- Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLet’s face it, urinary incontinence—the loss of bladder control—is not a sexy subject. But it’s a common problem that women of all ages often find too embarrassing to even talk about. For women affected by this, everyday life things—like going to the gym, sitting in a meeting or a night out with friends—can be extremely difficult, not to mention downright depressing. Think this is an “old person” issue? Not so. Surprisingly, one in four women under the age of 40 experience some form of incontinence. Women tend to suffer two types of incontinence: urge incontinence, the sudden and strong desire to urinate with only a few moments’ warning, OR stress incontinence, the involuntary loss of urine during physical exertion—such as lifting heavy objects and exercise, or even coughing, laughing and sneezing—that puts pressure on the bladder. Carrying and having a baby is not always the cause of urinary incontinence. Sometimes there are anatomical problems in the pelvis or in the back that can contribute. Also, certain medications, medical conditions and lifestyle habits can cause leakage issues. There is a bright side to this; while urinary incontinence isn’t always preventable, you can decrease your risk: Maintain a healthy weight Practice pelvic floor exercises, especially during pregnancy Avoid bladder irritants, such as caffeine and acidic foods Eat more fiber, which can prevent constipation, a cause of urinary incontinence So when do you need to see a doctor? When the leaks become problematic and impact normal everyday living. Make sure to bring up incontinence problems with your primary care doctor or gynecologist so they can refer you to a specialist. To learn more about treating urinary incontinence, visit askAAMC.org/PelvicHealth. Author By Kay Hoskey, MD, urogynecologist at Anne Arundel Medical Center’s Women’s Center for Pelvic Health. She can be reached at 443-481-1199.
- Men's Health, Women's Health, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogHigh blood pressure, or hypertension, is the leading cause of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease. It’s called the “silent killer” because it often has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people don’t know they have it. So with one in three adults in the United States having high blood pressure, it’s natural for you to question if you should worry about it. My answer is yes, but with some qualification. It’s not necessary, and sometimes unhelpful, for people to take their blood pressure multiple times a day. The benefits of blood pressure control occur after many years of treatment and it’s the rare circumstance where normalizing one’s pressure requires a sense of urgency. Also, one or two elevated readings at home, at the drug store, or a doctor’s office does not mean you have high blood pressure—it is a diagnosis that generally requires weeks or months to establish. I personally don’t believe that patients should monitor their blood pressure at home unless specifically instructed to by their doctor. But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. It’s important to know your blood pressure numbers and understand what they mean. This helps keep the lines of communication open between you and your doctor, so you can work in partnership toward the healthiest you. Understanding the Numbers Your blood pressure reading is made up of two numbers, but do you know what they are telling you? The top number is called your systolic blood pressure. This represents the force of blood through your blood vessels during your heartbeat. Normal: 119 or below is normal systolic blood pressure Prehypertension: 120-139 High blood pressure: 140 or greater High blood pressure in those over 60: 150 or greater The bottom number is called your diastolic blood pressure, representing the force of blood through your blood vessels when your heart is resting. Normal: 79 or below is normal diastolic blood pressure Prehypertension: 80-89 Hypertension: 90 and greater The good news is that it is possible to prevent and control high blood pressure through some simple lifestyle changes: Maintain a healthy weight Get physically active Follow a healthy eating plan Limit salt and sodium Limit alcohol consumption Lifestyle changes aren’t always enough depending on where you fall on the spectrum, in which case your doctor will work with you to incorporate blood pressure medication into your healthy lifestyle routine. We live in the age of fitness trackers and electronic health self-monitoring devices, so I understand the desire may still be there to check your blood pressure regularly on your own. If you can’t resist the temptation, or simply find peace of mind in more regular monitoring, I recommend taking your blood pressure once a week, at the same time of day, such as in the morning or evening, unless your doctor has instructed you otherwise. Listen to more about the numbers you should know for heart health from Dr. Jonathan Altschuler at AAMC’s docsTALK: Spring Screenings. Author By Jonathan Altschuler, MD, interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Anne Arundel Medical Center.
- Community, News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThere have been a lot of amazing changes happening in the Laboratory lately. The group has been working diligently to improve workflow and efficiency in one of the busiest areas of the hospital. Accuracy and efficiency are hugely important—almost every patient who passes through our doors will need to use lab services before they are discharged. More than 3,000 specimens pass through the lab on any given day, and the team needs to be able to process them quickly and accurately. Making their workflow as efficient as possible will keep costs low for patients. It will also put results in the hands or their caregivers quicker, helping them make faster, more accurate care decisions for their patients. One of the improvements the team recently made is in their workflow once a specimen enters the lab. They recently participated in a week-long rapid improvement event (RIE) to reduce the amount of time it took for a specimen to begin to be tested once it was received as well as reduce errors and decrease costs. Specimens arrive in the lab through the tube system, via delivery or drop-off. Once received, the lab assistants receiving the specimen must determine where the specimen needs to go for testing and, if necessary, prepare the specimen. This receiving and dispersal area is known as Central Accessioning. The first step was to take a closer look at the work area. The team determined that the Central Accessioning station was cluttered and not effectively used. The set-up of the station forced the lab assistants to make multiple stops in several areas within the workstation before finally delivering the specimen to the testing station. Extra walking means extra time. The team worked to redesign the workflow and eliminated the need to use the majority of the Central Accessioning station. The accessioning team can complete all work in a clean central location. This new centralized workstation means that instead of walking in a scattered “spaghetti” pattern, the Central Accessioning team walks “the bat cape.” The bat cape pattern represents the standardized walking pattern of receiving and delivering specimens to testing. The team saw results immediately, including: A cleaner space: The team was able to remove cubicle walls which were made unnecessary in the revamped accessioning station, giving the space a cleaner, more open feel and allowing for a more efficient walking pattern. Quicker processing: On average, a specimen would spend more than 16 minutes in accessioning before moving on to testing. That’s been reduced to less than seven minutes. Increased specimen processing: Each employee can now process more than 600 specimens per day, up from 424 before the rapid improvement event (RIE). Elimination in overtime: The team was putting in an additional 2.4 hours before the RIE. Decrease in errors: Before the RIE, six specimens processed incorrectly. Now, that’s down to four.
- Community, Women's Health, Pediatrics, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3Blog“When did doing something ‘like a girl’ become an insult?” That is the question Always feminine products asked us this year during their Super Bowl commercial. Anne Arundel Medical Center nurses Kristin Seibert and Andréa Williams started asking this question last summer when they decided to train for Race Across America, a 3,000-mile bicycle ride that starts in Oceanside, California, and finishes in Annapolis. And in June 2015, Kristin, Andréa and their team of six other women will become only the second eight-woman team ever to complete the race. “It started as a joke,” says Kristin, a labor and delivery nurse and mom to a one-year-old girl. “Then it kind of spread and got bigger and bigger. Finally, we just knew we had to do it.” And just like that, Bike Like a Girl was born. Initially inspired by that groundbreaking commercial, they have, in a short amount of time, created a brand that stands for strength, digging deep and pushing oneself to the limits. “I see so many girls with negative self images,” says Andréa, a recovery room nurse with two daughters, ages 18 and 20, and a son who is 16. “I want to show them that when you set your mind to something, you can achieve it.” Team training consists of cycling five days a week and strength training on days off . With most members being working moms, how do they fit it all in? “It’s a struggle each day,” laughs Andréa. “Some days you have meltdowns. You may miss a workout and it’s okay. Everyone understands.” Bike Like a Girl is raising money for three charities: World Bicycle Relief, Women’s Cycling Association and Bicycle Advocates for Annapolis & Anne Arundel County. The team begins the race on June 20, 2015 in Oceanside, CA, with hopes of breaking the existing record and arriving at the finish in Annapolis on June 27. “This was a dream at first,” says Kristin. “I never would have guessed I’d be this close to doing something I once believed was impossible. I want girls to know it’s okay to have a big goal.” For more information, visit BikeLikeAGirl.org. For a free Fitness booklet, click here.
- Community, Wellness, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogDuring his time in the Army, Will Younkin, a biomedical engineer at AAMC, enjoyed with his fellow soldiers what he calls “esprit de corps.” “It’s a phrase that means unity, brotherhood,” he says. Will applies this same concept to his teammates at AAMC. “We depend on each other at the hospital and work toward a common goal: caring for patients and families,” he says. About three years ago, Will had an idea for how to capitalize on this work camaraderie. Partnering with EnergizeSM, AAMC’s wellness movement, Will sent out an email asking who might be interested in forming a work softball team. “We immediately got 56 responses,” says Will, with a smile. So they started with two softball teams. Now, three years later, 180 employees (including some friends and family members) represent “Team AAMC,” competing on three softball teams and two kickball teams. The teams have done well, winning two recreation league championship titles. “There are two rules to follow,” Will says. “Rule #1: Show up. And rule #2: Have fun.” People from a wide spectrum of physical ability as well as job roles—from housekeepers to nurses and doctors to executives—all play together. “People who previously didn’t interact at the hospital now see each other and talk about how they’re going to beat a certain team this weekend,” says Will. Playing a team sport has encouraged other healthy habits in employees. “I know one person who is playing after having a double knee replacement. Others have started running 5K races, something they previously didn’t believe was possible,” he says. What’s next for AAMC team sports? “We just started an indoor volleyball team,” says Will. And he’s looking into organizing some training for extreme sports like the Warrior Dash. Do you think a career with Anne Arundel Medical Center is right for you? Take a look at our current job opportunities and become part of the AAMC family.
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