- Men's Health, Senior Care, Women's Health, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIt’s almost that time of year again. And with it comes cold and flu season. Colds, sinus infections, strep throat and the flu account for an increase in sick days and hospital visits during the winter months. In fact, the Maryland Department of Health already announced that there have been 11 laboratory-confirmed cases of the flu identified since Sept. 1. According to health officials, last year there were 3,274 influenza-associated hospitalizations and 82 influenza-associated deaths reported to the MDH, including four deaths of individuals under 18. It’s important that you take the necessary steps to protect yourself and those around you. Here’s your quick guide to the season’s most common illnesses and different ways on how to treat them. Colds The common cold usually starts with a sore throat, along with some mild achiness and maybe a low fever. Gradually, you may begin to have a dry or mild cough with congestion. You may also have a runny nose and some sneezing. If you have a cold, you generally feel more tired, but are able to get through your day. Your symptoms may last anywhere from seven to 14 days, depending on the virus and your overall health. The best treatment is adequate rest, saline nasal spray, warm salt-water gargles, medicine for decongestion (if you don’t have high blood pressure) and a cough suppressant at bedtime so you can rest. Sinus infection Sometimes colds can progress to sinusitis or a sinus infection. Doctors usually diagnose a sinus infection after 10 to 14 days of symptoms, including worsening sinus pain or pressure in the forehead, cheeks and/or between the eyes, and a thick yellow/green nasal discharge throughout the day. You may also develop a fever. Saline nasal rinse can help improve symptoms, and in certain cases, antibiotics may be prescribed. Strep throat Strep throat is most common in children and young adults. It starts with a severe sore throat, fever, achiness, swollen neck lymph nodes and white patches on the back of the tonsils. You look and feel more ill than when you have the common cold. There is no associated congestion, sneezing, runny nose or cough. Contagious bacteria cause strep throat, and you need antibiotics for treatment. Flu The flu occurs very suddenly. One minute you’re feeling fine, and the next you feel as if a truck hit you. It is more severe than the common cold. Symptoms may include achiness, fever, dry cough and headache. Because the flu is viral, antibiotics are not helpful. In some cases, if started early, antiviral medications may lessen the duration and severity of symptoms. Fluids, rest, and over-the-counter pain medications for fever and achiness can also alleviate symptoms. Stay home if you have the flu to avoid passing it to others. Getting a yearly flu vaccine is the best way to reduce your risk of getting and spreading the flu. The flu vaccine cannot give you the flu. Some people, however, may experience mild muscle aches, headache and a low fever for a few days. It’s not too late to get your flu shot. While the best time to get it is mid-October through November, getting it later is better than not getting it at all. Regardless of what type of illness you have, washing your hands frequently and covering your mouth when you cough and sneeze will go a long way in helping to prevent the spread of germs. Author Michael Remoll, MD, is the medical director of the Emergency Department at Anne Arundel Medical Center.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
- Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIn 1944, the Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) Auxiliary was founded as a way for community members to integrate with the hospital and give back. Originally referred to as the “Pink Ladies,” over time, the group of volunteers became known as the “Blue Crew” and evolved into an integral part of the organization’s mission of providing patient-centered, high-quality health care services to the community it serves every day. “Volunteers dedicate an incredible amount of hours in any given month, equating about 58 full-time staff members that the hospital would need to hire,” said Ann Brundige, Auxiliary president. “The best part about being an auxilian is the ‘family’ spirit.” Last year marked 75 years of service for the AAMC Auxiliary. There are now 500 volunteers who serve over 30 service lines on AAMC’s main campus and off-campus locations around the community. Among those volunteers, you’ll come across auxilians like June Caudill and Rita Kapurch. READ MORE: Donating to AAMC: A how-to guide Lasting impact In August 1996, June joined a volunteer program that formed through a partnership between the American Cancer Society and AAMC. Being surrounded by other volunteers and having the opportunity to work directly with patients made her feel like she had discovered her calling in life. “I quickly became attached to the environment,” she says. “Working with the other volunteers felt like having a second family. I was warmly welcomed by AAMC staff, and it was that warm approach that was an integral part of immediately feeling part of the hospital.” A year later, June started supporting Oncology and working with cancer patients. She often came across patients who were undergoing difficult situations, and although at times it was hard for her, she learned how to appreciate how gracious many of them were considering what they were going through. “When I first started as a volunteer, I thought it was about seeing the patients in the bed and taking care of them,” June says. But, she learned that working in health care can be both rewarding and challenging. “It was such a different feeling and I have asked myself, ‘are you sure you’re doing the right thing?’ And then I stopped and thought, ‘if not me, then who?’ So I kept pushing right through it because I loved being with patients.” Making lifelong friends Rita, who began as a volunteer in the gift shop, had a similar experience when she started her journey as an auxilian 31 years ago. “I read somewhere that volunteers live longer,” she laughs, adding that she started volunteering in her home state of Massachusetts. “When we moved to Maryland, I told my husband I wanted to be a volunteer at AAMC, which was also good for me personally because I didn’t know anyone.” Rita says she had the opportunity to meet the most amazing volunteers and patients while working at AAMC. Her favorite part? Meeting new grandparents. “I love seeing grandparents come in and buy the big teddy bears,” she says. “Especially when they’re first-time grandparents, I get to share the joy and special moment with them.” Rita’s favorite day of the week is Tuesday, when she volunteers at AAMC’s gift shop. “I always look forward to seeing the other volunteers, whom I proudly call my friends,” she says. “I love people and I couldn’t be more grateful for volunteering.” Learn more about the AAMC Auxiliary and ways you can get involved.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
- WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIf you’re a vegetarian or trying to change your eating habits to sustain the environment, you might be swapping real meat burgers for veggie burgers. The sustainable food movement has recently gained tremendous traction and the faux meat industry — with brands like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat — is growing as a result. But if you think eating alternative meat burgers is healthier than having real meat burgers, think again. While they’re made with veggies and other plant-based ingredients, many other added ingredients can make faux meat burgers high in sodium and saturated fat. Let’s take a closer look at why fake meat substitutes aren’t necessarily a healthier option to real meat products: Saturated fat. Some people choose not to consume beef burgers because of saturated fat, which increases our LDL cholesterol or the bad cholesterol. But an Impossible Burger is comparable to an 80 percent lean beef burger patty in calories as well as saturated fat. It’s swapping one form for another. Sodium. Fake meat burgers are higher in sodium in comparison to beef and turkey burgers. The Impossible Burger and a Beyond Burger contain over 300 milligrams of sodium. A beef patty has over 60 milligrams of sodium and a turkey burger has just over 90 milligrams. Protein. When it comes to protein content, generally, plant-based burgers aren’t as high in protein as real meat burgers. A lack of protein can leave us feeling hungry and craving more. If your food philosophy steers you away from meat, consider grain-based veggie burgers. Grain-based veggie burgers have less calories and roughly one gram of saturated fat, making them the healthier option. They’re made with real ingredients, like quinoa, edamame, walnuts, chopped veggies and more. Plant-based substitutes are fine to eat, but there is no need to replace your beef burger if you do not enjoy these alternatives. Since most of these plant-based alternatives are highly processed, those who eat them should try to incorporate more whole foods and plant-based foods into their diet. For the healthiest route, eat lentils, fruits and vegetables in recipes prepared at home, not processed into a patty along with a laundry list of other additives. READ MORE: Check out healthy recipes from our dietitians Authors Maureen Shackelford is a nutritionist and registered dietitian at Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach her, call 443-481-5886.0
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