned to the unit to find out which of those patients were still in the hospital, and why. “If those patients were still in the hospital, she would ask three different people why – the physician, the case manager and the charge nurse. Each of those three people are very important in assisting the patient through their hospitalization and the transition to home or other post-hospital facility,” Dr. Franks says. She and her staff are evaluating the data to determine their next steps. Other interns’ projects have led to system wide research and quality improvement initiatives including reduction in opioid prescribing, development of clinical pathways, reductions in unnecessary testing and cost savings in medical procedures. Over the last few years, the program has expanded to include a lecture series on relevant health care topics. Clinical and administrative leaders give the lectures on topics including health care finance and total cost of care, medical volunteerism and medical school and residency experience, among other subjects. Students have noted on their evaluation forms that they appreciate the access to health system mentors, John says. “I was amazed by the openness and attitude of the general AAMC community,” one student wrote this year. “Interns were readily welcomed to a wide variety of events and settings and the physicians and staff were very open to questions and discussions. Having the opportunity to shadow was definitely a highlight of the program!” “The availability of resources (human, technology, otherwise) was great- I was able to quickly access all of the people and information I needed and everyone I worked with was incredibly supportive and engaging,” another student wrote. John says at least three to five students return every year, sometimes to continue their previous work and other times to research a new subject. “Funding dependent, we’d love to have more students,” says John, adding that students now receive stipends for their work thanks to a donation coordinated by the AAMC Foundation. The internship program has grown in popularity among staff members, too. John says he had to turn away potential mentors this year due to budget limitations. Dr. Franks says it was a wonderful experience to have interns like Michelle, who bring a different perspective to AAMC. “She was very inquisitive and it was nice to have students bring a fresh perspective to the work we are doing,” she says. “It’s great to work at AAMC because we have endless opportunities for interested students to learn about patient care and potentially choose a career in the health care arena.” READ MORE: Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Simulation Center receives accreditation as a Comprehensive Education Institute by the American College of Surgeons Learn more about clinical research internship opportunities at AAMC. The application for summer 2020 interns will be available on Jan. 1.0
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