Sunday, October 4, 2020 marked the 10th anniversary of the opening of University of Maryland Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown, and while a public celebration could not take place due to restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the milestone was celebrated with a video and a small celebration for the team.
Located at 115 Shoreway Drive in Queenstown, the emergency center came into being thanks to the collaborative efforts of Shore Regional Health with the University of Maryland Medical System, Maryland state emergency officials, Queen Anne’s County government officials and community leaders. It was created primarily to meet the emergency care needs of Queen Anne’s County resident, but thanks to its convenient location just off Route 50 close to the Bay Bridge, it is truly a regional facility, now serving approximately 16,000 patients per year.
While it was created primarily to meet the emergency care needs of Queen Anne’s County, thanks to its convenient location just off Route 50 close to the Bay Bridge, it is truly a regional facility, now serving approximately 16,000 patients per year. While the great majority of patients are treated and released to go home, seriously ill or injured patients who need inpatient care – more than 800 annually – are transferred via ambulance or helicopter for admission hospitals in Maryland and elsewhere, depending on the needs of the patient.
Ken Kozel, president and CEO, UM Shore Regional Health, attributes the success of the Center to the expert, multi-disciplinary team that cares for patients who come through its doors. “Medical Director Dr. Jane Wang and Nurse Manager Mary Alice Vanhoy lead an outstanding team of emergency physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, med techs and nurse techs, and radiological and laboratory staff,” said Kozel. “This team is supported by equally dedicated professionals from Security, Patient Access, Environmental Services, IT, Maintenance, and last but certainly not least, the Queen Anne’s County’s Department of Emergency Services EMS teams.”
Several members of the team at Shore Emergency Center who were there on its opening day remain, including those shown above: (l. to r.) Truneal Johnson, security officer, Mary Alice Vanhoy, manager, Lisa Lisle, clinical nurse coordinator and Jane Wang, MD, medical director. Not shown are Anne George, Carolyn Sutch, Christine Peters, Mary Holden and Colleen Davidson-Ronning.
Kozel also credits the many neighbors and friends in Queen Anne’s County who supported the creation of Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown and have provided ongoing volunteer and fundraising support over the past 10 years.
“Through galas, receptions and more recently, the annual Claws for a Cause crab feast, local volunteers and community members have raised more than $1 million dollars for the Center, first for its construction, and in the decade since, to help fund the of purchase equipment, technology and other important emergency care needs,” Kozel said. “The sense of pride and ownership the community has maintained in the Center’s success is truly gratifying.”
Team members in the Center go out of their way to serve the community that supports them. “We are happy to staff community events like the Bay Bridge Run and the Queen Anne’s County Senior Expo,” says Vanhoy. “These provide us the opportunity to be out in front of our friends and neighbors, talking with them and showing them we appreciate their support. And just about everyone who works in the Center has stories about being out in public and having someone come up to say, ‘I was at your place and I thank you for the great care I received.”
When its doors opened ten years ago, UM Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown represented a new model of emergency care, but it has proven itself 24/7, 365 days a year, over the past decade – so successfully that UM Shore Regional Health is now building a second freestanding medical facility, 35 miles away, that will provide emergency care in Cambridge, Maryland. It is scheduled to open in the fall of 2021.
To see the video created in honor of Shore Emergency Center at Queenstown’s 10th anniversary, visit https://bit.ly/QAEC10th
As part of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. UM Shore Regional Health’s team of more than 2,200 employees, medical staff, board members and volunteers works with various community partners to fulfill the organization’s mission of Creating Healthier Communities Together.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.