- Leadership BioShirley J. Knelly is the Chief Corporate Compliance Officer for Luminis Health. She is responsible for assuring that Luminis Health and all its affiliated entities are in compliance with federal and state laws, rules and regulations. In this role, she has oversight for regulatory compliance, corporate compliance, internal audit, billing compliance and HIPAA privacy. In addition, she currently serves as the Executive Sponsor of the LGBTQIA Resource Group at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Prior to her Chief Corporate Compliance Officer role, she served as the Vice President of Quality, and Chief Patient Safety Officer at Anne Arundel Health System (AAHS). Shirley was also the President of Behavior Health where she led the strategic plan for the expansion of mental health and substance use services. Shirley received a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Education from East Stroudsburg State College, East Stroudsburg PA, a Master’s of Science Degree in Counselor Education from the University of Scranton, Scranton, PA and a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Corporate Compliance from George Washington University, Washington D.C. She is licensed by the Maryland State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. She is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ). She is a member of the Health Care Compliance Association, the Maryland Association for Healthcare Quality, Maryland Society of Healthcare Risk Managers, and the National Association for Healthcare Quality.0
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogMelanie Lee, clinical director of nursing at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC), keeps a handmade card from a young girl above her desk. When the girl was a patient on her unit, she told Melanie a secret that changed the course of her young life. The child told her that someone was abusing her. Melanie contacted authorities immediately and the girl was removed from her abusive environment. The note inside the girl’s handmade card was simple. But it brought tears to Melanie’s eyes the day she read it. “Thank you for saving me,” she wrote. “I keep the card as a reminder of how you can make such a difference in someone’s life,” Melanie said. Making a difference in the lives of patients like the young girl and other children at LHAAMC is something that Melanie does every day. She is being recognized by the Washington Post and American Nurses Association as a finalist in the 2021 Star Nurses award program. The award highlights nurses who are “the best of the best — in the DMV area.” Finalists will be celebrated in a virtual ceremony later this month. What are your thoughts about being a Star Nurse finalist? I’m humbled and greatly honored by this Star Nurse nomination. In my 18 years of nursing, I have always felt it a privilege to be able to care for ill or injured children, comfort their families, and advocate for the most vulnerable. I would never have been able to receive this honor if it weren’t for the caring and compassionate team members that I work with every day. Explain your current role at LHAAMC? As clinical director of nursing, I manage daily operations of the pediatric emergency department and inpatient unit. One of my top priorities is throughput, which means ensuring that kids get in and out of the emergency department as fast as possible with great care. Why did you decide to pursue nursing as a career? When I was 13 years old, my grandfather got very sick and my family spent a lot of time in the hospital. The nurses treated us like they had known us forever. They provided a lot of support to my family during that time. I remember thinking, if I can be that for someone else, I would feel so fulfilled. From that experience, I decided I was going to be a nurse. What do you like most about working in pediatrics? Pediatrics is 17 and under. You really get a variety of children to take care of every day and there is something special about each group. You can cuddle with the infant. The toddlers are funny and very honest. Our school-age children are really into learning. Often, we can relate to our adolescents by talking about the latest music. We get a huge variety of children from all walks of life. Pro tip: Nursing has evolved into so many different roles. There is something so admirable about being a bedside nurse and taking care of the patient. There is also a lot of hard work that goes into creating policies that improve quality of care through safety. You could also teach. Once you decide on your nursing focus, don’t give up. There is always a way to get where you want to be.0
- Why Choose Luminis Health for Prostate Cancer Treatment?Simple: We're experts. Prostate cancer and other cancers of the male genital system make up about 10 percent of all cancers we treat at Luminis Health. (While we treat penile and testicular cancer, they are much less common than prostate cancer.)We provide:Knowledgeable, compassionate board-certified doctors. Our providers are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate diseases and work as a team to care for you.Personalized prostate cancer screening. All men are at risk for prostate cancer. We take many factors into consideration – like age, race, family history and your personal preferences – when making screening recommendations for you.Oncology nurse navigators. Our registered nurses have special training in prostate cancer. They're your go-to resource with any questions about diagnosis, treatment and ongoing prostate health.Physical therapy. Treatment for prostate cancer sometimes produces side effects like incontinence or erectile dysfunction (ED). Our specially trained physical therapists can work with you to minimize these symptoms.Genetic counseling. A small percentage of prostate cancers can be related to genes passed through your family. We can test for these genes if you have a strong family history of the disease.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.A prostate cancer support group. We offer a monthly drop-in group facilitated by a board-certified provider. It's open to men with prostate cancer and their caregivers.Research. We are dedicated to advancing medical knowledge and patient care. In some cases, options are available for you to choose to participate in prostate cancer clinical trials.ConditionConditions/Services/Treatments PageIf you've got prostate cancer, or are at increased risk for it, you've come to the right place. Luminis Health provides complete care and support for men with this common and treatable form of cancer.What Is Prostate Cancer?The prostate is a walnut-sized gland under the bladder and in front of the rectum. It helps make the fluid in semen. Prostate cancer occurs when the cells in the prostate gland grow out of control.Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men after skin cancer. About one in eight men receive a prostate cancer diagnosis during their lifetime. The disease occurs most often in men over 65.Most types of prostate cancer grow slowly. (There are some fast-growing forms of the disease, but they are rare.) There are many treatment options for prostate cancer, and we can walk you through them all.0
- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogHolding a red marker, Teri Boss writes ‘thank you’ on the inside label of each newly sewn gown. She sketches a tiny red heart beside every ‘thank you’ she writes. These gowns do not have an ordinary purpose. They adorn the backs of nurses at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) who are working every minute to save the lives of COVID-19 patients. Boss is one of nearly 40 community volunteers who have sewn almost 900 isolation gowns for the nurses of AAMC. In April, during our patient surge, the sewers produced 50-80 gowns a day. “I wanted to give back and take care of my country during this difficult time,” said Boss, a first-generation Polish American, who came to the U.S. in the early 2000s. “The love I’ve received from people in this country inspired me to help.” Teri Boss is one of nearly 40 community volunteers who have sewn almost 900 isolation gowns for the nurses of AAMC. Despite great efforts to conserve gowns during the pandemic, the supply was running low and more were needed for nurses caring for COVID-19 patients. “None of us were sleeping. We were worried about running out of isolation gowns,” said Joan Twigg, RN, who coordinated the gown conversions. “We have to protect our health care workers during this pandemic and back then we were seeing a lot more COVID-19 patients than we are now.” Sewing Angels Twigg said AAMC obtained 800-1,000 lab jackets to help with the shortage. They were not an easy replacement to isolation gowns because they opened in the front. Isolation gowns open in the back to prevent contamination. Twigg took some of the lab jackets home to see if she could make them work. Despite creating a prototype isolation gown, which sealed up the front and opened in the back, she still had a problem. “I brought them into the hospital and said ‘If we could just get a room full of sewers for two days we can do this,’” Twigg said. This was not an easy fix due to social distancing and visitor restrictions enacted by the hospital to protect patients and staff. Twigg contacted a friend who is a family and consumer sciences (FACS) education teacher to see if she could help or knew anyone who could. The friend connected her to FACS teacher, Lenore Martin, who reached out to her sewing network. Martin, who has sewn for years, reached out to fellow sewers and created a video to show them how to put the gowns together. With that, the volunteer COVID-19 sewing gown operation was born. Volunteer Lenore Martin sews gowns for AAMC nurses. “I think all of us feel great about being able to help,” Martin said. “It’s not a lot that people who aren’t qualified in the medical field can really do right now. I’m just really thankful that our sewing abilities are able to be beneficial to the hospital and to the nurses.” The gowns are made out of tent-like material and are washable for reuse. The reuse factor solved the gown shortage problem. Volunteer Julie Bays Julie Bays is a FACS teacher and a lifelong sewer. She learned from her grandmother at the age of 10. She calls sewing her “happy place” and was glad to join the team of sewers. Helping was personal for her. “I have a daughter who works in the emergency room,” Bays said. “I admire how she gets up and goes to work every day with such a willing spirit. It was really nice that I could do a little bit to help the people on the front lines.” The volunteers’ work has not gone unnoticed. They have received notes of thanks from nurses and photos with them wearing their gowns. Some AAMC nurses refer to the network of sewers as angels. They have sent pictures holding up signs that say, “Thank you, sewing angels.” Making a Difference Bays and other volunteers have also sewn masks and scrub caps for AAMC during the pandemic. Volunteer Monette Callahan Like Bays, Monette Callahan also has a personal connection to health care. Her son is an ICU nurse who is currently caring for COVID-19 patients in Baltimore. Regularly he tells her of the challenges that front line workers are facing. “My son says, ‘This is for real mom. This is scary. It’s not like what you see on social media,” Callahan said. Ultimately, Callahan wants to do her part to support her son as well as others working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I enjoy sewing the gowns because I know I’m helping and making a difference in my own way,” she said. “I have the skills, I have the machine and I have the time. Why not go ahead and help?” Learn ways you can help our community.0
- TreatmentConditions/Services/Treatments PageWe're the first to admit it — a cancer diagnosis can trigger a range of emotions. But the network of support services at Luminis Health can provide comfort and practical help for you and your loved ones.What Are Support Services?At Luminis Health, your oncology team gives you the very best treatment. From the moment you schedule your first appointment with us, we provide you with the most advanced therapies, the latest technology and the most skilled specialists.But it doesn't end there. Because there's more to you than cancer, and there's more to our care than medicine.We offer services from a wide range of professionals — from social workers to nutritionists to a spiritual care team. Our knowledgeable, caring professionals also guide you into the survivorship phase of care.0
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