- Tips for Finding a Doula1. Start looking early in your pregnancyChoosing a doula early in your pregnancy will give you time to get to know each other and get comfortable with your birth plan.2. Talk to other familiesTalking with friends who have used a doula about their experience can help you start and even narrow your search. Technology – Facebook groups, a Google search for other online groups and forums – can connect you with other moms in your area.3. Talk with the provider who’s caring for you during your pregnancyLet your doctor or midwife know you’re planning on having a doula as part of your labor and delivery team. And if your provider has worked with a doula in the past, they may be able to offer a recommendation.4. Check with doula certification programsMost programs offer national, and even global, online directories of certified doulas that you can search by location.5. Interview potential doulasYou not only want to gather important information about them and their background, but you also need to get a feel for whether your personalities are a good fit.6. Know your Healthcare CoverageReach out to your insurance provider to see if they cover the cost of having a doula by your side during childbirth. Also, don’t forget about your HSA/FSA accounts– they may chip in to help cover those expenses, giving you some extra peace of mind during this special time.7. Trust your gutWhen you choose someone to provide any service, there’s no doubt experience and technical skills are must-haves. But soft skills, such as communication, empathy and teamwork, come into play too. Pay attention to how you connect with and feel when you’re with them. No one knows you and what you need better than you do. Listen to and follow your instincts.ServiceConditions/Services/Treatments PageWelcoming your support team During pregnancy, the right support makes all the difference. Every family deserves a safe, healthy, and positive birth experience. At Luminis Health, we welcome doulas as part of your care team. A doula is a trained, non-medical, professional who nurtures, supports and offers guidance for families throughout labor and delivery, and after the birth. Doulas offer a wide range of services, including help with breastfeeding as well as postpartum care. Watch the video in Spanish. Studies show a doula’s continuous labor support benefits mom and baby in many ways. It can often mean: A more satisfying birth experience Less need for pain medications Less likelihood of needing a cesarean delivery Shorter labor Increased likelihood of successful breastfeeding At Luminis Health, we support the inclusion of doulas as part of your care team throughout pregnancy, labor and delivery, and beyond. *Luminis Health uses a third party event registration service. Please note that EventBrite will be facilitating the event registration process and will handle any personal information collected in accordance with the EventBrite Privacy Policy. Thinking about working with a doula? Find the support that’s right for you through the options below: Explore our list of doulas who have supported families at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. DoulaMatch is a helpful resource to connect you with doulas in your community.0
- Community, Stroke Care, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogNine years after a stroke left Judy Crane with such severe speech deficits that she had difficulty being understood, the 56-year-old Millersville resident has become an articulate and outspoken advocate for stroke patients. One of 90 patient advisors at AAMC, Judy sits on the stroke advisory committee and the patient advisory council. In both roles, she provides hospital staff with the patient perspective that helps them provide patient-centered care, reaching beyond a patient’s medical needs. When I was invited to be a patient advisor on the stroke committee, I thought it was kind of intriguing that they even want a patient to be on their committee. The committee gets together once a month to review the stroke cases, looking for how they can make things better. Anybody that has anything to do with a patient is there. The doctors and nurses, the pharmacy and lab, radiology, they look at the whole gamut. When topics come up, I look at them from my experience and also other people’s experiences and I provide the “bedside” view. If I can add something about how a patient would feel about it, I give my input. One of the things I asked at the stroke committee was if anybody was willing to volunteer to start a stroke support group. Right there, three people volunteered. One is a speech therapist; one’s a physical therapist and one an occupational therapist. When I had my stroke, I really needed to be able to talk to somebody who had experienced this. There are so many questions. Will I be able to work? What about disability? What are some tips that can help me in relating to my kids, my spouse, my friends. I mean it goes on and on. The group is a great sounding board and it’s wonderful for the staff too because they can see how patients manage afterward, and we can give feedback to the hospital about how things went. Now, I’m also on the patient-family advisor council. That’s a bigger group that helps some of the staff come up with patient-centered care goals and initiatives. One goal is educating staff so everyone understands what patient-centered care really is. Sometimes it’s as simple as giving a patient hope, or encouraging them to be a part of their recovery process. It’s all about really looking at each patient individually, and empowering both the patient and their families to be engaged in their treatment and recovery. To learn more about the Stroke Support Group contact Laurie Neely, physical therapist, or Jennifer Irving, speech-language pathologist or by phone: 443-481-6872. To find out how to become a patient advisor contact Jeanne Morris, advisor coordinator, at 443-481-6054.0
- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogEvery day, we are learning new things about coronavirus (COVID-19) and the way it spreads. The virus mainly spreads through people who are in close contact with each other. When someone who is infected (with or without symptoms) coughs, sneezes or speaks, they produce respiratory droplets that others can inhale. Or, they can get into their eyes, nose or mouth. This is why we recommend that you wear a mask in public spaces, and when you are around other people. And it’s especially important when you can’t stay at least six feet apart from others. If you are infected with COVID-19, wearing a mask may keep you from passing the virus to others. Likewise, other people’s masks may protect you. What Type of Mask Should You Wear? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people cover their faces with cloth masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Cloth masks should have at least two layers of fabric. You should avoid wearing masks with exhalation valves or vents. These vents appear as a plastic clip on the outside of the mask. These types of masks allow the breath you exhale to come out through the holes unfiltered. This can allow your respiratory droplets to reach others and spread the virus. Personal protective equipment, such as surgical masks and N-95 respirators, should be saved for health care workers and others who are on the front lines of patient care. How to Wear a Mask It’s important to make sure you are wearing your mask properly. Here are some of the dos and don’ts of mask wearing: Do cover your mouth, nose and chin. Don’t leave gaps between your face and the mask. If the mask slips down over your nose, the mask is either loose or too big. A proper fitting mask should contour your face and minimize gapping along the nose, cheeks and chin. Don’t over-tighten your mask, as it may cause skin irritation, injury or difficulty breathing. Do handle the mask by its straps or ties when putting on and removing the mask. Don’t touch the front surface of the mask while wearing it. Adjust mask from the side edges to reposition it. If you do have to touch it, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before and after. Do wash your cloth mask daily or more frequently, if it becomes soiled. You can wash your masks with other laundry using regular detergent. Don’t wear a mask that is damp. Do put your used masks in a clean paper bag or container that allows moisture to escape. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after you touch them. Don’t remove the mask to speak to someone. The CDC doesn’t recommend that children under the age of two wear masks. People who have trouble breathing should consult with their doctor. You should wear masks while observing other safety precautions. Those include washing your hands often using soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or using hand sanitizer, staying at least six feet apart from others, and cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces. We all must do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are in this together. Author Jean Murray is the director of Infection Control for Anne Arundel Medical Center.0
- Employee Spotlight, Graduate Medical EducationGeneral Page Tier 3BlogOne January day, resident Abdel-Moneim Mohamed Ali, MD, was completing his acute care surgery rotation when he received a call to the Emergency Department to evaluate a patient for an urgent umbilical hernia repair. When Dr. Ali saw the patient, he learned that the patient was also on a waiting list for a liver transplant. He consulted his fellow resident and senior team member, Shyam (Jay) Jayaraman, MD, and, together, they made a decision that would ultimately save the patient’s life: they decided to calculate the patient’s MELD score. A MELD score is used to gauge how urgently a patient needs a liver transplant. Patients with higher numbers are higher on the transplant list. As they suspected, their patient’s score was dangerously high. “The patient’s liver failure was getting worse,” said Dr. Jay. “The hernia was purely excess fluid in the abdomen caused by the patient’s liver failure.” Thanks to Dr. Jay and Dr. Ali’s meticulous evaluation, the patient received a life-saving liver transplant the very next day. When they’re not saving lives, the two might be found preparing for a game of jeopardy. In 2018, Dr. Jay and Dr. Ali competed as a two-person team in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Surgical Jeopardy contest at the ACS Annual Clinical Congress held in Boston. The duo took an impressive second place in the rigorous contest. “It all comes down to teamwork,” they concurred. Pro tip: “Treat the patient and not the imaging or lab value. Look at the whole picture and do what’s best for the patient.” Learn more about GME at AAMC by visiting www.AAHS.org/Graduate-Medical-Education. Watch our video to hear program officials describe AAMC’s unique learning environment for residents, as well as the benefit of a teaching hospital to the community. If you know a great individual or a fantastic team going above and beyond to make a difference, make sure to let us know! Looking for a career in health care? We invite you to join a diverse and collaborative team of professionals working together to innovate the future of health care for our entire region. Check out our career opportunities.0
- Cancer Care, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWith Angelina Jolie in the news recently for preventatively having her ovaries removed—following a preventative double mastectomy just two years ago—many women have questions about genetic counseling and the role it can play in determining your risk for breast and ovarian cancer. If you test positive for one of the main breast cancer genes, called the BRCA genes, you have up to an 85 percent greater lifetime risk for developing breast cancer, as well as an increased risk for ovarian cancer. Plus, if you’ve already had breast cancer there’s a significantly increased risk for having another breast cancer—nearly 65 percent. If you find out you have a genetic mutation that puts you at an increased risk of another breast cancer, this may change your initial surgical decision. Instead of pursuing a lumpectomy or a single mastectomy, you may instead choose a bilateral mastectomy. Also, if you are a BRCA carrier you may elect to have your ovaries removed by a certain age because currently we do not have an effective way to screen for ovarian cancer. Genetic counselors help you figure out the best plan of care if you have or are at risk of having a genetic condition. To make sure you are fully informed before making a decision to proceed with genetic testing, the counselor discusses benefits and limitations, as well as the implications for you and your family of the possible test results. The genetic counselor reviews your medical and family history, providing information regarding the genetics and natural history of hereditary cancer syndromes and reviewing personalized options for risk reduction and increased cancer surveillance. The goal is to provide a comprehensive risk assessment to determine if genetic testing is reasonable and which genetic test is most appropriate. The family history takes into account at least first-, second-, and third-degree relatives to establish whether there’s a pattern of cancer in the family that may indicate an increased likelihood of an inherited mutation. Since the majority of cancer is not hereditary, things such as shared environment and lifestyle factors are important to consider. Taking a complete family history allows the genetic counselor to look for certain red flags that guide the discussion and help identify who can benefit from genetic testing. Ideally, genetic testing starts with a family member who has had cancer because that provides the most useful information for the entire family. While the analysis and interpretation of genetic test results are complex, the test itself only requires a saliva sample or a blood draw and the testing is completed in several weeks. It’s important to know having a genetic mutation does not mean you will definitely develop either breast or ovarian cancer. Figuring out how to address the increased risk is a personal decision that should be made following consultation with your doctor. Genetic counseling can provide information to patients to help them choose the best course of treatment, but ultimately the patient and their family will decide what is best for them. If you think you may be at high risk for breast or ovarian cancer, talk with your doctor about whether genetic counseling may be right for you. Health insurance often covers genetic counseling, so check with your individual plan. Learn more about genetic counseling at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Author By Ashley Allenby, MGC, CGC, certified genetic counselor at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach her, call 443-481-4295.0
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