- Community, Giving, News & Press Releases, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLast 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.
- UncategorizedGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWith so many television commercials talking about different health issues, it’s no wonder folks are confused about digestive tract concerns. There are several health conditions that affect the digestive tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine. One disease I often hear about is a group of chronic intestinal diseases called inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). IBD is a group of conditions that cause the body’s own immune system to attack all or part of its digestive tract. Immune cells normally protect the body from infection, but in someone with IBD the immune system mistakes harmless substances for foreign substances and attacks them. This creates inflammation or infection. About 1.6 million Americans have IBD, according to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). Doctors diagnose 70,000 new cases of IBD in the United States each year. Although anyone can have IBD, most people with the disease are between 15 and 35 years old. The two most common IBDs are ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease. UC affects the large intestine (the colon) and Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus. It’s common to confuse Crohn’s disease and UC with other conditions because they share common symptoms. These symptoms may include significant and persistent diarrhea, stomach pain and cramps, bloody stools (more typical with UC), fatigue, reduced appetite and unintended weight loss. There’s not one specific trigger for IBD, and flare-ups are often unpredictable. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, the first step is talking openly with your primary care doctor. Your doctor may refer you to a gastroenterologist. Unfortunately, there’s no cure for Crohn’s disease and the only cure for UC is removing the large intestine. A gastroenterologist can help pinpoint the best and latest treatment based on your individual needs. Treatment options include changes in diet and nutrition, surgery, alternative therapies and prescribed medicines. Know that self-medication is never a solution. Over-the-counter medications may mask the diarrhea and pain, but they don’t stop intestinal damage. A gastroenterologist can help control your symptoms and help prevent long-term damage. In addition to medication, it’s important to eat healthy, get enough sleep, exercise regularly and manage your stress. With proper care and plenty of patience, many IBD patients achieve long-term remission. Author Dr. Mark Flasar is a gastroenterologist at Anne Arundel Medical Center.
- Behavioral HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogMental 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.
- General Page Tier 3BlogBy now, you’ve probably heard about GMOs (genetically modified organisms). But with all the talk about these harmful organisms in our food, how can you separate fact from fiction? Let’s start at the beginning. All food begins as an organism, a plant or animal with many traits. Since the dawn of agriculture, farmers have modified these traits using methods like selective breeding, cross pollination and hybridization to improve their crops. But GMOs go beyond these methods. To make a genetically modified organism, scientists select a desired trait from one living thing, copy that trait and place it in to another living thing. This process would not occur naturally. The most common GMO crops are soybeans, corn, cotton and sugar beets. Most GMO crops eventually end up on the dinner table as ingredients in the foods we eat, including everything from cereal to dessert. GMO crops are processed to become oil, sugar, starch, syrup, fiber and protein ingredients, as well as vitamins in foods and dietary supplements. Most meats, poultry, eggs, dairy products and farmed seafood contain GMOs because field corn and soybeans are used as feed for livestock. Beyond grains, most of the yeast and enzymes used to make everything from bread to cheese come from GMOs. Is non-GMO the same as organic? No. Non-GMO crops are still treated with herbicides and pesticides. Therefore, they are not organic. And the U.S. Food and Drug Administration hasn’t set any standards to regulate the use of the non-GMO label. On the other hand, certified organic products cannot include GMOs. This means farmers aren’t allowed to grow produce from GMO seeds, their animals can’t eat GMO feed and food producers can’t use any GMO ingredients. What does the organic certification mean? When you see the USDA organic seal on a food or beverage product, you’ll know it’s organic. This certification bans chemical fertilizers, synthetic substances, irradiation, sewage sludge and GMOs in the production of these products. Antibiotics and synthetic hormones are also banned in organic meat and poultry. How can you eat less GMO foods? In short, eat less processed foods. Replace processed snacks with foods that are naturally non-GMO. These include fresh fruit, vegetables, potatoes, dried beans, nuts and seeds. Consider buying only organic. Choose foods that are verified non-GMO by a third party, like The Non-GMO Project. Avoid dining out, as most restaurants don’t use non-GMO ingredients. Want to make a simple switch? The most important foods to buy non-GMO are meat, eggs, yogurt and milk. These foods are all affected by animal feed, which is often genetically modified. Are GMO foods harmful? To date, there is no solid research that shows people have been harmed by GMO foods. However, just because there’s no evidence of harm does not mean GMO foods have been proven safe. Most research hasn’t existed long enough to determine the effects of GMO foods throughout a person’s lifetime. Non-GMO and organic products are a good place to start, but if you really want a healthier diet eat more foods that don’t need a label. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the hallmark of a healthy, nutritious diet. Sources: New England Journal of Medicine: GMOs, Herbicides, and Public Health Consumer Reports: GMO foods: What You Need to Know Tufts University: Questioning GMOs To learn more about nutrition services at Anne Arundel Medical Center, visit AskAAMC.org/nutrition. Authors By Ann Caldwell and Maureen Shackelford, nutritionists and registered dietitians at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach them call 443-481-5555.
- Cancer CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWhen you are diagnosed with cancer, money is usually not the first thought that comes to mind. For many individuals, however, thoughts about money, insurance coverage and income maintenance are part of the second wave of questions. The following tips may be helpful to keep a handle on the financial aspects of treatment. Don’t be afraid to talk about the cost of treatment. It’s important to know what to expect from treatment, both in terms of physical and financial side effects. If your provider doesn’t raise the issue of cost, you should. Call your health insurance company and request an insurance case manager. This single point-of-contact with the health insurance company will help you understand your coverage. Having a case manager allows you to build a relationship and keeps you from having to explain your situation each time you call. Ask a friend or family member to help you keep medical bills organized. Keeping up with the explanation of benefits (EOBs) statements from your health insurance company and matching them to the bills received from multiple providers can be an overwhelming task. Friends and family often want to help in some way. Asking someone you trust to keep track of this aspect of your care can benefit both of you. Take advantage of the resources available. If you have questions or concerns, please ask. The oncology social worker on the team is a good starting place for general questions about how to make ends meet. He or she can be a listening ear and direct you to additional resources based on your situation. Financial counselors are available at AAMC to help you understand your medical bills and determine if you are eligible for assistance. Call 443-481-6500 to speak with a counselor.
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