Maintaining cardiac health will be the focus of the Aging & Wellness Symposium set for Friday, April 12, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Wesley Hall, Heron Point in Chestertown.

Offered as a collaborative effort by the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), the Shore Community Outreach Team – Kent County, Heron Point of Chestertown and the Kent County Health Department, the symposium will offer a roster of expert speakers who will provide valuable heart health resources designed for older adults. UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

“This free symposium will be a great opportunity to learn about preventive strategies to maintain heart health as we age,” said Sandra Wilson-Hypes, Health Educator, UM SRH.

The symposium will begin with a continental breakfast and registration at 8 a.m., followed by presentations beginning at 8:30 a.m. Topics will include Medications for the Geriatric Population – A Focus on Cardiac Health; Know Your Numbers! How to Use the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 to Improve Your Health; and Heart Attack and Stroke – When to Call 911. In addition, a CPR survivor will share her story of survival and recovery.

The Aging & Wellness Symposium is open to the public at no charge; however, advance registration is required. Interested parties may register by calling 667-343-3151 or by going online to umshoreregional.org/health-education.

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System, recently welcomed Catherine “Katie” Halen as Vice President of Human Resources. 

In a distinguished career spanning more than 25 years as a human resources executive, Katie most recently served as the chief human resources office for Montgomery County government in Pennsylvania, where she developed and implemented comprehensive compensation and workforce initiatives and a DE&I strategic plan focused on employee retainment and recruitment.  

Prior to her role with Montgomery County, Katie spent most of her career with Delaware-based Beebe Healthcare where she developed workforce recognition and retention programs and led a team through a rapid onboarding initiative resulting in a 45% increase in new hires in Fiscal Year 2022. 

“Katie’s strength lies in successfully developing and implementing workforce strategies aligned with organizational and business goals, and her experience should prove to be a strong asset to University of Maryland Shore Regional Health’s future and growth,” said Ken Kozel, President and CEO, UM SRH. “We are excited to welcome her to our team.”

 

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

The Laboratory Services Department at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center (UM SMC) at Chestertown is now home to two new chemistry analyzers, made possible by more than $300,000 in funding provided by the Chester River Health Foundation. UM SMC at Chestertown is University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) hospital; UM SRH is a member of organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

 

“These new analyzers represent a significant technological advancement compared to our previous equipment,” said Julianna Hospodor, Director of Laboratory Services at UM SRH. “They provide overall faster processing and better cardiac readings, as well as some technologies we did not have before. We are so grateful to the foundation and its many donors for their generosity in making this new technology a reality for our hospital and our patients.”  

 

Installing the analyzers first required significant updates to the Chestertown laboratory facilities, which began in 2021. “It was a lot of work to get the space ready,” said Hospodor. “Now that the new analyzers are installed and operational, this state-of-the art technology is consistent throughout our laboratory sites, and that consistency supports quality patient care.”

 

“The Board of Directors of the Chester River Health Foundation recognized the significant need to update the hospital’s laboratory equipment and we were happy to commit the necessary funding,” said Libby Woolever, foundation chair. “The lab team was a great partner in this project, working through the process with grace and commitment. It’s gratifying to see it come to fruition and to know that patients are benefiting from access to state-of-the-art laboratory services here in Chestertown.”

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

 

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Kent Shore Community Outreach Team (SCOT) has been honored by the Kent County Chamber of Commerce as recipients of its Community Excellence Award – 2025 Organization of the Year. Kent SCOT is a population health initiative of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.‌

‌Presented at the Kent County Chamber’s annual meeting at the Chester River Yacht Club,,the award recognizes the outstanding community service and contributions of SCOT members Emily Welsh, MSN, RN, nurse coordinator; social worker Michelle Matthews, LCSW-C and community health advocates Amanda Webster, CCHW and Serenity Kelly, CCHW. The award is designed to highlight a non-profit or community organization that has “significantly enhanced the quality of life for Kent County residents through exemplary effort that contributes to the overall well-being and vitality of the community.” In addition to a commemorative plaque, the award includes a $1,000 gift from the chamber to support SCOT’s continued health care outreach and services for residents of Kent County.‌ 

‌Since January 2024, SCOT members have provided 60 free health screening events (blood pressure and diabetes) and 988 home visits and case management support for 166 patients. Patients served by SCOT may benefit not only from improved access to health care services, but also fewer emergency department visits and hospital admissions, as well as reduced health care costs.

‌“On behalf of the entire Shore Regional Health team serving Kent and northern Queen Anne’s Counties, I am proud to congratulate our Kent Shore Community Outreach Team on this well-deserved recognition from the Kent County Chamber of Commerce,” said Zack Royston, Vice President, Rural Health Care Transformation and Executive Director, UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. ”The team has been a driving force in transforming rural healthcare by delivering services to individuals where they are — whether in patients’ homes, trusted community sites, or through our partnerships with other community organizations. Through these efforts, the Shore Community Outreach Team is not only improving access to care, but also making a profound, positive impact in communities we serve.”

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

 

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System, recently welcomed Dawn Gordon as Medical Staff Director. In this role, Gordon will provide leadership, management and operational oversight of the Medical Staff Office. 

Gordon joins UM SRH from Centra Health, Inc., in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she served from 2014 to 2024 as Director of Integrated Professional Staff Services and ultimately as Corporate Director. In that capacity, she oversaw medical staff and credentialing activities for approximately 1,200 providers at three Centra facilities, the Centra Medical Group and its long-term care hospital. From 2007 to 2014, she served as Director of the Centralized Verification Office and Medical Staff Office of Carilion Clinic’s Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, Virginia. Her professional experience also includes four years as an adjunct faculty member in Liberty University’s nursing program and five years a registered nurse at Virginia Baptist Hospital.

Gordon’s educational credentials include a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa. She is certified in Professional Medical Services Management, Provider Credentialing and Leadership from the National Association of Medical Staff Services (NAMSS). She has served as President of the Virginia Association of Medical Staff Services and Director at Large representing several states for the NAMSS.

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

Adam Goldrich, MD, has been named Medical Director of the Cancer Center at University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH). UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

 As a provider with the Annapolis-based practice, Maryland Oncology Hematology, Dr. Goldrich has been seeing patients in the practice’s Easton location at 509 Idlewild Avenue since 2021. 

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Goldrich as the Cancer Center’s medical director,” said Jeanie Scott, Director of Oncology Services and the Clark Comprehensive Breast Center at UM SRH. “His familiarity with our cancer program as well as his medical expertise and commitment to the highest standards of patient-centered care make him an excellent choice for this leadership role.”

Dr. Goldrich, who serves on the UM SRH Cancer Program’s Governance Committee, earned his medical degree from the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University and completed his internal medicine residency at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and served as chief resident at Kings County Hospital. He completed his fellowship in oncology and hematology at the Fox Chase Cancer Center and Temple University Hospital. He is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology and hematology. 

‌Dr. Goldrich’s research interests include the use of immunotherapy with special attention to comprehensive genomic tumor profiling and targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer. His clinical focus includes gastrointestinal malignancies, lung and head and neck cancer, urologic cancer, breast and gynecologic cancer, along with leukemia and lymphoma. 

“Serving as Medical Director of the Cancer Center at UM Shore Regional Health is a role I am honored and excited to take on,” said Dr. Goldrich. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Cancer Center at Shore Regional Health along with the wider medical community on the eastern shore. My goal is to continue to develop and advance the Cancer Center’s treatment programs and continue to improve patient outcomes for the local community.”

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

 

The University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is hosting upcoming Safe Sitter® courses at UM Shore Medical Centers at Chestertown and Easton, and the 2025 dates were recently announced. UM SRH is a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

The course will be taught by UM SRH Women and Children’s Department skilled nurses and is designed for children ages 11 to 13.  Dates and times for the courses are: Saturday, January 18, April 26 and June 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at UM Shore Medical Center at Easton’s Health Education Center, 219 South Washington St.; and Saturday, June 7, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the conference room at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, 100 Brown St.

The course is designed to prepare students to be safe when they are home alone, watching younger siblings or babysitting other children. The instructor-led class is taught using games and role-playing exercises so that students can practice rescue skills. Participants in the program can also expect to learn safety skills, including how to prevent unsafe situations and what to do when faced with dangers such as power failures or weather emergencies; child care skills, such as tips to manage behavior that will help sitters stay in control of themselves and the children in their care; first aid and rescue skills, including CPR and choking rescue; and life and business skills to help sitters screen potential childcare jobs, discuss fees and greet employers.

“Safe Sitter helps pre-teens gain skills and confidence in caring for a sibling or babysitting, while learning in a supported and hands-on environment,” said Stephanie Blades, MSN, RNC-OB, clinical nurse educator, Women and Children’s Services, UM SRH. “The Safe Sitter course is a nationally recognized program that provides up-to-date information about caring for younger children in today’s world, including teaching CPR, choking rescue, and basic first aid skills. The course is nurse-led and designed to be interactive, through a mixture of learning and game play. My own children took this course more than 10 years ago and now I get the opportunity to teach it to the next generation.”

The cost of the program is $50 and a Safe Sitter kit will be provided to all student participants. Students should bring a lunch on the day of the program.

To register for the course, email Gladys Peeples at [email protected]. Early registration is encouraged, as class size is limited. For questions, call Stephanie Blades at 410-822-1000, ext. 5234. 

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

University of Maryland Shore Medical Group (UM SMG) – Surgical Care has welcomed general surgeon Faiz Khaja, MD, to its provider team. UM SMG is an affiliate medical practice of the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Dr. Khaja earned his medical degree from the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. and his undergraduate degree in biology from Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He completed his surgical residency at ChristianaCare in Wilmington, Delaware. Dr. Khaja has a special interest and skill in robotic surgery and has a wealth of medical volunteer experience abroad.

“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Khaja to our practice,” said William Bair, MD, Medical Director, UM SMG. His extensive expertise in a diverse range of surgical procedures, including robotic surgery, is an asset to our team.”

To make an appointment with Dr. Khaja, patients can call 410-822-4553.

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.

Several health education classes will be offered this year by the Rural Health Care Transformation initiative at University of Maryland Shore Medical Center (UM SMC) at Chestertown. UM SMC at Chestertown is part of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health, a member organization of University of Maryland Medical System.

“We are continuing our commitment to expand health education opportunities for residents of Kent and northern Queen Anne’s counties,” said Sandra Wilson-Hypes, Health Educator at the Chestertown hospital. “These classes are designed to help individuals maintain their best health and safety as they go about their daily lives and are offered free of charge, some in-person and others online.”

Three classes will be offered in a series of sessions that begin this month. These include Don’t Worry, Be Healthy, a five-session class beginning January 13 that offers tips for infection prevention, fire and burn prevention, medication safety, diabetes prevention and fall prevention; Caring with Compassion: Essential Lessons for Adult Caregivers, taught in five sessions beginning January 16; and Breathe Again: Smoking Cessation, offered in five sessions beginning January 29.

One-day classes offered at the hospital in the coming months include Heart Smart: Taking Control of your Cardiovascular Health, Tuesday, February 18, 1 to 2 p.m.; Adult Community CPR (non-certification), March 4, 1 to 3 p.m.; and Organize Your Health, presented by the Kent Shore Community Outreach Team, March 19, 5 to 6 p.m.

For class details and registration information, contact Wilson-Hypes by calling 667-343-3151 or emailing [email protected] 

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About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health 

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

 

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state’s future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System’s anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit www.umms.org.