- Community, News & Press Releases, Patient & Family AdvisorsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWhen Lucretia Jackson entered the hospital for surgery in January, she knew she would never be in the dark about her care. From the moment she woke up, Lucretia would know when her next test was scheduled, what level of pain she should expect, the names of the nurses caring for her, what number to call for questions, and much more. She knew this because she had helped design the whiteboards hanging in every patient’s room. Lucretia is a patient advisor on the hospital’s Patient Safety Committee that developed the whiteboards. “It was a comfort for me,” she says, “because when the nurses came in, I could call them by name. They discussed my goals, my potential discharge date, and my pain management. Everything was clearly addressed and included on the whiteboard.” New Approach Wins Accolades Unlike traditional inpatient room whiteboards, the new patient and family-centered whiteboards at AAMC are not blank slates, but rather charts to be filled in with the information patients want to know. A new approach that rethinks the way hospitals communicate with their patients, the whiteboards won the prestigious 2015 Minogue Award for Patient Safety Innovation. It’s the highest award given by the Maryland Patient Safety Center, and the new whiteboard was selected from among 74 other innovative ideas from Maryland, Washington, D.C., and New York. Shirley Knelly, AAMC’s vice president for Patient Safety and Quality, says patient advisors such as Lucretia helped identify the need for a better way to communicate with patients and families. Together, they came up with an idea for a revised whiteboard and designed it based on patient input. “Originally, we wanted to use the boards to tell patients what we thought they should know about,” says Shirley. “Our ideas included such things as their dietary requirements and fall risk, but that’s not what’s most important to a patient. What’s important to the patient is when they are scheduled for tests such as MRIs and x-rays, and what to do if they have questions. They want to be assured that hospital staff have the name of a contact person to call if they can’t speak for themselves.” Those are things the safety committee has included in the whiteboards, and they’ve trained every member of the patient care teams to use them. “It’s a different level of transparency from the patient’s perspective,” says Lucretia. The innovative approach has gained a great deal of attention from other hospitals. In March, Lucretia and Shirley gave a presentation on the whiteboards at the Maryland Patient Safety Center’s annual conference. “Three hundred participants attended the presentation,” Shirley says. “Many hospitals have asked for a copy of our whiteboards.” Shirley says she was overwhelmed with excitement when she heard the patient and family-centered inpatient whiteboards had been chosen for the Minogue Award. “The family advisors and the patient safety committee worked so hard on the board,” she says. “To be recognized statewide as the winner of this award is something we are very proud of, but what’s most satisfying is that it really improves the patient and family experience here at AAMC, and that other hospitals are going to be using it, too.”
- Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Uncategorized, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLast summer, Michelle Pack was just doing what parents do in every playground across the country—helping her daughter on the slide. At 14 months, Annetta was too young to go alone, so Michelle went down the slide with her daughter nestled between her legs. That evening Annetta, who had been walking since she was 10 months old, would not put weight on her leg. By the next morning she wouldn’t stand in her crib, so Michelle took her to Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Specialists. Orthopedic surgeon Edward Holt, MD, confirmed that Annetta had broken her leg while sliding with her mother. “I see about seven or eight of this type of fracture every year,” says Dr. Holt. It happens when the grippy sole of a toddler’s shoe prevents his or her foot from sliding forward. The shoe sticks, but the weight and momentum of the parent twists and breaks the child’s leg. Often, the parent doesn’t even realize it’s happened, as was the case with Michelle and Annetta. “It’s not something that needs surgery,” says Dr. Holt. “Usually they just need a cast, but the parent is devastated that he or she broke the child’s leg.” Like most parents, Michelle says she had never heard about the risks of sliding with a toddler. Dr. Holt says it isn’t being publicized in the medical community either. So, about four years ago, he began to campaign for public awareness on sliding board safety. The word has been spreading steadily since he received attention in The New York Times and in local news outlets. Last fall, in a partnership with Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks, AAMC posted signs to educate parents and care providers of the risks of sliding with a toddler. The signs are posted at every Anne Arundel County playground. “My recommendation for parents who want their 2-year-olds to go on the slide is to let them go by themselves,” says Dr. Holt. “Or, if they feel compelled to slide with the child, take the rubber-soled tennis shoes off first.” Watch a video featuring Dr. Holt talk about sliding board safety.
- Senior Care, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogBrain fog. Mood changes. Night Sweats. Insomnia. Hot flashes. The reality is menopause is the biggest change women go through since adolescence, and you’ll likely experience some, if not all, of the symptoms. But are there things you can do along the way to help you navigate it? In most cases, the answer is yes. Every woman’s menopause journey is different, but here are some tips that may help along the way. Don’t Try to Predict When the Change Will Happen I see a lot of women who are looking for ways to predict when menopause may start. Since stress is one of those triggers that makes menopause worse, it’s important to just let Mother Nature run her course. There isn’t a correlation between how early or late you started your menstrual period and when menopause will start. And, you MAY follow in your mother’s footsteps on timing, but then again you might not. Checking your hormone levels doesn’t work either. At the end of the day, your period is your best gauge. I tell my patients to check in with me once three periods are missed, although women are not considered to be officially in menopause until 12 consecutive months of missed periods. Your symptoms will become more pronounced the longer you’ve missed periods. Also, if your periods are persistently less than two weeks apart, touch base with your doctor. Avoid the Things that May Make Hot Flashes Worse Stress Alcohol (especially wine) Caffeine Hot Drinks Spicy Foods Sugar Remember, not all of these things may affect you. Pay attention to what you’re eating around the same time as you have episodes to see if there’s a pattern. For you, it may be something on this list or it might be some other food. Know What Helps Lessen Hot Flashes or Their Inconvenience Moderate to Vigorous Exercise (Four times a week) Losing Weight Dressing in Layers Ice Water/Cool Drinks Meditation/Deep Breaths Fans Know There Are Treatments Beyond Hormone Replacement Therapy It’s hard to know when to seek out additional treatment and every woman is different, so my rule of thumb is if your symptoms are persistent enough to continually disrupt your life you should talk with your doctor. Three common treatments are: Over-the-Counter Naturals (such as Estroven and IsoRel)—These mimic estrogen. You should give them at least three months to see effectiveness, and they generally have a 30 to 50 percent success rate. Antidepressants (such as Effexor and Brisdelle)—These are non-hormonal options for women who have blood clots or have had or are at higher risk for breast cancer. Brisdelle was specifically created to treat menopausal symptoms. It’s a lower dose than what would be used for anxiety or depression. You should give them at least three months to see effectiveness, and they generally have a 30 to 50 percent success rate. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)—I recommend transdermal estrogen or oral natural progestin in the lowest amount that provides relief. HRT is individualized, and I recommend you talk to your doctor because it is not prescribed for everyone like it used to be. No matter which method you try, look at things in six-month blocks. Are your symptoms better? Are you able to handle it better? If you’re still having moderate to severe symptoms that interfere with your life, check back in with your doctor. For more information and events geared toward the health needs of women, please visit LivingHealthierTogether.org. Author Karen Hardart, MD, an OB-GYN at Anne Arundel Medical Center. She can be reached at 410-573-9530.
- Senior Care, Women's Health, UncategorizedGeneral Page Tier 3BlogNutrition and bone, muscle and joint health are closely related. A healthy diet can help prevent and manage osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal disorders by assisting in the production and maintenance of bone. If you are not getting the right nutrients you are putting yourself at greater risk for bone, muscle and joint disease. Osteoporosis is called the silent disease because many people do not know they have it until they suffer a fracture. Ninety percent of adult bone mass is in place by the end of adolescence. Studies show if you are over 50, one out of every two women and up to one in four men will break a bone due to osteoporosis. The following nutrients, and the foods that contain them, hold particular promise in promoting optimal bone health: Calcium is a mineral essential for both building bones and keeping them healthy. Unfortunately the majority of Americans are not getting enough. Ideal food sources include milk, and enriched milk alternatives, such as soy or almond milk, cheese and yogurt. Other sources include bok choy, kale, turnip greens, almonds, white beans, tofu and fortified orange juice. The recommended daily allowance for adults over 50 is 1200 mg per day. Vitamin D also is important for bone health, as it promotes calcium absorption. There are a few sources of vitamin D in food, such as fatty fish, cheese, egg yolk, fortified milk, milk products, orange juice and cereals. Vitamin D can also be obtained through sunlight, but with the use of sunscreen this is not adequate. The best advice is to always get as much vitamin D from the diet, but supplementation is often required. The current RDA is 400 IU’s, but if you are deficient the dose can be much higher. Other nutrients have been linked with bone health, including vitamins C and K and magnesium. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may protect bones as these are rich in antioxidants—including watermelon, tomatoes, pink grapefruit, bell peppers and guava. Eating habits with a moderate intake of protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains leads to a healthier lifestyle. High levels of protein, caffeine, sodas and sodium have been linked to calcium loss. Many Americans consume too much protein, which can increase the urinary excretion of calcium. Yet at older ages protein intake is often too low and this can lead to bone loss and fractures. It is important to have a balance. We should aim to have not too much but enough, which can be said for all nutrients. Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and physical activity are key to prevent bone disease. Physical activity should combine weight-bearing activity, simply to carry the weight of your skeleton, such as walking. Strength training is helps improve the muscles that support your skeleton and exercise improves your balance to help prevent falls. Taking charge of nutritional health and exercise will help promote healthy bones as you age. Ever consider nutritional counseling? Learn more about this service from Anne Arundel Medical Center. Author By Ann Caldwell, nutritionist and registered dietitian at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach her call 443-481-5555.
- Community, Pediatrics, UncategorizedGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWe are committed to improving the health of our community, illustrated by this sampling of our community outreach efforts: Helping Kids Say “No” Amanda Larkins is a prevention educator who visits high school students in their classrooms as part of a partnership among Anne Arundel County Public Schools, county coalitions and AAMC’s Pathways Prevention Program. The goal is to help students make good choices by arming them with information aboutthe dangers of alcohol and drug use and strategies for resisting peer pressure. In our photo above, Larkins has freshmen at Northeast High School in Pasadena spin the “Wheel of Misfortune,” taking turns testing their knowledge of drinks and drugs, and practice saying no. Reducing the Rate of Lung Cancer Deaths AAMC is committed to diagnosing lung cancer in people as early on in the disease process as possible. That’s because the earlier you catch it, the better your chances are for survival. We do this by providing low-dose CT Scans for low-income residents and, when necessary, enrollment in the rapid access chest and lung assessment program (RACLAP) for early intervention and diagnosis. Good news: The lung screening is covered by most insurances and Medicare, if you meet the screening criteria. If something suspicious is found, the RACLAP ensures patients get the information needed to decide on a course of action. Becoming Tobacco Free Since tobacco use is the leading cause of lung cancer and other related diseases, AAMC is committed to decreasing the use of tobacco products. We offer smoking cessation help through classes, individual counseling and support groups—all free to people who work or live in Anne Arundel County. AAMC is a tobacco free campus, which discourages the use of these products by employees, patients, visitors, and volunteers. Starting July 2015, AAMC takes a leadership position as a major employer in Maryland and stops hiring nicotine users. Our Community Benefit Report offers more details on our work in the community.
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