- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation has recognized Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) as a “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Top Performer.” The HRC Foundation is the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization. AAMC earned the distinction for its LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices in four categories: patient-centered care, patient services and support, employee benefits and policies, and community and patient engagement. “We are proud to be recognized for our commitment to an equitable, inclusive environment for both our patients and our workforce,” said Maulik Joshi, executive vice president of integrated care delivery and chief operating officer at AAMC. “We are constantly working to identify opportunities to create a more inclusive culture, and this designation is a testament to our efforts.” As part of its efforts, in 2016, AAMC launched its Health Equity Task Force (HETF). The diverse and multi-disciplinary group is dedicated to eliminating health disparities in the community, and strengthening AAMC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. AAMC’s LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Top Performer designation is reported in the 11th edition of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI). A record 626 healthcare facilities actively participated in the 2018 HEI survey. Among the HEI participants, 95 earned a “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Top Performer” designation. “With some of our biggest battles still ahead of us, it is crucial that institutions continue to demonstrate that the march toward full equality is not slowing down,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “The 626 participants in this year’s HEI continue this march in partnership with the LGBTQ community. For the past decade, the HEI has been the roadmap to closing the gap in ensuring equal care to LGBTQ patients and their families, and we urge every healthcare facility to join us in this continuing effort to provide inclusive care to all.”0
- Why Choose Luminis Health for Chemotherapy?Facing cancer treatment can be tough. But we are right by your side with expert, compassionate care. We offer:The expertise you need. We're certified by the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI), which recognizes the delivery of high-quality care to patients. Plus, our nurses are Oncology Certified Nurses, a certification that signifies their specialized knowledge in caring for cancer patients.Infusion therapy in a peaceful, private setting. Our Infusion Center is a quiet place to receive chemo, hormone therapy and other treatments. We offer individual bays for your treatment, and you'll go home the same day.A team approach. You won't see just one doctor for your chemo. Your team consists of other cancer specialists, including radiologists, surgeons, nurses and pharmacists.Cancer support services to help your well-being. Cancer is a major life event. If you or a loved one has cancer, we're here to help you every step of the way. We offer many different services and resources designed to fit your needs and give you a better, more comfortable experience.Therapy for “chemo brain." Some people have problems with memory and/or concentration during and after cancer treatments. If you're experiencing this mental fog, you can meet with one of our speech-language pathologists. You'll learn brain-sharpening exercises.TreatmentConditions/Services/Treatments PageWe treat cancer in three ways — with surgery, radiation and medicine. Chemotherapy uses medicine to fight cancer.What Is Chemotherapy?Chemotherapy is a form of treatment for cancer that uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Other types of cancer treatment are hormone therapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy.In standard chemotherapy, cancer medicine travels throughout your entire body, killing cancer cells that have spread to multiple organs.But different kinds of drugs work in different ways. Depending what kind of cancer you have and how much it's spread, another type of medicine might be better for you than traditional chemotherapy.0
- Cancer Care, Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has put lung health into the spotlight. Now more than ever, it’s important to keep your lungs in good shape to reduce your risk of developing severe illness. Here are some things you can do to keep your lungs healthy. Quit smoking and vaping Quitting these habits is challenging in the best of times. Add in the stress and boredom from the pandemic, and it’s even harder. But if you smoke or vape, it’s especially important to quit now. Smoking and vaping increases your risk of deadly infections, such as the flu, pneumonia and now, COVID-19. Studies show you could also be at greater risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19 if you smoke or vape. We continue to see cases of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury, known as EVALI. The symptoms of EVALI, including low oxygen levels and inflammation of the lungs, can be similar to the symptoms of COVID-19. While the FDA has cracked down on the makers of the Juul e-cigarette for marketing to teenagers, now we’re seeing devices such as the Puff Bar. This is similar to the Juul, but because it’s disposable, manufacturers can get around the regulations. But we are also seeing more people who want to quit. People are scared about getting COVID-19, so they are more invested in quitting smoking and vaping. And we’re offering more virtual programs than ever before. To learn more, call Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Nicotine Dependence Program at 443-481-5366. Get lung screenings About eight years ago, we started yearly lung screenings for people who are at highest risk of developing lung cancer. Lung cancer is the most common and deadliest form of cancer – about one in four cancer deaths are from lung cancer. These screenings are low dose chest CT scans. We recommend screening if you’re between the ages of 55 and 80 and you smoke, or you quit within the last 15 years. If you’ve smoked at least 30 “pack years” – a pack a day for 30 years or two packs a day for 15 years – you should come in for a screening. Don’t hesitate if you think you are at risk. Lung cancer can develop at any time. Contact our Lung Screening Program at 443-481-5838. Test for indoor pollutants Radon is a natural gas that is found throughout the country – and it is thought to be responsible for 10 percent of lung cancers nationwide. When combined with tobacco smoke, it’s especially risky. Unfortunately, there is no way to smell or see radon. And it won’t make you feel sick. So the only way to know if radon is present in your home is through a radon test. If you have an older home, or you are concerned about the foundation of your home, we suggest getting it tested. Maintain overall good health There are no specific exercises you can do to make your lungs healthier. But we recommend making good lifestyle choices and maintaining a healthy body overall. That means eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep – and exercising. We want to encourage you to get outside, and enjoy sunshine and fresh air – while keeping your physical distance from others. Also, stay up to date on your vaccinations, including the flu vaccine. These are an essential part of maintaining good lung health. Our lungs do a lot for us. Let’s make sure we take good care of them, too. Author Stephen Cattaneo, MD, is a thoracic surgeon and medical director of Thoracic Oncology at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. Author Adil Degani, MD, is a pulmonologist and sleep specialist with AAMG Pulmonary Specialists. Author Joanne Ebner is manager of the Cancer Prevention Department and Nicotine Dependence Program at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center.0
- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogA physical therapist by training, Kelly Rund is used to working in the outpatient world, without the lines, tubes and monitors that are fixtures of a hospital room. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed things. Kelly is one of 36 physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, occupational therapists and rehabilitation aides redeployed to work with COVID-19 patients on Anne Arundel Medical Center’s (AAMC) medical/surgical units as part of the new Prone and Mobility team. Six members of the team are working in AAMC’s Intensive Care Unit. The program has two components. Staff members are trained to “prone” patients, or place them on their stomach. The process takes about an hour and helps mitigate COVID-19 symptoms and increase the amount of oxygen they are getting into their lungs. They are also trained to assist with patients’ mobility, helping them walk around their rooms and do other activities to keep them moving. Kelly, who normally is based at AAMG Physical Therapy’s Edgewater office, says the program has given her an opportunity to support patients emotionally as well as medically. It’s nice for them to see a friendly face, even if it’s hidden behind masks and face shields, she adds. “I feel very thankful just to be someone who can be in there and sit with them,” Kelly says. Christy Wu, AAMC’s inpatient physical therapy manager, says the program began at the start of the pandemic. Clinic staff members were originally redeployed to help patients with their mobility, which decreases their fall risk and the likelihood that they’ll have to return to the hospital. But there was a growing need to have clinical staff on hand to prone position patients. Studies have shown that prone positioning could lead to improved outcomes for patients who are on ventilators. Doctors at hospitals in New York and Massachusetts have seen improvements when COVID-19 patients are placed in the prone position. “You definitely see a difference when you get these patients off of their backs,” says Clarisse Labor, a physical therapist with AAMG Physical Therapy’s Bowie North office. Each team member is trained to do both prone positioning and mobility – it just depends on what and where the need is. AAMC already had mobility training in place for nursing staff and has adapted prone positioning training from Massachusetts General Hospital. “They have amazing clinical skills, and we are putting them where they are needed and helping to support the nursing units,” Christy says. “We’ve had really great feedback from the nursing directors.” Since the beginning of May, the team has prone positioned 150 COVID-19 patients, Christy says. Mobility numbers aren’t yet available. Kelly and Clarisse say their colleagues in the hospital have been supportive and eager to show them the ropes. “It’s been several years since I worked in acute care, and it’s definitely different than outpatient,” Clarisse says. “But the nurses and therapists have been very helpful and I definitely felt welcomed. I feel fortunate that I am still able to help in these times.” Elizabeth Bailey, clinical supervisor on the Observation Unit, added that the team has gone above and beyond their assigned duties. “Today I watched a special needs patient on our unit just beam with pride as they encouraged her, telling her how well she was doing,” she says. “They assisted other patients with ambulation to the commode, and even changed briefs and bed linens as they worked with the patients. This was not expected or even asked of them – they wanted to do it.” Christie Thibeault, nursing manager on the Observation Unit, praised team members for providing an extra set of hands in an extremely busy time. Thanks to the team, nurses can stay focused on other aspects of care. “They have just been phenomenal support for our nursing staff, and have improved the quality of patient care tremendously,” Christie says. A former ICU and trauma nurse, Christie has long been familiar with the benefits of prone positioning and says she’s eager to dive more deeply into how it’s improved COVID-19 patient outcomes post-pandemic. “There’s so much that should come out of this,” she says. “Did it decrease their length of stay? Did it prevent them from going on a ventilator?” Christie is excited to see the impact of this important work.0
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLast weekend, Winter Storm Jonas dumped a record-breaking 29+ inches of snow across the region. Despite the blizzard conditions, AAMC employees made sure to show up for their shifts, ensuring we had no interruptions in patient care. Many stayed overnight, getting shut eye whenever and wherever they could. Not only were employees devoted to making sure our patients and families received the care they needed, but they also showed incredible support to each other. Coworkers helped each other out with rides to and from the hospital and shoveled out buried cars. Angela Reedy, RN, Flex Pool, shared how Cindy Klebe, RN, NICU, went out of her way to pick up six night-shift employees who were staying in a hotel. Because of her assistance, all six were able to arrive on time for their shifts. Kwanza Carter, RN, HVU, and Trish Seal, RN, ICU, gave rides to several employees to make sure they could get to the hospital safely. Other staff members arrived long before the starts of their shifts to ensure they could care for their patients. Some even took on additional shifts so another team member could stay home. And when cars broke down on the snow-covered roads, some employees, like Jolanda Blake, environmental attendant, walked a mile to get to the hospital. It took Gary Cooper, environmental services, half a day to get to work, twelve-and-a-half hours to be exact. Leaving home at 3am, Gary began his long, treacherous trip. His car got stuck in the snow several times, but Gary didn’t turn around once. He arrived at the hospital at 3:30pm. After working long hours in back-to-back shifts, Leo Colon, Security, returned to his hotel in Annapolis to sleep. Many employees slept at local hotels during the weekend to ensure they could get to the hospital. As Leo entered the lobby, he saw several labor and delivery nurses planning their return to AAMC for their shifts. Despite little sleep, he offered them a ride to the hospital and a ride back to the hotel at the end of their shifts. Later that morning, Leo saw one of those nurses, Grace Blackwell, RN, Labor and Delivery, trying to shovel her car out from the hotel parking lot. “Without missing a beat, Leo offered his help to do a job that would have taken me over an hour,” says Grace. “I was able to get home to see my kids.” The Clatanoff Pavilion stayed busy, delivering 19 babies, including a set of twins, during the storm. On Facebook, hundreds of community members shared messages of support and thanks for our team’s dedication. “These people are true heroes! Thanks to them and to everyone at AAMC for their dedication and world-class commitment to serve,” said Facebook fan Bob Herrmann. Check out more photos from the blizzard on the AAMC Facebook page. Have an AAMC storm story you want to share? Let us know on our Facebook page. These stories offer just a glimpse of our extraordinary employees and their dedication to our patients. Thank you to everyone who worked during the biggest blizzard ever to hit our region, from those who cleared the paths to those who prepared food in our cafeterias, to those who cared for patients. We always put our patients first, rain or shine…or 29 inches of snow.0
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