News & Press Releases
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Anne Arundel Medical Center Recognized for Excellence in Employee Wellbeing
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Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) has been recognized by CBIZ for its commitment to workplace health. AAMC received the Edington CBIZ Next Practice Award and Great Beginnings Award for senior and operational leadership success in implementing innovative wellbeing initiatives for employees.
Award winners are evaluated and determined by a panel of judges comprised of 12 wellbeing and human resource experts from various industries.
“We believe that if our employees are thriving in their life they will be engaged in their work and that will benefit our patients,” said Julie McGovern, vice president of Human Resources at AAMC. “We are proud to be recognized for our efforts surrounding the wellbeing of our employees who are our community’s caregivers in so many ways. It is our mission to enhance the health of the people we serve but also those who serve.”
In a press release announcing award winners, Dee Edington, founder and chairman of Edington Associates, said, “The Next Practice and Great Beginnings Award winners serve as role models for companies looking to invest time, energy and resources to make health an integrated component of their business. It’s vital to recognize those organizations seeking to make a lasting impact on their employees’ lives.”
Having an “engaged, healthy and diverse workforce” is identified in AAMC’s Vision 2020 strategic plan as a top strategic goal for the medical center. To meet this goal, AAMC launched its “WellBeing” framework designed to help employees nurture both their professional and personal wellbeing.
Through the WellBeing framework, AAMC provides a number of resources, including fitness classes, professional development programs, money management sessions and more, to help employees better their career, relationships, finances, community and overall health.
News & Press Releases
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AAMC Aims to Reduce Amount of Opioids Prescribed by 50 percent by 2019
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The opioid epidemic is growing and complex in its causes. As a health system, we know that excessive use of prescription opioids can lead to long term dependence and that unused prescription opioids are subject to abuse and diversion — fueling a dangerous epidemic of overdose and death.
“Our providers take their role as a trusted source of health care in our community very seriously,” says Barry Meisenberg, MD, chair for quality improvement and health care systems research at AAMC. “They take ownership of their role in educating patients about the dangers of opioids, and prescribing the right amount of medication.”
After a six-month research study, Dr. Meisenberg assembled AAMC’s Opioid Taskforce in January of 2017. AAMC’s goal is to reduce opioid prescribing by 50 percent by 2019. This goal is a reflection of the success the taskforce has already seen in three key clinical areas they’ve been focused on: orthopedics/sports medicine, the emergency room and our employed primary care providers.
Through provider and patient education, standardization in prescription guidelines, and engaging patients in open discussion of pain management plans, AAMC has seen a 25 percent reduction in the rate of patient visits resulting in an opioid prescription and a 40 percent reduction in overall opioid prescribing in these three areas. There has been no reduction in patient satisfaction with pain management.
Jeffrey Gelfand, MD, medical director of Orthopedic Services at AAMC, led a pilot program involving providers and surgery patients of AAMG Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Specialists.
“We came to a group consensus as to what we thought was the correct amount of narcotic needed for a given procedure. We all agreed as providers to prescribe that amount,” explains Dr. Gelfand. “We’ve been tracking our results and in the first eight months we’ve reduced our narcotic prescription by over 50 percent. We’ve done it at the same time without compromising patient comfort.”
Drs. Barry Meisenberg and Jeffrey Gelfand were recently highlighted in a Baltimore Sun article and video for the work the health system is doing.
Patients have appreciated the dialogue and have been actively engaged. AAMC is encouraged by this success and will be expanding this work to other areas of the health system.
“Our task force has concentrated on improving prescribing information and moving toward standardization and reduction. But we can’t do this alone,” says Dr. Meisenberg. “It will take great partnerships with government officials, our justice system, hospitals, providers and treatment centers to ultimately curb this epidemic.”
Cancer Care, Men's Health, Women's Health, Pediatrics
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The HPV vaccine: What parents should know
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About 12,000 women get cervical cancer every year in the U.S., and a third of those cases are fatal.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly all of those cases are linked to the human papillomavirus infection, also known as HPV.
HPV can also cause other forms of cancer. Experts say the infection causes between 50 and 60 percent of cancers including cervical cancer, vaginal and vulvar cancers, anal cancer, throat cancer and penile cancer.
However, there is a vaccine that can help prevent these cancers. Here’s what you need to know.
HPV vaccine guidelines
About nine in 10 people will catch HPV eventually, and medical experts recommend that both males and females get the vaccine before they become sexually active.
According to the National Cancer Institute, the vaccine has helped to lower HPV among women in their 20s by nearly two-thirds.
There are three HPV vaccines available – Gardasil, Gardasil 9 and Cervarix.
The CDC recommends the vaccine for women through age 26, and men through age 21. But there are guidelines for when your child should get the HPV vaccine, based on age.
Boys and girls who are 11 or 12 should get two shots of the vaccine six to 12 months apart. Those who receive their shots less than five months apart will need a third shot.
If your child is 15 or older, he or she will need three shots over six months. Doctors also recommend that children with weakened immune systems receive three shots.
Children who are allergic to yeast or latex should not receive the vaccine. Talk to your pediatrician if your child has any severe allergies. Women who are pregnant should also not get the HPV vaccine.
As with any vaccine, there can be side effects. Common side effects include pain, redness or swelling in the arm where the patient received the shot; fever; headache or feeling tired; nausea; and muscle or joint pain.
According to the CDC, most people who get the vaccine never experience side effects.
Screening for HPV related cancers
The CDC says the HPV vaccine isn’t a substitute for cervical cancer screening, and it doesn’t protect against all types of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer. Women should still see their gynecologist for regular Pap tests.
There are no recommended screening tests for anal and penile cancers, or for throat cancers. You should visit your doctor regularly for checkups.
Behavioral Health, Community, News & Press Releases
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Anne Arundel Medical Center Celebrates Pathways 25th Anniversary
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Anne 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.
Giving
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Surgeon donates time to give free cataract surgery to low-income patients
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Maria 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].
