- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogEvery three years, AAMC partners with local organizations to “take the pulse” of our community’s health through what’s called a community health needs assessment. Just like checking your own pulse and other vital signs, this process allows us to see how well our systems are working and make adjustments as needed. We collected as much data as possible from a variety of sources. We determined our community’s highest-priority health needs and developed an action plan to address them. Chronic Disease People with chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes often experience preventable complications. Steps we’re taking: Provide navigational and care coordination services to help patients and caregivers cope with illness and stay in the community. Train staff in primary care practices to identify and reach out proactively to patients at risk. Improve care coordination with nursing homes. Enhance our local population’s care through clinical initiatives sponsored by the AAMC Collaborative Care Network of physician practices. Mental Health and Substance Use In Anne Arundel County, there is a rapidly growing need for mental health and substance use services. Steps we’re taking: Establish a 16-bed mental health hospital for adults. Add more child psychiatrists and clinicians. Expand integration and co-location of mental health and primary care services. Infant Mortality Leading risk factors for infant mortality are low birth weight and a late start to prenatal care. Steps we’re taking: Find ways to collaborate with the community to improve access to early prenatal care. Develop education programs for low-income and/or minority women to access early prenatal care. Palliative Care Seniors are hospitalized four times more than other groups. Many struggle with medication management and social issues like lack of transportation and adequate nutrition. Steps we’re taking: Enhance our palliative care program. Palliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious illness. Expand access to The Conversation Project tool to help people express their end-of-life wishes. Access to Care Extreme poverty and health inequalities exist in some areas. Many community members have difficulties accessing the available services. Steps we’re taking: Bring together community partners to create a geographic resources plan.
- GivingGeneral Page Tier 3BlogCoffee with Clinicians, hosted by the AAMC Foundation, spotlights the work that is happening throughout Anne Arundel Medical Center. This unique opportunity invites community members to talk directly with AAMC medical providers and leaders about the state of healthcare and about AAMC’s future. These moderated discussions give people a chance to ask questions and interact one-on-one with the providers. Discussions take place in the intimate setting of the Doordan Institute on AAMC’s medical park campus. Coffee with Clinicians, held on Oct. 4, 2016, featured pediatrics and pediatric mental health, which is an immediate crisis in Anne Arundel County. Michael Clemmens, MD, AAMC medical director of pediatrics; Melissa Wellner, MD, AAMC child and adolescent psychiatrist; and Susan Emerson, pediatric CRNP, presented on how AAMC is responding to the crisis. In the last year, we have seen a 13 percent increase in youth under 18 seeking help for mental health issues and illnesses. Community members asked the panel of medical providers about how they could help respond to this crisis. The team answered with this advice: “Work with us to remove the stigma of mental health,” Dr. Clemmens said. “The more we can do that, the better for everyone. Join a committee, support the programs and beat the drum.” For more information about Coffee with Clinicians and how to support these care programs, please contact Gabby Pasternak at 443-481-4735.
- GivingGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe AAMC Foundation held its 27th Annual Golf Classic at the Chartwell Golf & Country Club on Sept. 26, 2016. This year’s tournament raised more than $175,000 to benefit patient care programs at Anne Arundel Medical Center. “The golf tournament is such a fun event, and it is great to know that the proceeds ultimately will benefit so many members of our community,” says Tonya Hill, senior vice president of BB&T Bank and co-chair of the AAMC Foundation 2016 Golf Committee. “The hospital is an integral part of our local identity, and the AAMC staff work so hard to provide high-quality, patient- and family-centered care.” AAMC Vice President of Finance Cathy Yurkon also served as event co-chair. A heartfelt thanks to all of our sponsors for their support, including our presenting sponsor, Comcast, and gold sponsor, All American Ambulance and Transport.
- Behavioral Health, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogBetween 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.
- Giving, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAn emergency room visit or hospital stay can be an unfamiliar and overwhelming experience for a child. That’s why AAMC’s certified child life specialists are often among the first to greet children and their families at the hospital. They are fixtures in the pediatric emergency department and the inpatient pediatric unit. With backgrounds in child development and psychology, they use developmentally appropriate tools to help kids — from infants to teens — manage stress and cope with medical procedures and hospitalization. They also advocate for family members and act as a bridge between families and medical staff. “Children and their parents can feel vulnerable in a hospital setting, so we begin to build a relationship as soon as they walk in the door,” says Kellie Becker, certified child life specialist. “A child can cope better when he or she knows what to expect. Depending on the child’s developmental level, we might show them medical equipment, demonstrate a procedure on a doll, or explain what they will see, hear and smell.” Distraction helps as well, she adds. The specialists carry backpacks full of toys, an iPad, light sticks and bubbles. Child life specialists are also trained to help families in critical situations. This includes supporting parents whose children are receiving critical care interventions, helping explain and talk about serious illness or death with siblings, and promoting memory-making activities to help a family cope with a loss. A conversation with an older child or teen can reveal whether he or she prefers to know the details of a procedure beforehand. Child life specialists may discuss what techniques, such as squeezing a stress ball, will help relieve anxiety. “Even children who outwardly appear to be coping well may need attention,” Kellie explains. Thanks to the generous support of the Building Traditions Society, part of the AAMC Foundation, AAMC’s specialist-to-child ratio allows a level of individualized attention that is not often found at other hospitals, says child life specialist Kylie McMenaman. “It’s so rewarding to help a patient and family overcome stress, or cope with a medical procedure they were convinced they couldn’t handle,” she adds. “It’s great to see you’ve helped them have a good experience, and to know they’ll carry that to their next healthcare appointment.” For information on how to support AAMC’s child life program, please call 443-481-4747.
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