- Behavioral Health, Community, News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnne Arundel County leaders and educators convened Tuesday at Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) for “No Wrong Door, Hope for Recovery,” a day-long symposium to commemorate the 25th anniversary of AAMC’s substance abuse and mental health treatment facility, Pathways. Speakers and guests discussed the county’s latest efforts to address mental health and substance abuse in our youth and community. In remarks during the symposium, AAMC’s Executive Vice President of Integrated Care Delivery and Chief Operating Officer Maulik Joshi underscored AAMC’s continued efforts to increase critical mental health services in the county. “We remain committed to improving access and providing high-quality addiction treatment and mental health care to all in need in our community.” Part of that commitment, Joshi said, is working to establish AAMC’s proposed mental health hospital. AAMC’s mental health hospital would double Anne Arundel County’s inventory of mental health beds, and serve up to 900 patients a year who would otherwise be transferred out of AAMC’s care. AAMC filed a Certificate of Need (CON) application with the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) in 2016 to gain approval to establish the mental health hospital. The MHCC must grant the CON before this service is available to the community. The event concluded Tuesday evening with a keynote address by former congressman and mental health advocate Patrick Kennedy. Kennedy discussed his work to combat medical and societal discrimination against mental illness and addiction. “Today, mental health and addiction is separate and unequal from the rest of medicine,” Kennedy declared. In his talk, he opened up about his own battle with substance abuse and mental illness. The day’s speakers also included: State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel County Wes Adams, Director of Anne Arundel County Crisis Response System Jen Corbin, Major for Anne Arundel County Police Ross Passman, Author Lisa Hillman, WBAL anchor Keith Mills, Executive Director of Maryland Addictions Directors Council Tracey Myers-Preston, and members of AAMC leadership. Pathways provides 25 Years of Care Over its existence, Pathways has helped more than 50,000 people find their path to recovery. The 40-bed freestanding complex on the outskirts of Annapolis is open 24 hours a day for inpatient and outpatient treatment. The facility provides care not only to residents in the immediate surrounding areas, but also for those from nearby states. Pathways serves as a primary addiction resource with innovative programs, such as: A family wellness workshop that educates family members on how they can assist in the recovery process. Pathways nurse liaison program, which helps facilitate admission and treatment of substance abuse clients that are already admitted to AAMC or the emergency department. A prevention program partnership with Anne Arundel County Public School’s to provide substance abuse education to area faculty and students. Patients are referred to Pathways by health care providers, family members, educators, alumni, state and local agencies, etc. To refer patients, or to request an evaluation, call Pathways at 410-573-5400 or at 800-322-5858.0
- GivingGeneral Page Tier 3BlogMaria C. Scott, MD, the founder and medical director for Chesapeake Eye Care and Laser Center, believes that the core of Anne Arundel Medical Center is to serve the entire community. Through a partnership with AAMC’s Community Health Clinics, Dr. Scott donates her time and talent to give free cataract surgery to low-income patients through the Operation Sight program. Vision loss from a cataract has tremendous impact on those living in poverty. The economic and cultural stigmas associated with poor vision greatly limits employment and educational opportunities. And when family members of the visually impaired become caretakers, their economic future is also jeopardized. “Knowing the life changing impact of cataract surgery, it is important for us to offer this opportunity to those who could not otherwise afford it,” says Dr. Scott, one of the leading cataract surgeons in the country to implant multifocal lenses. “This was a true team effort where many AAMC physicians and caregivers donated their time and services.” Dr. Scott was the first surgeon to perform no-needle, no-stitch cataract surgery in the area, and was the first surgeon to treat patients with the laser vision correction procedure in Annapolis. “When I came to this area 23 years ago, many residents traveled to Baltimore for cataract surgery. This was true of other services as well. Thankfully, AAMC’s president at the time, Chip Doordan, and his team had a vision to provide these much needed services locally, and they saw it through to fruition,” says Dr. Scott. “Now we have an amazing facility that attracts the best and the brightest. I am very proud to be a part of Anne Arundel Medical Center.” In addition to the time she commits through her partnership with the Community Health Clinics, Dr. Scott and her husband, Dr. Matthew Scott, an anesthesiologist at Anesthesia Company, L.L.C., contribute yearly as AAMC Foundation Baldwin Society members and have supported various areas of care, including AAMC’s Heart and Vascular Institute and the Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute. Dr. Scott has also provided a clinical leadership perspective as a member of the AAMC Foundation’s board since 2010. “As the first elected physician to serve on the board, I was honored that AAMC wanted to include a physician’s voice. I think it helps represent the patients and the community since we are involved with those we serve first-hand. We are fortunate to have such a talented board who is truly dedicated to the community,” says Dr. Scott. Dr. Scott encourages her fellow surgeons and colleagues to get involved with the AAMC Foundation. “Going forward, my hope is that more doctors get involved. I think it is important for the growth of the hospital and the community,” she says. To learn more about supporting AAMC’s Community Health Clinics, contact 443-481-4747 or [email protected].0
- GivingGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe Chaney family tree spans 13 generations and their roots run deep throughout Anne Arundel County and the surrounding area. In the tradition of their ancestors, Steuart Chaney, his son Hamilton, and their families continue to call this area their home. Another deep-seated belief among the Chaney family is investing in the community and improving the lives of their friends, neighbors and loved ones. With a gift of 15 acres of undeveloped land to Anne Arundel Medical Center, the Chaney family is creating a foundation for the expansion of accessible health care available to those who live, work and play in south Anne Arundel County. The land, located in the center of Deale, will be the home of a new multi-purpose AAMC healthcare facility that will give south county residents access to health care in their own backyard. AAMC plans to build a multi-purpose healthcare facility that will focus on primary care and expansion into other specialties. The facility is expected to open in 2020. “We are grateful for the generous gift of land in Deale by the Chaney family, as this will provide a platform on which we will be able to provide needed medical services to the residents of Deale and the surrounding area, limiting their need to travel long distances for basic health care services,” says Steve Clarke, AAMC’s vice president of physician services. In 2016, 16 percent of AAMC’s total hospital-based volume was from patients residing in southern Anne Arundel County, as well as Calvert and St. Mary’s counties. This number included inpatient and outpatient services, observation and emergency department visits. “Medical services are crucial for everyone in the community, young and old. Everyone needs medical services at some point,” says Hamilton. “We know this type of facility will evolve with the community. It will make the area more attractive to residents, provide jobs, and be a center point for our community.” A vision for south Anne Arundel County With an eye for development, the Chaneys purchased the land in 2004 and had visionary plans for the future use of the property. “We were looking toward the future when we purchased this land, so medical services made perfect sense,” says Steuart. “We wanted the land to have a lasting impact on the community, and we knew that Anne Arundel Medical Center would be able to accomplish that mission.” Hamilton feels that advancing technology will be a key component in the success of this new facility. Residents will have direct access to care providers across all AAMC special areas of care. “It will change the lives of residents in south county,” says Hamilton. “We’ve been here all our lives. We grew up here, work here and continue to raise our families here. Like AAMC, we care about this community.”0
- GivingGeneral Page Tier 3BlogEvery year, new and current community partners just like you, as well as grateful patients and friends of AAMC, make philanthropic gifts to support the hospital. Charitable donations of all sizes are vital to supporting our important caregivers, purchasing cutting-edge equipment, and providing continuing education for nurses and physicians. As a non-profit community hospital, donations offer much needed funding as the costs of providing high quality care continue to outpace medical reimbursements. With your gift, you make a difference every day for the patients that we serve. As your community hospital, so can we. Making an effort to connect more personally with our donors, we embarked on a phone outreach campaign last year. You may have received a phone call from an AAMC student volunteer, nurse, or auxilian who called to explain the importance of sustaining AAMC’s Annual Fund. David Beck, a volunteer patient family adviser at AAMC, and his wife Bobbette have been charitably giving to AAMC for more than a decade. Last fall, they answered the call and made a gift to support the greatest needs of the hospital. “AAMC is much more than your local hospital. It is an integral part and a cornerstone of our greater Annapolis community. The caring demeanor of everyone you come in contact with is so reassuring to both patient and family. And this is just in addition to an outstanding medical staff and facility. We are proud to support AAMC,” the Becks say. Perhaps you or someone you know – a family member or neighbor, a colleague or a friend – has been touched personally by the high-quality healthcare services offered at AAMC. Our goal is to continue this long-standing tradition of providing our community with excellent healthcare right here in our own backyard. But we can’t do it alone! We look to you, our friends in the community, for support. The Annual Fund is the cornerstone of that support. When you make an unrestricted gift to AAMC, we apply it to a high priority need or initiative. You may also designate it toward a specific area of care within the hospital. We are currently planning our upcoming telemarketing campaign for fall 2017, and our callers are looking forward to speaking with you. For Damaris Dipini, a medical assistant for microvascular surgery at AAMC, hearing donor’s stories and enthusiasm for their community hospital is what she looks forward to the most when she makes her calls. “I am amazed at the fact that this wonderful place that I work continues to thrive because of people in the community that give back so graciously without blinking an eye,” says Damaris. “Through the telemarketing campaign, I get to genuinely thank the donors who graciously give so that the patients I care for can continue to get advanced treatment. I am honored to be a part of a community that has such a giving heart.” At AAMC, it’s not about how much you give. Every gift of every size is important. We hope you consider continuing your support through the Annual Fund every year, and we look forward to speaking with you during our next campaign! For more information about how you can support AAMC’s Annual Fund, contact Gabby Pasternak Fitzmaurice at 443-481-4735 or [email protected].0
- Community, Patient & Family AdvisorsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAppointments. Hospitalizations. Emergency room visits. Tests. Procedures. Medications. Injections. Tubes. Specialists. Primary care. When you have a complex and serious illness, navigating the health care system can be a confusing and frustrating experience. Yet it doesn’t have to be. Perhaps you have been in the hospital recently, or you have a new diagnosis of a serious illness, or your chronic condition is not under control. Your physician may have asked for help in helping you. This help has come in the form of community care navigation. What is the nature of this help, and what can you expect? A community care navigator helps you understand, cope with, and master what is happening with your health. Community care navigation helps you to restore your personal wellbeing, reach your treatment goals, and maintain independence. Community care navigation happens during and between doctors’ office visits and hospital stays. Your relationship with your community care navigator may last weeks or months. Services are tailored to your needs, and may include managing medications, accessing benefits, coordinating care that you receive from multiple doctors, building self-management skills, and a host of other activities. Services often include in-person visits, either at your home or a location you choose. The community care navigator is a skilled professional who will identify your goals of care and how you want to reach them, in a way that makes sense to you and your family. She or he maintains contact with your physicians and may accompany you to appointments. What else does a community care navigator do? Community care navigation complements other services you may receive, like home health nursing. Home health nursing provides technical assistance like IV therapy, wound care, and physical therapy: services that are billed to you or your insurance company. In contrast, community care navigators create a coaching relationship with you and your family, helping you regain wellness and self-sufficiency. Typically there is no bill to you or your insurance company. Across the country, community care navigation has become routine and expected for those of us coping with complex, chronic illnesses. Hospitals commonly work with care partners in the community to provide these services. How do you access community care navigation? Usually your physician, whether at the hospital or her practice, will recommend that a care navigator connect with you. You might meet with the care navigator before you leave the hospital or practice. If not, this care navigator will reach you by phone and will describe her or his services. You will be asked if you would like to receive services. You reserve the right to decline them. Those who receive community care navigation services are often able to maintain independence and improve their conditions by gaining access to benefits that otherwise were unknown or inaccessible to them. By partnering with a community care navigator, you are taking charge of your health and your future. Patients who have received these services are quick to recommend them to friends and family. Should your doctor recommend community care navigation to help you master a chronic and complex illness, consider this to be an opportunity to maintain and enhance your personal wellbeing and your ability to direct your health care choices. If these services haven’t yet been offered to you, and you feel that community care navigation would help, speak up and ask your doctor to access these services for you. Locally, AAMC is providing physicians in its Collaborative Care Network access to community care navigation services that are free of charge. As part of a shared vision, Living Healthier Together, AAMC has partnered with the local medical community to improve wellbeing for individuals and families coping with complex, chronic illnesses. Contributor Patricia Czapp, MD, is chair of clinical integration at Anne Arundel Medical Center.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?