News & Press Releases, Heart Care
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Annapolis Cardiology Consultants Joins AAMG
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Annapolis Cardiology Consultants has joined Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG), a multi-specialty physician group that is part of Anne Arundel Medical Center.
Annapolis Cardiology Consultants will work in partnership with the doctors of AAMG Cardiology Specialists. AAMG’s heart care network now includes eight doctors at two locations, all supported by specially trained staff and backed by Anne Arundel Medical Center’s award-winning cardiac care.
“The talented team at Annapolis Cardiology Consultants has cared for this community for over a decade, and we’re pleased to welcome them into AAMG,” said Steve Clarke, vice president of Physician Services at Anne Arundel Medical Center. “This partnership allows us to continue to meet the growing heart care needs of our community and offer patients convenient access to our cardiologists.”
Appointments are available for patients within 48 hours. The AAMG heart care network includes:
AAMG Annapolis Cardiology Consultants:
Dr. Ingo Ender
Dr. Boaz Rosen
Dr. Sadia Shafi
AAMG Cardiology Specialists:
Dr. Jennifer Brady
Dr. Baran Kilical
Dr. Salvatore Lauria
Dr. Elizabeth Reineck
Dr. Jerome Segal
Annapolis Cardiology Consultants will continue to see patients at their location on Anne Arundel Medical Center’s campus at 2002 Medical Parkway, Suite 310 in Annapolis.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 410-224-0040 or visit AnnapolisHeart.com.
Anne Arundel Medical Center is committed to providing comprehensive heart care services for the community it serves. In 2015, the medical center filed a Certificate of Need (CON) application with the Maryland Health Care Commission to gain approval to develop a cardiac surgery program. If approved, the cardiac surgery program will be the first in Anne Arundel County. For more information, visit askAAMC.org/heart.
Community, Giving, News & Press Releases, Patient Stories
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AAMC Awarded Grant For Mental Health Needs
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Last year, AAMC was the recipient of a grant award through the Stulman Foundation to fund Referrals for Recovery (“RforR”), a model program designed to meet the needs of patients who require immediate behavioral health intervention.
Through this program, primary care and OBGYN physicians identify patients in need of mental health care by using the Quick Behavioral Health Assessment (“QBHA”), developed by AAMC behavioral health experts. Once a patient is identified, he or she is connected immediately via a dedicated referral line to the RforR team, comprised of a Referral Specialist and Behavioral Health Navigator. Together these professionals ensure that referred patients are appropriately assessed and placed in treatment within 48 hours.
The RforR program at AAMC has identified and secured appropriate behavioral health care for more than 500 patients in need. This program has allowed AAMC to increase accessibility to critical mental health needs for everyone in our community, as well as helped solidify community partnerships throughout the region. The RforR program represents the important advances in care that can happen from philanthropic support and grant funding.
To learn more about supporting mental healthcare programs provided by AAMC please call 443-481-4747.
Behavioral Health
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Working to Expand Mental Health Services
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Mental illness and addiction know no boundaries. They can impact people regardless of their age, race, income, education and geographic location. We often don’t have to look any further than our immediate circles—family, friends, neighbors, even ourselves—to see the faces of mental illness and addiction.
Anne Arundel Medical Center wants to help expand access to mental health services and recently filed a Certificate of Need (CON) with the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) to establish a 16-bed mental health hospital. This specialty hospital for adults will complement AAMC’s existing community-centered mental health and substance use services. The MHCC must approve our CON application before we can move forward.
Despite a growing network of outpatient mental health services, what’s sorely lacking is inpatient care, especially in Anne Arundel County. Each year, AAMC transfers more than 1,000 patients from our emergency department to inpatient mental health facilities across Maryland. The most recent countywide health assessment cites improved mental health and substance use services as one of the highest priority healthcare needs for Anne Arundel County.
“Community support for our project is strong and a true vote of confidence and indication that this community needs and wants access to mental health care,” says Larry Ulvila, chair of AAMC’s Mental Health and Substance Use Philanthropy Council and former president of the AAMC Foundation Board.
A core group of area residents and business leaders are pledging to launch a campaign to raise $5 million through the AAMC Foundation to help fund construction and programs for this new initiative.
We have been expanding our mental health services and this facility will fill a critical gap. In 2014, we opened an outpatient mental health clinic and, later this year, we will open a psychiatric day hospital program where patients attend treatment sessions during the day and return home in the evening,” says Raymond Hoffman, MD, director of AAMC’s Division of Mental Health and Substance Use. “This will provide our community with access to a full range of substance use and mental health programs on one campus.
AAMC plans to build the new specialty hospital on the Riva Road campus where it operates Pathways, a 40-bed substance use and co-occurring mental health treatment facility. In addition to inpatient care, AAMC will also transition its outpatient and partial hospitalization programs to this new facility. This will provide our community with access to a full range of substance use and mental health programs on one campus.
News & Press Releases, Weight Loss
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AAMC expands Weight Loss and Metabolic Surgery Program to Easton
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Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) today announced the expansion of its Weight Loss and Metabolic Surgery Program to the Eastern Shore. Bariatric Surgeon Courtney Doyle, MD, will see patients for weight loss surgery consultations at 505 Dutchmans Lane, Suites A3-A4, in Easton. Bariatric nutrition classes for her patients will also be held at that location.
Dr. Doyle will see patients at the Dutchmans Lane location until her office moves to the AAMC Pavilion – Easton. The new health care pavilion was announced in October 2016 and is scheduled to open in Waterside Village next to BJs in 2018. Dr. Doyle will continue to perform surgeries at Anne Arundel Medical Center.
“Eastern Shore patients have always been an important part of our practice,” says Alex Gandsas, MD, medical director of AAMC’s Weight Loss and Metabolic Surgery Program. “We are pleased to offer our patients on the Eastern Shore a more convenient location and easier access to our services.”
“With our program you gain doctors, registered dietitians and nurses committed to supporting you,” says Dr. Doyle. “Reaching the decision to have weight loss surgery and following the journey to make it happen is never done alone. We are here to help.”
Starting in February, Dr. Doyle will offer free weight loss surgery seminars at the Easton Holiday Inn Express. Registration and a full schedule of weight loss surgery seminars are available at AAMCEvents.com
The AAMC Weight Loss and Metabolic Surgery Program is a comprehensive program designed to ensure patients have a successful, safe surgery and maintain results. AAMC’s bariatric surgery center is designated as a Level I facility and is nationally accredited by the American College of Surgeons. This ensures the program meets specific standards of care for weight loss operations for the types of weight loss surgery we perform, including sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, and adjustable gastric band removal and revision.
Dr. Doyle is a board-certified, fellowship-trained specialist in the field of bariatric surgery, with expertise in sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass. She completed her training in general surgery in Indiana before moving to Maryland to pursue a weight loss surgery fellowship.
Dr. Doyle received her medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine, where she completed one of two fellowships as well as a residency, both in general surgery. She completed her second fellowship at AAMC in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit askAAMC.org/WeightLoss or call 443-924-2900.
Behavioral Health, Pediatrics
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Your Game Plan to Address Video Game Violence
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Between what they see on TV, online and in video games, your kids can be bombarded with violent images. If you don’t address it, kids can become numb to real violence over time.
Violent video games can especially lead to aggressive behavior and cause children to be less sensitive to other people’s pain and suffering. A study in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that just 20 minutes of playing a violent video game can cause people to be less affected by real violence.
Children younger than 8 are even more prone to desensitization, since the line between reality and fiction is still blurry in their developing brains. As a parent, you should set clear limits for video game content and the amount of time spent playing. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these tips to steer your kids toward age-appropriate video games:
Get to know a video game’s content before giving the OK to play.
Keep gaming in a common family area for easy supervision.
Limit video game time to an hour a day, and encourage other activities like exercise, playing outside and reading.
Turn gaming time into family time by choosing group sports or music activity video games that bring everyone together.
It’s also helpful to learn and follow the Electronic Software Ratings Board (ESRB) video game ratings. You can find them on game packaging or onscreen before downloading a game.
Rating Categories
Early Childhood: Content is intended for young children.
Everyone: Content is generally suitable for all ages. May contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.
Everyone 10+: Content is generally suitable for ages 10 and up. May contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language and/or minimal suggestive themes.
Teen: Content is generally suitable for ages 13 and up. May contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling and/or infrequent use of strong language.
Mature: Content is generally suitable for ages 17 and up. May contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.
Adults Only: Content suitable only for adults ages 18 and up. May include prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic sexual content and/or gambling with real currency.
Learn how to talk to your kids about violence in the news and protect them from cyberbullying.