Community, Infectious Disease
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COVID-19 Community Vaccine Clinics for September
Blog
With your help, we can finally end this pandemic. To date, Luminis Health has administered more than 100,000 COVID-19 vaccines in the communities we serve. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and free. In September, our Community Health Team will hold various community vaccine clinics throughout Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties. Here is September’s schedule:
**If self-registering, please select “No Insurance” during registration**
9/7/21- 5-7 pm- Langley Park Community Center; 1500 Merrimac Drive, Hyattsville, MD 20783
9/7/21- 5-7 pm- Catholic Charities DC; Susan Denison Mona Center; 5859 Allentown Way, Temple Hills, MD 20748
9/9/21- 4-8 pm- Riverdale Village ID; 5409 Riverdale Road, Riverdale, MD 20737
9/10/21- 4:30-7:30 pm- American Legion Post #141; 1707 Forest Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401
9/14/21- 5-8 pm- Calvert Hall 1D; 3817 64th Avenue, Landover Hills, MD 20784
9/15/21- 12pm- 2pm- Crossroads Farmers Market; Anne Street @University Blvd. E, Takoma Park, 20912
9/16/21- 5-5:30 pm- Boones Estates; 1091 Marlboro Road, Lothian, MD 20711
9/16/21- 5-7 pm- Annapolis Pride; 801 Chase Street, Annapolis, 21401
9/17/21- 4-8 pm- St. Alban Birmingham Lodge No. 233; 10800 Edmonton Road, Beltsville, MD 20705
9/21/21- 9am-5pm- First United Methodist Church; 6201 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD
9/23/21- 4-6pm- Save A Lot; 5416 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg, MD 20710
9/24/21- 2-4pm- Americana Grocery Store; 4900 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg, MD 20710
9/28/21- 9am-5pm- First United Methodist Church; 6201 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD
9/30-21- 5-8 pm- Riverdale Village 2D; 5409 Riverdale Road, Riverdale, MD 20737
Cancer Care, Wellness
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Should You Get a Lung Cancer Screening?
Blog
Every day, you take steps to protect your health. You may buckle up when you get in the car or put sunscreen on when you plan to be outdoors. Or maybe you take the stairs instead of the elevator at work and make it a point to eat plenty of fruits and veggies. These are simple things, but they can reap big rewards when it comes to keeping you well. And if you’re a current or former smoker, there’s another easy way to stay healthy and safe: Talk with your doctor about lung cancer screening.
Lung cancer screening may be one of our most powerful weapons yet in the fight against lung cancer. And with updated recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), more people than ever now qualify for this potentially lifesaving care. You might be one of them.
Discover how early detection can make a difference
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer deaths. It’s also the second most common type of cancer diagnosed in men and women in the U.S. One big reason: Most people don’t notice symptoms of the disease until it’s in an advanced stage, when it’s often difficult to treat.
Screening may help doctors find cancer early, before symptoms appear. When lung cancer is small and hasn’t spread, treatment may keep you from dying of the disease. That’s a good reason to go looking for trouble, even if you feel fine.
Know if you should get screened
We know smoking poses, by far, the most significant risk factor for lung cancer. With this in mind, the USPSTF now recommends annual lung cancer screening if you:
Are between 50 and 80 years old. Previous guidelines suggested starting screening at age 55.
Have a 20 pack-year smoking history. To calculate your pack-years, multiply the number of packs you smoked each year by the number of years you smoked. For example, a 20 pack-year means you smoked half a pack a day for 40 years or two packs a day for 10 years.
Smoke now or stopped smoking in the past 15 years. Kicking your tobacco habit is the best thing you can do to prevent lung cancer — and a host of other health problems as well. And even if you quit several years ago, you’re still at increased risk.
The USPSTF says you can stop screening if you:
Have a health problem likely to limit your life expectancy or make it hard for you to have lung surgery that could cure your cancer
Haven’t smoked in more than 15 years
Know what to expect during your screening test
Lung cancer screening involves a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scan. During the test, you will lie in a machine that takes X-ray images of your lungs. These detailed images allow your doctors to identify spots that might be cancer. LDCT tests take just a few minutes and are not painful. Medicare and most insurance plans help pay for these screening tests.
Speak with your health care provider
The best way to find out if and when you should get screened for lung cancer is to speak with your health care provider. Your doctor will talk with you about your risk factors and explain the benefits and possible drawbacks. If the test is right for you, your health care team will help you get it scheduled.
However, screening isn’t a good substitute for giving up tobacco. Quitting smoking is the single best step you can take to prevent lung cancer and improve your overall health. It isn’t easy, but it is doable. Millions of Americans have successfully stopped smoking, and you can be one of them.
Learn more about our quit smoking resources.
Author
Imad Tabbara, MD, FACP, has more than three decades of clinical experience with cancer patients, and holds board certifications in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology. He leads the LHAAMC Hematology and Medical Oncology program. Learn more at LuminisHealth.org/cancercare.
Community, Infectious Disease
General Page Tier 3
COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics for August
Blog
Luminis Health is proud to have giving more than 100,000 COVID-19 vaccines in the communities we serve. In August, our Community Health Team will hold various community vaccine clinics throughout Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and free. No appointments are necessary, however to guarantee a shot, you are encouraged to pre-register. Just click on the link for the particular vaccine clinic. Here is the schedule for August:
Luminis Health se enorgullece de haber administrado más de 100,000 vacunas COVID-19 en las comunidades a las que brindamos servicios. En agosto, nuestro Equipo de Salud Comunitaria llevará a cabo varias clínicas comunitarias de vacunas en los condados de Anne Arundel y Prince George. La vacuna COVID-19 es segura, eficaz y gratuita. No es necesario hacer una cita, sin embargo, para garantizar una vacuna, le recomendamos que se registre previamente. Simplemente haga clic en el enlace de la clínica de vacunas que desea. Aquí está el calendario para el mes de agosto:
**If self-registering, please select “No Insurance” during registration**
**Si se auto-registra, seleccione “Sin Seguro” durante el registro**
8/3/21- 4pm-7pm- First Presbyterian Church– 171 Duke of Glouceser St., Annapolis, MD 21401
8/5/21- 3pm-7pm- Riverdale Farmer’s Market– 6220 Rhode Island Ave., Riverdale, MD 20737
8/6/21- 4pm-7pm- Holy Cross Lutheran Church– 6095 Greenbelt Rd., Greenbelt, MD 20770
8/10/21- 6pm-8pm Allen Apartments– 205 Center St, Annapolis, MD 21401
8/11/21- 4pm-7pm- Auburn Manor– 6821 Riverdale Rd., Riverdale, MD 20784
8/12/21- 12pm-3pm- LAYC Cirque Du Soleil – 7000 Adelphi Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20782
8/17/21- 5pm-8pm- Langley Park Community Center– 1500 Merrimac Dr., Hyattsville, MD 20783
8/20/21- 5pm-7pm- Boone’s Estates – 1091 Marlboro Road, Lothian, MD 20711
8/24/21- 11am-1pm- Ebenezer Church of God- 7550 Buchanan St., Hyattsville, MD 20784
8/25/21-11am-2pm- Crossroads Farmers Market– Anne St. @, University Blvd E, Takoma Park, MD 20912
8/26/21- 3pm-7pm- Riverdale Farmers Market– 6220 Rhode Island Ave., Riverdale, MD 20737
8/27/21- 12pm-5pm- Charles Carroll Middle School– 6130 Lamon Dr., New Carrollton, MD 20784
8/31/21- 5pm-8pm- Langley Park Community Center– 1500 Merrimac Dr., Hyattsville, MD 20783
Community, News & Press Releases
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How Luminis Health Came To Be
Blog
For nearly 120 years, we’ve been providing high-quality and personalized care for you and your loved ones. Our commitment expanded two years ago when we formed Luminis Health. In this month’s What’s Up Magazine, our CEO Tori Bayless, shares how the name came to be, and our approach to better health care. Here is the article:
Anyone who has ever picked out a name—whether for a newborn baby, an adopted pet, or even a boat—knows that names help shape an identity. For Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC), the name Luminis Health reflects our identity. To understand the origins of the name, it’s important to take a look at the history behind AAMC.
In 1902, Annapolis Emergency Hospital was founded in Maryland’s capital city, housed in a farmhouse off Duke of Gloucester Street. Over the next 119 years, that hospital would grow and evolve in many ways, and with each evolution, the hospital’s name would change to reflect its expanded service to our community.
With the growth of Anne Arundel County after WWII, the hospital expanded to meet the needs of a booming population in greater Annapolis. With an increasing number of births, a growing orthopedics specialty, and the beginning advancements of modern medicine, Annapolis Emergency Hospital changed its name to Anne Arundel General Hospital to reflect its expanded services and geography.
When the hospital’s Board of Trustees voted to purchase 104 acres on Jennifer Road in 1984, the next evolution was signaled, as hospital and community leaders began to envision a new, comprehensive system of health care for family, friends, and neighbors. In 1988, the Board of Trustees voted to change the formal name to Anne Arundel General Health Care System for the “parent organization,” with the hospital name being changed to Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) in 1989. Within three years, Anne Arundel General Health Care System would include not only AAMC, but also a new addiction treatment facility called Pathways.
As pressures on health care providers increased at the turn of the 21st century, AAMC leaders recognized that growth was vital to its mission for several important reasons. First and foremost, access to quality care for all who needed it inspired AAMC to build pavilions across the region, from Easton, Centreville, and Kent Island on the Eastern Shore, to Bowie, to Pasadena in North County, and Odenton farther west. The goal was simple—bring high-quality care closer to where people live and work.
The second reason was, perhaps, more complicated but equally important. As large systems absorbed smaller hospitals throughout the state, AAMC’s leadership was committed to maintaining its independence to ensure it could continue to deliver its own brand of patient- and family-centered care. In order to maintain its independence, continued growth and scale would be imperative. When Doctors Community Hospital (now Doctors Community Medical Center or DCMC for short) recognized that they needed to be a part of a larger organization to ensure they could continue to serve the Prince George’s County community, they sought to become a part of Anne Arundel Health System.
In 2019, our Board of Trustees approved AAMC and DCMC coming together to form a new health system: Luminis Health. The result is easier access to more locations—from the Eastern Shore, through Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties, and well into Southern Maryland—enhanced quality, and improved health outcomes. “Luminis” supports our commitment to being a beacon of hope and healing for our communities. “Health” shares our commitment to sick care and well care, education, and healthy living. Luminis Health brings together a century-plus legacy of compassionate service to patients and families, a commitment to lighting the way to the highest quality, personalized health care for all who need it.
Now, as Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center, our Annapolis campus continues to be home to Maryland’s busiest emergency department, largest joint replacement and bariatrics/weight loss programs, second busiest birthing center, and world-class cancer program.
The new name of Luminis Health is yet another landmark for a hospital and health system that has been an integral part of this community for nearly 120 years.
Thanks to you, our community, for your support throughout the years and for making Luminis Health a part of your lifestyle.
Uncategorized
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Breastfeeding Lingo: A Quick Guide to Common Terms
Blog
If you’re reading this at 3 am, scrolling for help on your phone while cradling a hungry babe in the other arm — you aren’t alone. First-time moms and seasoned pros alike can run into unfamiliar issues while breastfeeding and pumping. Here are some terms you might run into along the way.
Talking about breastfeeding
Clogged ducts
A clogged milk duct — which develops as a small, tender lump on your breast — can result from a change in feeding schedule, a breast not draining fully or wearing tight clothing. Continuing to breastfeed will help it drain. Changing feeding positions, applying a warm washcloth and massaging can also help.
Cluster feeding
When your baby’s feeding sessions start to happen almost back-to-back, it’s called cluster feeding. Some babies seem to cluster feed before a growth spurt or in the evenings before a longer stretch of sleep at night.
Colostrum
When your baby is born, your breasts produce colostrum. This thick fluid is a kind of newborn “superfood” that contains the nutrients your baby needs and helps prevent infection. Over time, your breastmilk continues to adapt to your baby’s nutritional needs.
Engorged Breasts
As your milk comes in, you can quickly find yourself with too much of a good thing. If your milk production changes suddenly or you miss feedings, your breasts can become engorged or overfilled — sometimes painfully so. Warm showers and warm washcloths can reduce pressure before feedings.
Foremilk and hindmilk
Foremilk flows from your breast as your baby begins feeding, and it’s usually thinner than the higher-fat-content hindmilk that follows. Certain factors can affect the amount of foremilk vs. hindmilk your baby gets. But if your baby seems comfortable and has normal stools, they’re likely getting the right combination.
Latch
At the beginning of each feeding, it’s important to carefully line your baby’s jaw up to your breast to make a good connection. A proper latch helps your little one draw milk out safely and effectively, but it’s not always intuitive. Ask a lactation consultant for pointers if needed.
Mastitis
If your breast isn’t draining well enough, you can develop an infection called mastitis. If you notice swelling, burning or redness, or you have a fever or achy, flu-like symptoms, let your doctor, nurse or midwife know. You’ll need to take antibiotics, rest and keep breastfeeding to clear it up.
Milk bleb
Tiny, whitish spots on your nipple might be milk blebs or blisters caused by a latch that’s not quite right. These blisters usually go away on their own but can be painful. Keep the area clean and try to keep breastfeeding with good technique. A warm washcloth or gentle pressure can also help. If the area does not heal on its own, follow up with your provider.
Thrush
Thrush is a yeast fungus that often flares up in babies. A possible sign is white patches in your baby’s mouth and fussiness that makes feeding difficult. You and your baby will likely both need to be treated with antifungal medication for thrush since you can pass it back and forth.
Pumping and bottle-feeding terms
Duckbill
Breast pump valves vary by shape. A duckbill valve — you guessed it — resembles a flat, wide duck bill. Some moms notice better suction or output from certain types of valves, so it’s worth experimenting if you’re looking for better results.
Flange
Flanges are a key part of your breast pump. Similar in shape to a funnel, flanges make a vacuum-style seal with your breasts so the pump can draw out milk. Choosing the right size flange for your nipple can help you avoid injury and get good results.
Hand express
Did you know you can express your breastmilk by hand, no pump needed? Hand expressing can help relieve engorged breasts, stimulate production or produce milk to feed your baby. It’s not a complicated process but it can feel tricky to get the hang of on your first go. How-to videos can help you perfect your technique.
Paced bottle feeding
Babies taking breastmilk or formula from a bottle sometimes eat too quickly or too much. Paced bottle feeding mimics the way your baby would feed from your breast. You can help your baby control the milk flow by using a small bottle with a slow-flow nipple and by holding it horizontally. Taking breaks every few swallows will also help your baby learn to eat at a slower, steadier pace.
Supplementing
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend breastfeeding exclusively for your baby’s first four to six months. During this time, your provider will stay in close contact with you to offer support and help with any challenges you face.
If your baby isn’t gaining enough weight, your provider might refer you to a lactation consultant. These highly trained professionals can help you resolve any milk supply or latch issues. In some cases, they might also recommend supplementing your breast milk with formula.
Breastfeeding and pumping are a wonderful — and sometimes messy — affair. It’s normal to have questions, and when you do, we’re here to help with all the support and resources you need.
Author
Mary “Ginny” Bowers, CNM, IBCLC, is a certified nurse-midwife and lactation consultant with Luminis Health Ob-Gyn. To make an appointment, call 410-820-0038.