- Community, Pediatrics, UncategorizedGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWe are committed to improving the health of our community, illustrated by this sampling of our community outreach efforts: Helping Kids Say “No” Amanda Larkins is a prevention educator who visits high school students in their classrooms as part of a partnership among Anne Arundel County Public Schools, county coalitions and AAMC’s Pathways Prevention Program. The goal is to help students make good choices by arming them with information aboutthe dangers of alcohol and drug use and strategies for resisting peer pressure. In our photo above, Larkins has freshmen at Northeast High School in Pasadena spin the “Wheel of Misfortune,” taking turns testing their knowledge of drinks and drugs, and practice saying no. Reducing the Rate of Lung Cancer Deaths AAMC is committed to diagnosing lung cancer in people as early on in the disease process as possible. That’s because the earlier you catch it, the better your chances are for survival. We do this by providing low-dose CT Scans for low-income residents and, when necessary, enrollment in the rapid access chest and lung assessment program (RACLAP) for early intervention and diagnosis. Good news: The lung screening is covered by most insurances and Medicare, if you meet the screening criteria. If something suspicious is found, the RACLAP ensures patients get the information needed to decide on a course of action. Becoming Tobacco Free Since tobacco use is the leading cause of lung cancer and other related diseases, AAMC is committed to decreasing the use of tobacco products. We offer smoking cessation help through classes, individual counseling and support groups—all free to people who work or live in Anne Arundel County. AAMC is a tobacco free campus, which discourages the use of these products by employees, patients, visitors, and volunteers. Starting July 2015, AAMC takes a leadership position as a major employer in Maryland and stops hiring nicotine users. Our Community Benefit Report offers more details on our work in the community.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
- Cancer Care, Plastic Surgery & Skin Care, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIn January 2019, Alison Jordan, 58, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Soon after her diagnosis, Alison received breast surgery by Rubie Sue Jackson, MD, at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC). “After my first lumpectomy with Dr. Jackson, we went through another biopsy and found more cancer,” Alison said. “Instead of doing another lumpectomy, the treatment team recommended a mastectomy because there were cancer cells found even in areas that were not calcified.” Alison did not want to take any chances of cancer resurfacing. Although a difficult decision, she agreed to the mastectomy but knew she would want breast reconstruction. She met with Devinder Singh, MD, chief of Plastic Surgery at AAMC and medical director of Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Plastic Surgery, who walked her through her options. “One option was to get a silicone implant, but the thought of a foreign object in my body didn’t resonate with me,” Alison said. “Another option was a procedure using my own tissue. That’s what I chose.” The procedure is known as Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator (DIEP) flap. DIEP flap DIEP flap is a breast reconstruction procedure that uses tissue from the lower abdomen to make a new breast mound. The delicate blood vessels are re-connected under microscope. Essentially, this makes a living breast implant from skin and fat from the lower abdomen – the same tissue a plastic surgeon would discard during a tummy tuck. AAMC is the only hospital in Anne Arundel County that offers this procedure. DIEP Flap combines breast reconstruction with a tummy tuck, making it a popular choice for breast cancer patients who get a mastectomy. “Most patients choose an implant because it’s quick and easy,” says Dr. Singh. “But these can come with some potential problems, including possible infection and scarring around the implant. Although it is a more intense operating room experience and recovery takes longer, when patients choose their own tissue there is almost no downstream maintenance for them.” It takes a village The DIEP flap procedure is highly intricate, requiring the surgeons to reconnect vessels in order to make the tissue live and using tools so small they can’t be seen with the naked eye. But the effort is worth it and the results are pleasing. Dr. Singh and his partner Tripp Holton, MD, who is also a plastic surgeon at AAMG Plastic Surgery, worked with the operating room nursing team to build a dedicated operating room and team specifically focused on microsurgical breast reconstruction. Dr. Singh and Dr. Holton know that even the most skilled microvascular surgeon can’t do this alone. “We always have the same nurses and technicians for these cases,” said Dr. Singh about the team. “When we are in the operating room, we don’t have to ask for anything because they know our every move. Our team is like a NASCAR pit crew.” In addition to their team-based approach, the doctors attribute their success to their use of the most innovative technologies to ensure the success of their surgeries. They use a 3D computerized tomography of the abdomen and pelvis – or CT scan of the belly – as a ‘roadmap’ that informs them of what to expect as they dissect the flap (or belly skin that will create a new breast). The team also uses Xact, an alternative energy source technology that’s less damaging to the muscle when making cuts to access tissue, as well as SPY fluorescence imaging to better visualize microvascular blood flow. They credit such tools as the secret to their extremely high success rates. “A really good breast reconstruction is also an aesthetic reconstruction,” says Dr. Singh. “That’s the new standard of breast reconstruction and that’s our standard. It has to look good to be good.” Keeping patient experience at the forefront Performing approximately 50 DIEP flaps each year, the plastic surgery team has seen a nearly 100 percent success rate due not only to medical expertise but to the program they planned from beginning to end. Even after the patient has left the operating room, the team continues to prioritize patient care and experience. “We have an intelligent recipe that allows the patient to recover very rapidly with a high level of dignity and comfort,” said Dr. Holton. He says that instead of sending patients to the intensive care unit, patients go to a designated floor in the hospital with a dedicated team of oncology nurses. The dream team Alison says Dr. Jackson, and the entire care team, provided her a very unique experience. “I felt like I was at home when I was with Dr. Jackson and her team,” she said. “The icing on the cake was to have two personable and brilliant plastic surgeons that further confirmed that I was at the right place. All the staff was on it at all times. They were lovely, working with me through every step of the way. When I came to AAMC, I knew I was at the right place, in the right hands. I’m ever so grateful to have successfully gone through this at AAMC and to have this support network.” Authors Devinder Singh, MD, is chief of Plastic Surgery at AAMC and medical director of Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Plastic Surgery. Tripp Holton, MD, is a plastic surgeon at AAMG Plastic Surgery.0
- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIt’s been more than a year since the first cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) were reported in Wuhan, China, sparking the beginning of a global pandemic. Information changed daily, especially in those early days. We all had a lot to learn about this new virus. Its symptoms. How it spreads. Who’s most at risk. As we begin 2021, here’s what we have learned about COVID-19. COVID-19 spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets, produced when you cough, sneeze, talk and breathe. This happens when people are within about six feet of each other. We believe this is the main way the virus spreads. That’s why it’s so important to remember the 3Ws. Wash your hands. Wear a mask. Watch your distance. Certain people are at higher risk of becoming more ill from COVID-19 than others. This includes older adults, particularly those who are 65 and older, and people with underlying health conditions. If you fall into these categories, it’s especially important to take precautions against getting the virus. But the virus can be unpredictable. Younger people, including those without pre-existing conditions, aren’t immune to getting sick. The long-term effects of COVID-19 are still unknown. Most people who contract the virus recover within about two weeks. Yet others, known as “long haulers,” have symptoms that can last for months – even those who were never treated in the hospital. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most commonly reported long-term COVID symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, joint pain and chest pain. Other COVID long haulers have reported brain fog, depression, muscle pain, headache, fever that comes and goes and heart palpitations. Still others have experienced more serious complications, including heart, respiratory and neurological problems. It will be several years before we fully understand the virus’ long-term effects on people. Vaccines are a ray of hope. But we’ll still have to be vigilant. The arrival of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in Maryland last month was a big step forward. And we’re excited and optimistic that this means the beginning of the end of the pandemic. But it will be months before the majority of Maryland residents receive the vaccination. Gov. Larry Hogan has rolled out a plan that involves a multi-tiered distribution process, allowing frontline health care workers and residents and employees of long-term care facilities to get the vaccine first. It will eventually be available to everyone who wants it. We believe this is our best shot at ending the pandemic. But it will take time. So, again, let’s continue to practice the 3Ws. We’re all in this together. It’s going to take a collective effort to defeat this pandemic once and for all. Follow safety guidelines to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. Get the vaccine once it’s available to you. Encourage your loved ones to do the same. If we can work together to do these things, there’s reason to believe in a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Author Kanak Patel, MD, is Luminis Health’s system director of Critical Care Medicine.0
- Community, Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogCharlotte Wallace makes her way inside Morris H. Blum Senior Apartments. She knocks three times on one of the wooden doors. ‘I’m a nurse with Anne Arundel Medical Center,’ she identifies herself. The lock slowly turns. Before Wallace knows it, a hand quickly grabs the bag she’s holding and then disappears with the sound of the door shutting. ‘Thank you,’ they shout from inside. She smiles, grabs another bag and repeats the process. She does this with more than 150 tenants in that building alone. “Some of the seniors we visit are scared and close the door immediately,” she said. “Others give us Halloween candy in exchange as a thank you and some are just excited to see new faces.” Wallace explained a few of the residents are not as in tune with the news or updates. As a result, they’re confused as to why Wallace and her team are there. “We answer their questions and give them as much education as we can,” she added. Wallace is a community health nurse at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC). Her main role is to bridge the hospital and the community. When news about coronavirus (COVID-19) broke, she knew she had a lot of work to do. She started by contacting community partners to look at ways to slow down the spread of the virus. This meant looking at the ‘wrong trends,’ misconceptions and ways to close the gap. To do this, she launched the COVID-19 Community Outreach program. The primary goal of the program is to decrease the spread and hospitalization of COVID-19 patients. This is achieved through increased education and improved access to support and health services. “We quickly discovered there was a gap in some of our housing units,” Wallace explained. This was primarily the case where subsidized seniors, disabled adults and homeless shelter residents lived. Wallace had already built relationships of trust and understood the systemic problems in the community. As a result, her approach included passing out educational fliers and kits to meet basic needs. On April 14, she started to knock on doors to personally distribute the kits. To date, she has visited 18 different locations around Anne Arundel County – conducting visits in 14 of those locations by herself. Just a couple of weeks later, another team at Doctors Community Hospital (DCH) did the same in Prince George’s County. This team covered 10 additional locations. “We used the same program in Prince George’s County,” said Leslie Strimel, director of Case Management, Social Work and Transition for Care at DCH. “We sent out a nurse practitioner to the communities that the county identified as being in need of this program.” Just like in Anne Arundel County, Strimel said low-income seniors in residential facilities formed these communities. Each COVID-19 Community Outreach kit has two cloth masks per resident, two laundry detergent pods and a bar of soap per apartment, along with educational resources. The printed resources are Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines simplified by Wallace to help residents understand how to best protect themselves. Each kit also includes fliers that explain how to wear a mask, how to protect yourself and others, how to wash your clothes during the pandemic and much more. In Prince George’s County, the educational material includes the 211 number, which is also a crisis number for behavioral health. According to Wallace, the identified gaps already existed. However, the outbreak made these and the need to close them more obvious. “Some people told me that they just wash their clothes in hot water and don’t use any soap,” she said. “With the pandemic, a lot of our most vulnerable residents are taking a bigger burden. ‘Just doing telehealth’ is not possible without a phone or an email address. Some of these residents don’t even have a landline.” Wallace goes out at least twice every week and visits several sites to distribute kits. Additionally, she gives out kits with instructions. These are specifically for management at the sites and include best practices to protect their residents. Wallace also uses visits as an opportunity to conduct screenings. These include screenings for mental health and nutrition. According to her, many seniors she visits are scared, isolated, already limited and depressed. “We came across a senior who was very depressed,” she said. “I went through a basic screening and I gave the person the crisis response number in case they needed to reach someone. I was giving out that number at least once per building, which is common.” To date, the program’s teams conducted over 2,900 visits in Anne Arundel County and over 2,250 visits in Prince George’s County. And while it is hard to measure the true impact of the outreach, Wallace is confident the team is helping many during this difficult time. “One day, a team entered a floor to find a gentleman, with rotted nubs for teeth, standing in the hallway,” she said, adding that he started to cry. “He said he thought we missed him with our ‘masks and laundry soap’ after his sister, who lives in the same building, called him to tell him that the nurses came by her apartment.” After a short screening, they noted that he had major food insecurities and connected him to the Senior Nutrition Program. Another resident received her kit and couldn’t stop hugging it. “She was so excited to receive two laundry detergent pods,” Wallace said. Similarly, Ursula Friton, manager of Transitional Care at DCH, said residents in Prince George’s County have been very welcoming of the program. According to her, it’s been very new but a great experience both for the DCH team and the seniors. “There was a big need for this program in our county,” she said, explaining that the program is on its third week. “Seniors are happy to see us and very grateful to get their kits.” The outreach teams in both counties plan to continue working with managers at the various facilities. They plan to support the most vulnerable communities, even after the pandemic subsides. Wallace and Strimel are working with both counties and the Maryland Health Department to reach other communities that are in need of resources and information.0
How can we help?
Common Searches
Common Searches
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?
Your Account
Go to MyChart
Messages
Billing Summary
Find Care
Schedule Appointment
My Care Team
My Record
Appointments
Medications
Insurance Summary
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?